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 Three Wise Guys by Wendy Rinehart In This Issue: A few years ago, when living in Toronto, an October highlight would be attending The Creative Sewing & Needlework Festival. The one exhibit that we always sought out was the doll artists showing off their creations. One year we met a woman named Wendy Rinehart. Her dolls were fantasy and historical in nature and were perfect in every sense of the word. She was a wealth of information and made everyone feel at home in the booth. Now, a few years later, our paths have crossed again. We are very pleased to have with us this month, as our featured artist, Wendy Lynne Rinehart, doll artist and now gourd artist.  Workshops at Northern Dipper
Gold Leaf
Gold leafing dates back to ancient times and when used on gourds, the results are extraordinary. In this month's tutorial leafing has been made extra easy by using heat activated glue. Learn how to do this technique in six short steps...now how simple is that!
 A Commercial Gourd Field
If it has been hot in your area your gourd plants will have umbrella sized leaves; at least that is what it feels like. In July the flower count will go way up and the month can also bring a few stink bugs and powdery mildew to your crop which is not good. Get the latest on "what to do in July" in our latest report Notes From The Gourd Patch.
Dear Carolyn, Reader's Corner and a "not for the shy" gourd sighting appear as well as another installment of The Lone Gourd by Sherry Davidson. It is December and Gord is covered up to his neck in snow. He is wounded and...never mind, you will have more fun reading the letter yourself!
The Lone Gourd The 5th of a series of letters from gourd lover Sherry Davidson
This letter was written on December 30, 2008
Happy New Year Carolyn and Linda!
The Lone Gourd has gotten bigger and bigger. I built a tee-pee for it and all seemed well. Every day I said to him - we'll prove Carolyn wrong - we will survive and go to class and become something wonderful!
Then the cold weather came. I rushed to the site of the Lone Gourd and there was a big gash in his side. Must have been attacked by some rampaging squirrels during the week when I was not there to protect him. I could not bear to move him even though I imagine he is just full of gangrene from his war wound and is now rotting from the inside - the little rotter!
His tee-pee is now covered with snow and all that is sticking up are his little red driveway markers. I imagine a very unsightly mess when the thaw comes. However in my mind he is still growing bigger and stronger and should be drying out quite nicely I hope. Already the diameter is 10 -12 inches, he has lost his fuzzy skin and is a smooth, mottled green colour.
Hope your Christmas was wonderful...how could it not be surrounded by mature, healthy gourds.
Happy New Year!
Sherry
 It was a gourd challenge by the Creative Doll Artists club that introduced Wendy Rinehart to a brand new medium. Her project consisted of two gourds and her creation, titled Mother Love, is a beautiful example of the bounty that Mother Nature can provide for our art. The large variety of shapes of gourds was appealing to Wendy and in the case of the large gourd used in this project, the sensuous flow of the swan's neck opened the door to all kinds of possibilities. The fact that she could paint on a gourd - well this was a luxury that she usually does not have when creating a cloth-dressed doll. The detail in her dolls and their costumes is fantastic...this is what has brought her success in her craft. Her dolls and her reputaion are well -known in the doll world. And as you can see she is using this skill for detail in her gourd art too.  Aztex Gold Wendy studied commercial art in high school and then studied at the Ontario School of Art in Toronto. She ended up specializing in weaving and continued this in her post-graduate year at the Edinburgh College of Art and the Scottish College of Textiles in Scotland. This trip was made possible when she won a travel and study bursary from the Toronto Spinners and Weavers Guild which was later amalgamated into the Ontario Crafts Council. During this period Wendy designed many tapestries which were made predominately of wool. The imagery was important and she would manipulate the warp to create a three dimensional surface. In addition she was displaying watercolours and pen and ink drawings as well as other crafts.
When her mom expressed a desire to create craft paper dolls Wendy decided she needed more information so she bought her first doll magazine just to get a sense of what was happening in that industry.
She read an article on an Australian doll artist named Sue Bolton and by the end of the article she was hooked. Sue did these smiley older gnomes and Wendy found herself in love with all the kindly wrinkles and character. Even today Wendy prefers designing an older face over a baby face.
 " I've always loved the image of dragons being hatched so here is my version."
Each doll Wendy designs is different. Sometimes she is inspired by other artists, like James Christensen, and at other times her inspiration comes from an object or stones like agates. Sometimes it may even be a funny thought such as what would happen if a red hat lady met a musketeer. (See the Red Hat Lady.)
"Most of the materials I use are reclaimed from the local charity shops where leather jackets and clothing are abundant. There are beautiful fabrics in the second hand stores! I also use natural materials but I have to be careful as my dolls cross the border and some things are a no-no."
Wendy has read many books about both dolls and gourds. Once a month she meets with The Creative Doll Artist club which is, in her own words, "a monthly treat of learning new techniques, being inspired by other creative people, and hearing what they have learned lately."
 Wendy has been teaching art for a number of years. Previously she taught painting at Michael's craft store and currently teaches doll sculpting there. Add in the Canadian Doll Association's annual conference plus stints at the Figurative Artists Consortium in Ottawa and her resume lengthens. Wendy has also found herself around many kitchen tables which are always a source of pleasure!
Keeping busy doing shows and exhibiting at various venues rounds out Wendy's schedule. A regular at the Coldwater and Area Studio Tour plus an exhibit at the Orillia Zephyr Gallery Women's Show and two area Christmas shows lead the list. She has a great family - totally supportive - and especially during show season, she really appreciates the help they offer.
So as you can see Wendy is only starting out with gourds but we expect that she will soon be picking up awards for her gourd art just as she has being doing for the past eight years with her dolls. It only stands to reason...imagination, creativity and professionalism is the recipe and Wendy Lynne Rinehart excels in all three areas.
To learn about Wendy's upcoming schedule, including teaching venues and shows, sign up for her newsletter at: wendyrinehart@rogers.com
Thank you Wendy, we love your art and your attention to detail. We have always admired hand-made dolls and now
we have even a greater appreciation in what it takes to make them. Until we meet again! Carolyn and Linda
Tutorial: Applying Gold Leafing
Using A Heat Activated Glue  Gold leaf in a gourd This tutorial is for all the gourders that have been afraid to try the simple but elegant rich look of leafing. For those of you that have tried but found using old glues difficult, you might just want to give this technique a chance using the new simplified heat activated glue.  The materials necessary to complete this project are as follows: leafing material, Palette heat activated glue, Gel Glaze, Memories Ink blue and brown, heat tool, paint brush, stiff brush, Generation Green indoor varnish, make-up sponge, Micron 005, #1 black marker and the gourd of your choice. Leafing is available on the Northern Dipper website in three beautiful variegated colours: Blue, Green and Black.
 Gold leafing adds a luster and shine to gourds and can turn a project from humdrum into spectacular! To learn more about Memories Ink, Generation Green Gel Glaze and Generation Green indoor varnish click here: http://www.northerndipper.com/dyes.php#6 To learn more about gold leaf click here:
For info on dried gourds click here:
Notes From The Gourd Patch
 July is the busiest month in the gourd garden. There will be flowers to pollinate on a nightly basis, the pruning of the main vines and a constant eye looking for cucumber beetles, stink bugs and powdery mildew. First a little review on pollinating...  Hard-shell gourd flowers bloom only at night, each for only one night. Using a small paint brush go out and find the female. They will be found hiding under the leaves, unlike the male flowers pictured above, who have long stems and like to announce their arrival. Dab the male and then the female. One particle of pollen per female will result in a gourd. (Keep in mind that in the northern climates the gourds are going to need time to mature. This is why it is important that lots of pollination take place in July.) Pruning Your vines by this time will appear like a mumble-jumble of greenery. Pull the vines out and find the main one. You will want to prune or cut approx. 3" off the top of the main vine when it is about 6 feet long. This small act will allow the energy to go into the side vines, which is what you want, because the side vines is where the female flowers appear and where the gourds grow.
 The start of powdery mildew
Powdery Mildew
This mildew is a fungus which is caused by spores. It appears as whitish - grey dusty looking spots on the leaves. It sends out little roots into the cells of the plant and if not kept in check will eventually kill it.
Powdery mildew thrives in humid weather. To help combat this problem make sure that your vines have plenty of ventilation (weed around them if need be) and when watering use a trickle or soaker hose. The key is to avoid humid conditions around the plant if possible.
Remedies
1.) Milk - Skim milk works best as there are no fats which may give off odours. Mix 1 part milk to 9 parts water and spray weekly. This also works well with roses and other plants.
2.) Liquid Sea Weed - Is said to boost the plants cell structure. Spray it on the leaves and the strength of the plant will help repel mildew.
3.) Baking Soda - Many gardeners rave about baking soda in the garden. Mix 2 - 10 G of soda per litre of water. Add a drop or two of dish soap which will act as a wetting agent and spray on the leaves.
4.) Sulphur Sprays - This is effective but will kill good fungi as well. When spraying soak the plants but do not soak them to the point where you get runoff. Sulphur sprays can be found at your local gardening centers or hardware stores.
 Stink Bug Photo by Marlin E. Rice
Stink Bugs These insects are quite fascinating when you think about it. They have glands located in their thorax which produces a foul smelling liquid. This liquid is their way of protecting themselves against predators.
From where we stand however we do not want them in our gourd gardens. The nymphs and adults will suck the sap from your plants and ultimately do damage. The females lay their eggs on the leaves.
The best remedy is to look for them in the morning when they are moving slowly. Get them on a piece of paper and dump them into a jar full of water and dish soap. Dawn detergent apparently works well.
To view male and female gourd flowers click here. Once in click on Issue 53:
DEAR CAROLYN Hello
My tulip red Gilders paste is dry and crumbly. Is there anything I can mix with it to make it soft and easy to work with? I always look forward to each newsletter. Wish I could come for a workshop, but northwest Iowa is just too far from your farm. Sincerely, Dianne Eiesland
Hi Dianne,
Thank you for your email. This is the beauty of Gilders paste...when it dries out, it doesn't mean the end of it as with a lot of other products. Just simply add a small amount of paint thinner. There are now many available with no odour.
You can also break off a small chunk of Gilders paste, mash it down adding paint thinner to a paint consistency and use a small paint brush to work small areas.
Hope this helps and let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Many regards,
Carolyn
Readers Corner
 Luna Moth
This photo was taken by DH Hall for the University of Florida
The other night I was out at dusk with my paint brush and it turned out it will be a night I will never forget. Before my eyes was a luna moth, just hovering above my gourd vines.
I have read about these gorgeous green moths but I must say there is nothing like seeing one two feet away. Their wing span is about three inches; they are fine speciments indeed.
So not only are my gourd flowers being pollinated, I am also learning more about my immediate environment by being out there.
Thanks for the newsletters. They are educational, fun and both my wife and I love all the artists you feature. Keep up the good work!
Glen Curry - Port Dover, Ontario
Hi Glen,
What a thrill to see a luna moth in your own back yard. I have only seen a luna once as well and it was a memorable experience.
Good luck with your gourd crop...let us know how everything goes.
All the best Carolyn and Linda
To learn more about the life cycle of the luna month click here:
NEXT ISSUE: One of the highlights of the gourd business is the number of people we get to meet any given day. We were thrilled, when late last year, a woman named Dorcas Schauberger pulled up to our farm. Dorcas was 50 years of age when she did her first carving on a piece of wood she found on a hiking trail. She used a peeling knife and once done, took it to the local carving club to show off. After they had a bit of a laugh they told her it was good and advised her on the proper tools to be used.
We have had a few emails regarding our gourd luster pigments and in our mind knowledge is power. Coming up in the next issue of Gourd Fever will be a tutorial on the gourd luster pigments and how to use them with a variety of other products. We will also be introducing some new books which we have picked up...there are so many great books out there now compared to a few short years ago!
Don't forget to take advantage of the mini workshops. And remember even though we are on vacation you can still sign up through our email at info@northerndipper.com . (Just leave your name, address, phone number, the workshop(s) you want to take and how many people.) We will be back at our desks July 27th and will be looking forward to seeing you August 1 or 2.
So now it is officially summer! Kids are out of school, the sun is shining and everyone is smiling. Have a great month everyone and we will do the same. See you in August!
Carolyn Cooper and Linda Bond
PS If you have any stories, comments or ideas that you would like to contribute to this newsletter please send to info@northerndipper.com |
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