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Note: If using Explorer click the abovebar where it says “Click to download photos” The photos are the best part!
In This Issue: Every once in a while an individual enters your life with stories that are full of adventure and great experiences. Add in a large dose of creativity and you would be describing Nancy Miller, this month's featured artist. Nancy has always dabbled in art but in 1986, in a Japanese noodle restaurant that didn't serve dinners, a few pieces of beautiful paper and a small box changed her life. Boxes turned to eggs, and then gourds and now the rest is history. A world-class artist, please welcome Nancy Miller in this May issue of Gourd Fever.  It was a long horrible winter this year in many parts of Canada and the U.S. but now the time has come where we can get our hands in the soil and play. The Gourd Gardener does just that beginning with choosing an appropriate spot, preparing the bed for planting and then the highlight - planting the seedlings. A few easy tips will get you on your way - get ready to have some fun! Lots in the mailbag this month plus a little trivia and a music pick with gourd instruments. But before we get to that let us introduce our featured artist Nancy Miller. (Teapot and sculpture pictured above are the work of Nancy Miller) Nancy Miller: Beginning The Dialogue Through Art  Nancy was born in Detroit, Michigan and by the time she was five years old she knew wanted to be an artist. Once grown she attended college and majored in art graduating with a "bachelor of arts" degree. Her first job was teaching 7th and 8th grade at a junior high school in Arizona. At this time she also got married but within a year and a half her husband died of cancer. He had just turned 24 and had been working on his master's degree. Nancy was a shy woman and even though she was surrounded by a wonderful and supportive family she knew she had to do something brave and start again. She applied to the airlines and was hired by Pan Am as a stewardess (as they were called back then). In 1966 she was based in San Francisco and her very first trip was to Tokyo. But most of the flying for the first 8 years was to Viet Nam on military charters during the war. Eventually Nancy saw much more of the world during her 37 year career with Japan and India being her most favorite destinations.
In 1986, during a layover in Narita Japan, Nancy went to a paper craft class which was held in a noodle restaurant that didn't serve dinner. She quickly went from covering boxes and then eggs with beautiful Yuzen papers. The eggs ranged from quail to ostrich and once decorated were sold at little community craft fairs. Nancy was then discovered by a wonderful store called Dandelion in San Francisco (where she still sells). Dandelion sells the most beautiful things from Japan. They also act as sales reps for a few unique American artisans. One day they asked Nancy if she put papers on stones and told Nancy to run with the idea. Two weeks later Nancy sent photos of her first two stones and the rest is history. Her paperwork stones were carried by 17 different museum shops around the country including the Guggenheim in NY, The Chicago Art Institute and the L.A. County Art Museum. Nancy created a lot of stones and within 7 years, had paid off her house in Indiana.  Late one night, while on a crew bus in Bejing China, Nancy showed her crew mates her stones and eggs. One fellow started to tell Nancy about gourds and she asked him to pick up 5 gourds for her the next time he visited a gourd farm. Once received she applied Japanese papers and gold leaf on the gourds and sold them at an art gallery in Maui. Someone then suggested she go visit The Caning Shop in Berkley, CA. Jim Widess took one look at her work and told her that if he had met her sooner he would have featured her art in The Complete Book Of Gourd Craft. Nancy states that Jim is the nicest and best cheerleader a gourd artist could possibly have and still makes it a point to stop by to get Jim's take on her latest creations. Nancy participated in 2 juried outdoor shows in Sausaliro, CA and did very well. But it was too far a distance from her home in Indianapolis so she changed her strategy and showed at a few small galleries in the general Indianapolis area. Eventually a fellow flight attendant who lived in Seattle asked Nancy to send her a portfolio so she could show it to local galleries. It resulted in the best sales Nancy had ever had.  Other interests in life are bowling in two leagues every week and going to "arthritis" swim classes at the Y. Nancy loves good movies and can often be seen at afternoon matinees with a friend. With a son, daughter-in-law and grandson in San Francisco, she often goes visiting there as well. There is a lovely man in her life and most weekends they are out on the town taking in Cabaret performances and dinners. Nancy leads a happy creative life and has plans to continue to create and explore. We have no doubt that Nancy's plan will come to fruition and we look forward to seeing other fabulous and imaginative art coming our way. Nancy does not have a website but here is a link where you can see more of her work...
Artists At Work: Gourd Art Classes At Northern Dipper  Hi there, After experiencing and completing many workshops at Northern Dipper conducted by Carolyn Cooper and other knowledgeable instructors, I can honestly say that each workshop is always fun and extremely informative. It seems as though new friendships are made at each workshop as well. Instructions and helpful hints are abundant for the project at hand or on working with hard-shell gourds in general. Each student leaves, at the end of the day, with a completed project that they can be proud of. Thanks for the experience. Bronwyn Clark  Good morning Northern Dipper, Last year was the first for me to do anything with gourds and I got 'hooked.' I blame Carolyn and Linda for that! I had so much fun at the classes and always felt extremely welcome. Carolyn is an excellent teacher and keeps her classes small so everyone gets a lot of attention. I have done the thunder drum, ocean drum, egg shell application, cheese cloth application, sculptured leaves, stippling, carving, big garden bird and a Santa Claus. I look forward to more classes this year. A number of people took multiple classes so I got to know several people I would have never met otherwise. Thank you Carolyn. Bev Sprayson For details on Northern Dipper workshops click here: http://www.northerndipper.com/workshops.php The Gourd Gardener: Easy Tips On Prep and Planting
It is the beginning of May and my seedlings are looking as though they cannot wait until they are out in the garden basking in the summer sun. Before that joyous event happens however there are a few things that have to be done before we plant. Gourds love heat and sun so planting in a southern exposure will allow your plants to thrive. Do you plan to trellis or grow them spreading over the ground? Considerations: Space (gourd vines are thick and long) Water - they require a fair bit so you may want to plant close to a water source. Trellised -Takes up less room and is easy to prune. -Your trellis must be strong; gourds look great along a chain link fence and provide privacy. -In the fall they can be left hanging to dry. -To achieve straight handles in long handled dippers they must be grown on a trellis. Ground Grown -Best to provide 6 feet between your rows, 4 feet between your plants. -Large heavy gourds such as Bushels should be grown on the ground. -In the fall ground grown gourds will have to be cut from the vine and stored for drying (after a killing frost). Containers Small mini gourds are lovely in containers; a perfect plant for children to grow. Build a small trellis with chicken wire and you will have a nice looking plant all summer long. Hardening Off Once the days are nice and warm start setting your gourd seedlings outside in a warm semi-sheltered spot. This will make them stronger and ready for planting. Out Of The Mailbag
Hi Carolyn, I just wanted to send you a short email to show you my first attempt at working with a gourd. If you will remember Joan and I were in last week to see you for the first time. I'm so happy you are so close - you will be seeing me again soon. Thanks, Doug Allen PS Here is a picture of Joan and myself with more of my art.  Hi Doug, It is so nice to hear from you. I must say that your first attempt is awesome and I can only imagine the art that you will be creating in the very near future. We look forward to seeing you and Joan again soon. Carolyn Hello everyone, The photos below and to the right are birdhouses made by Kevin Urech. This kind-hearted and generous man enjoys making both birdhouses and feeders and then giving them to his neighbours and friends. He uses elastics around the gourds and paints them different colours...everyone is a one of a kind piece. We just love them and think you, the readers, will too. Carolyn 
(Gourd birdhouses are a favorite for nesting birds and they will come back to their house year after year. When building birdhouses research the hole size as you don't want them too big. Make sure to put a couple of drainage holes in the bottom too.) Looking Ahead: July 2015
July is an exciting month for us as we get to meet up with Ontario artist Beth Peart. Beth is an extremely talented artist who uses gourds with some regularity in her work. Intricate, unique beadwork on gourds among other things make Beth's work stand out in the crowd. A fascinating woman it is an honour to feature Beth Peart in the upcoming July issue of Gourd Fever. Good luck with your gourd planting. May the weather be co-operative and the days long and hot. Get ready for late June and July pollination and then it is just a matter of watching those gourds grow. And grow they will if you give them a good start with a well prepped spot and a little 20-20-20 fertilizer. The old mail- bag is over-flowing these days and it is so interesting we want to share it. We love the mail so please send in your stories and photos and do keep in touch. Until next time, happy gourding! Carolyn Cooper and Linda Bond PS If you have any stories or ideas that you would like to contribute to this newsletter please send to info@northerndipper.com
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