"Crewcuts" - Gourd Bowl

Description

All these steeds opted for crewcuts as they modeled for this gourd bowl on their way to a rally at the nearby barn. They chose this look to show solidarity in their support for the red-maned mare as she begins her life as the first choice to pull the Queen's carriage in the next royal celebration. Each one hopes to be the next choice, so they're practicing their strides and showing their appreciation for one of the familiar fashions of the 1950s. To create the shape of the rim for them, I followed the contours of the horses' necks and heads. Holes were punched with an awl to accommodate the glass seed beads that comprise their manes and her tail. Each row of beads is sewn onto the wall of the gourd from the inside. Colors are acrylic. Inside was sanded, sealed with acrylic, sanded again, painted, and sealed again. Leather disks cushion the internal floor and the underside. Because this gourd spent its year of growth in the field resting on a mound of dirt long enough to make a change in the ideal flat-bottom, it needed a little support to stabilize the slanted side once it dried but retained that slant. A large wooden bead was perfect for this job, and it sits perfectly now. I celebrate the individuality of each gourd and welcome its guidance as I work with it. :-) 9" diameter x 9" tall; weighs 10 oz. This is a perfect gift for a horse lover of abstract images and unusual, functional art.