19 Mar Gourds, Ancient Medium for Modern Art by Jonathon Corbridge: 3-25-25
Redlands Art Association hosts free PROGRAMS: guest artists to educate / entertain us on the 4th Tuesday night of each month, September through May.
Jonathon Corbridge will tell you everything you want to know about gourds on Tuesday, March 25, from 7–9pm.
The gourd is one of humanity’s earliest domesticated plants. As useful, hardy plants, gourds piggybacked on humanity, out of Africa spreading across Asia, the Middle East, across Polynesia, the Hawaiian Islands, and even the Americans, gourds traveled with humans as they spread across the globe, making it to the Americas thousands of years before Europeans first set foot here.
Gourds come in edible varieties called squash (such as zucchini, butternut, and pumpkin) and other hard, noneditable varieties. The hard varieties have waterproof shells and natural shapes that make for great, natural containers and even musical instruments.
Over 1000s of years, people started to decorate gourds the way they decorated other personal items. Like pottery and clothing, decorated gourds took on personal and ritual meaning.
Today, gourds have become their own unique art medium. The outside of gourds are similar to wood, and can take paints, stains, and inks. The hard exteriors allow for fine detail carving, the insides are soft and take well to sculpting and sanding.
Corbridge will show you the specialty tools for carving, and the paints, stains, and inks. He’ll also explore examples of gourd-based art from a variety of artists, in a variety of styles.
Join us Tuesday, Mar 25 from 7 – 9 pm. No charge; open to the public.
The program will be held at the downtown Redlands Art Association, 215 E. State St, Redlands.
