Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Abidjan, made of gourd, paperclay, metal leaf; hand fabricated. Measurements: 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photos by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Growing Diary Revisted

A friend gave me some green miniature bottle gourds, so all is not lost. I do get to experience the drying process even though I did not have any success in growing gourds. According to my research, this process is going to take patience. It could take months for the gourds to dry completely and be ready for crafting.

Work Featured on SNAG's Website

My bracelet, Ahmadu, is featured on the homepage of the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) website. Check it out at www.snagmetalsmith.org. If you do not see my bracelet right away, wait a minute or two. The images rotate within each of the three cubbyholes. My image is in the cubbyhole on the left.

Bracelet, Ahmadu, made of gourd and metal leaf. Measurements: 2 1/2 x 4 x 4 inches. 2007. Jewelry design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2007 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Day of the Dead I, made of gourd, paperclay and rhinestones. Measurements: 1 7/8 x 1 1/2 x 1 inches.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, First Wave, made of gourd. Measurements: 2 x 3 x 7/8 inches.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Growing Diary

I am sad to say my attempt at growing gourds was unsuccessful. I had four plants. Two of the plants never bore any flowers or pepos (baby gourds). One bore flowers only. And, one bore flowers and pepos. The pepos died off within days of their development. I believe the plants did not do well primarily because of a lack of sun. I get less than two hours of sun per day on my patio. Then, my plants were plagued with powdery mildew even though I treated them with organic fungicide.

Gourds, Banjos & Clocks

How is a gourd, a banjo and a clock related? To find the answer, go to my wall post dated August 18, 2010 (11:32 am) on Wells Fargo History Museums' Facebook page.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Brooch, Sergio, made of gourd, paperclay and metal leaf. Measurements: 3 x 4 x 1 1/8 inches.

Brooch design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Thrift Store Find

I thought it would be nice to partake of the spirit of the gourd by preparing a gourd dish for the attendees of my next gourd jewelry workshop. I went online and found several recipes. The pointed gourd with potato recipe resonated with me. I found all of the ingredients except the pointed gourd. I did find a bitter gourd though. Really, how bitter could it be? Well, it was quite bitter. I had to scrap that dish. Since I have time before my next workshop, I continue my quest for the pointed gourd.

What does all this have to do with a thrift store find you ask? Well, as I was looking around the thrift store the other day a tea set caught my eye. The design of the teapot and two cups looked like the bitter gourd (see photo to left). You know I had to have the set.

Inspiration: Elizabeth Catlett

Attempting to expand my knowledge of art, I decided to read-up on one of my favorite artist, Elizabeth Catlett. She describes herself as ". . . black, a woman, a sculptor and a printmaker." Her work is phenomenal. I became aware of her as an undergraduate. While reading the book, Elizabeth Catlett: An American Artist in Mexico, by Melanie Anne Herzog, I realized Catlett was pivotal in my development as an artist. I was mesmerized by her style and command of her medium. I love what she says about technique. "Technique is so important! It is the difference between art and ineptitude. Because our audiences deserve the best, we must equip ourselves to give them the very best. You can't make a statement if you can't speak the language."

Workshop Follow-up

It has been a week since I taught my gourd jewelry workshop. For my first class, it went very well. It is important to be of service. And, what better way to service than to share your passion with others. Marian Wright Eelman said it best "Service is the rent we pay for living."

Gourd Growing Diary Update

My gourd plants have turned into vines. And, I have one white blossom with a pepo or baby gourd so far. I also got this book, Gourds in Your Garden, by Ginger Summit, which has been very helpful. I learned that:

1). Ornamental and luffa gourd plants bloom during the day and have yellow blossoms.

2). Hardshell gourds bloom at night and have white blossoms.

3). Blossoms of all the vines last only 24 hours.

4). The vines have both female and male blossoms.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Brooch, Rosa, made of gourd and metal button. Measurements: 3 x 1 x 3 inches.

Brooch design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Before and After

This is one of the gourds I purchased at the Welburn Gourd Farm about a month ago (far left). It was so funky cool, I had to have it.

Here is one of the projects I made from the gourd. It is a necklace I call, Earthseed (left). To create the necklace, I cut off two of the "wings" and glued them together. Then, I filled in the gap between the two pieces with paperclay. I painted and sealed the "bead." Finally, I hung the "bead" from a nylon cord.

Necklace, Earthseed, made of gourd, paperclay, nylon cord, silver, acrylic paint and polycrylic sealant. Gourd bead: 4 x 2 3/8 x 1 inches.Cord: 39 inches.

Necklace design by Sala Faruq. Photos by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Art Competition Awards

I entered several of my gourd creations in the 2010 California Gourd Society Gourd Art Competition. It was held in conjunction with the 14th Annual Gourd Art Festival held at the Welburn Gourd Farm, June 26th and 27th. And, I am delighted to say I received a First Place ribbon in the Wearable Gourd Accessory Category for my necklace design, Narcisco (left). I also received a Judge's Choice ribbon for the same necklace. In the Gilded Gourd Category, I received a First Place ribbon for my necklace design, Odetta (right).


Necklace, Narcisco, made of gourd, paperclay, brass, copper, metal leaf, vintage mother of pearl shoe button, beads, acrylic paint and polycrylic sealant. Pendant: 3 1/2 x 4 x 1 inches. Chain: 24 inches, 2010.

Necklace, Odetta, made of gourd, metal leaf, paperclay, brass, copper, black beaded chain, acrylic paint and polycrylic sealant. Gourd beads: 2 1/4 x 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches approximately. Chain: 18 inches, 2009.


Necklace designs by Sala Faruq. Photos by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2009 and 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Hunting I Go

I recently visited the Welburn Gourd Farm. And I can't tell you how deliciously wonderful it was searching through all the racks of gourds. There were jewel, maranka, bottle, canteen, zucca, snake, kettle, warty, dipper, and more, oh my!

Gourd Jewelry Workshop

I have been invited to teach a gourd jewelry workshop, which I am delighted to do. The participants will be making a bottleneck style gourd ring (far left) and a centerpiece style gourd ring (immediate left). The workshop will be held at The Shepherdess, 2802 Juan Street, Suite 18, San Diego, CA, on Saturday, August 14, 2010 from 10:30 am - 4:30 pm. For details and to register click here.

Ring (above left), Diego, made of gourd. Measurements: 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches, 2006. Ring (above right), Ella, made of gourd and decorative button. Measurements: 1 5/8 x 1 3/4 x 1 5/8 inches, 2010.

Ring designs by Sala Faruq. Photos by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Necklace, Praline Dream, made of gourd, copper, leather cord, and brass. Pendant: 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 x 1 1/2 inches. Leather cord: 18 inches, 2010.

Necklace design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Growing Diary

I am sad to report that my sproutlings died. Undaunted, I decided to try again. This time I took three seeds and planted each in individual pots about an inch deep in potting soil. I also left them outside instead growing them inside. I watered them every other day. One sprouted. The other two did not. I replanted the two pots with two seeds per pot. And, I am happy to say that all the seeds sprouted and are growing beautifully.

Gourd Brooch Creation

Brooch, Lonesome Heart, made of gourd and metal leaf. Measurements: 2 1/8 x 1/2 x 2 inches, 2010.

Brooch design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Necklace Creation

Necklace, Cesar, made of gourd, metal leaf, brass and nylon cord. Pendant: 2 1/4 x 1 x 2 1/4 inches. Chain: 39 inches, 2010.

Necklace design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Earrings Creation

Earrings, Chained Hearts, made of gourd, brass, metal leaf and aluminum. Measurements: 3 1/2 x 3/8 x 1 1/4 inches. 2010.

Earrings design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Purse Creation

Purse, Love Never Loses its Way Home, made of gourd, leather, glass bead and acrylic medium. Measurements: 5 x 4 x 5 inches. 2007.


Purse design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2007 and 2010 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Noni Revisited

I posted the ring design, Noni, on April 25, 2010. Since then, I have had several inquiries about how to wear it. So, here is Noni revisited.

Ring, Noni, made of gourd and paperclay. Measurements: 2 x 2 x 1 inches. Size: 3 3/4. 2006. Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2006 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Making Jewellery Feature

I am featured in the Inspirations section (page 68) of the May 2010 issue of Making Jewellery magazine. The magazine is based out of England. So, I am officially an internationally recognized gourd artist. Super cool!

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Noni, made of gourd and paperclay. Measurements: 2 x 2 x 1 inches. Size: 3 3/4. 2006.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2006 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Growing Diary

As mentioned in my March 26, 2010 blog post, I am attempting to grow some gourds in my garden. It is something I have never tried before. However, things seem to be going well so far. I have successfully germinated three seeds and now have three little gourd plants. To make sure they have a good start, I will be keeping them indoors for several more weeks. Here is what I did to date.

Seed Germination

I moistened a paper napkin and put it inside a Ziploc bag. Then, I placed six seeds about a half inch apart in a row on top of the damp napkin and sealed the bag. I placed the bag on top of my cable box because it was consistently warm. Three of the seeds sprouted in about a week. The other three did nothing, even after two weeks.

The Planting

I took the three sprouts and planted them in small individual clay pots. I used a standard potting soil and planted the sprouts about an inch deep in the soil. After watering them well, I put the three pots under a lamp to keep them warm for the first day. The next morning I placed the pots on a window sill. When I came in that evening, the plants were breaking through the soil of two of the pots. Nothing was happening with the third pot. After four days, the third sprout broke through the soil. I water the plants about every two or three days.

Gourd Vessel Creation

Vessel, Spirit Bottle, made of gourd. Measurements: 8 x 7 x 7 inches. 2003.

Vessel design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Bob Hill. Copyright © 2003 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

A Little Eden

I moved recently and am thrilled to have a one-bedroom apartment with patio. Hence, I decided to try my hand at gardening. My vision is to create a little Eden where I can work on my gourds and grow some of my own food. I have peppered the patio with ornamental plants and vegetables like tomatoes and strawberries so far. I also ordered some small fruited tiny bottle gourd seeds and am in the process of germinating several of the seeds.

Ning

Recently, I was introduced to ning.com. Ning provides a platform for people to come together online and create networks based on their shared passions. I googled "gourd art ning sites"and low and behold I found gourdartenthusiasts.ning.com. After looking over the site, I joined. Check me out at gourdartenthusiasts.ning.com/profile/salafaruq.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Alice in Wonderland, made of gourd, paperclay and quartz. Measurements: 2 x 2 x 1 1/8 inches. Size: 7 1/2. 2006.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2006 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Twice the Flava, made of gourd and dichroic glass. Measurements: 2 x 2 x 1 1/8 inches. Size: 7 1/2. 2006.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2006 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

SNAG Flickr Group Pool

The Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) offers its members an opportunity to showcase their work online via the SNAG Flickr Group Pool. I am a member of SNAG and just got accepted into SNAG's Group Pool. Checkout the Group Pool at www.flickr.com/groups/snag.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Ring, Navar, made of gourd, 2 1/8 x 1 1/2 x 2 inches. Size: 12. 2007.

Ring design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2007 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Brooch, Melba, made of gourd, 3 1/2 x 1 1/8 x 1 1/4 inches, 2009.

Brooch design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2009 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

A Week in My Life as an Artist

Someone asked me what it was like being an artist. The question got me thinking about what I do in a week to move my art career forward. Well, here is a breakdown.

Studio Time
I try to work in my studio at least one hour a day if not more. During that time, I complete works in progress and/or creating new pieces.

Manage Internet Presence
I maintain an online portfolio site, an etsy.com shop, a blog, HGTV Share My Craft postings, a Facebook Fan Page, Flickr Page and four email accounts. I check my email accounts daily and respond as necessary. I take photographs of my work and utilize Photoshop to prepare the images for use on my various sites/pages. I take measurements of each piece and write a description. Then, I upload the images with descriptions to my sites/pages. I also research and write postings for my blog.

Sales
If I sell one or more of my gourd creations, I prepare the piece (s) for hand delivery or shipment. Each purchaser gets a thank you letter, copyright notice, purchase order, brochure of my work, certificate of authenticity and gourd care instructions.

Special Projects
I work on any one of my special projects. Currently, I am researching alternative exhibit venues to showcase my work. This includes locating a venue, contacting the necessary people to arrange for an exhibition, writing a press release, developing a media list, preparing an exhibition announcement for email and blog promotion, deciding which pieces to show, write labels, frame artwork and organize transport of framed works to and from the venue.

Paperwork
I do general filing and update my email list. I also prepare my Documentation and Provenance form for each new creation. The form includes such items as materials, cost of materials, production time, completion date, title, dimensions, etc. All this information helps me determine the asking price for each piece.

Gourd Jewelry Creation

Necklace, Odetta, made of gourd, metal leaf, black beaded chain, cooper, and brass. Chain: 18 inches. Gourd beads: 2 1/4 x 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches approximately. 2009.

Necklace design by Sala Faruq. Photo by Sala Faruq. Copyright © 2009 by Sala Faruq. All rights reserved.

New Jewelry Displays

I have the standard velvet jewelry displays, but I just got some new ones (see displays to the left) thanks to Paul of Opium Gallery. They are fabulous. Earthy and ethnic, they complement my gourd jewelry beautifully.