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 Gourd art by Bill Colligen
In This Issue: We are honoured to have with us Arizona artist Bill Colligen. Bill has, through trial, error and experimentation, developed a unique style that is his alone. His latest art, the ancient ritual vessels, is reminisent of the bronzed vessels found in China from many centuries ago. These, and Bill's other gourd art is impressive. Please welcome Bill Colligen to the June issue of Gourd Fever.
 Out in the garden the seedlings have been planted and with luck the sun has been shining and the soil is warm. In 'The Art of Growing Gourds', we are going to examine some pests that could potentially cause problems. We will touch on hand-pollination and how to tell the difference between male and female flowers. Before you know it you will have gourds developing and with a little attention, your yield can grow significantly.
 To get us in a gourdly mood here is a lovely poem written by Carol Owens of Barrie, Ontario. Thank you Carol, this poem best describes the versatility of the hard shell gourd as well as the joy we feel when working with them. Ode To The Gourd by Carol Owens
O nature's shell, you serve us well
To cut or dye or burn, Or be a drum - that's so much fun There's just so much to learn! With snaky shapes you make it rain, The rounder ones take paint Or make abodes for little toads, But edible you ain't. You're good for baskets, spoons and bowls And instruments, it seems, Or tiny ornaments, like elves, And great for catching dreams. So many ways to dress you up! What more is there to say? It's all great art, and for your part You're gourd-geous every day!  Geisha In 1995 Bill took a road trip to Santa Fe and Taos, NM and it was on this trip that Bill's life took an unexpected turn. He saw the gourd art of Robert Rivera and brother Ron...Bill was awestruck. Interest sparked, ideas were already percolating within that creative mind. Bill's first stab was with a Wal-Mart wood burning tool but it didn't take him long to realize that it was not the tool for him. He needed something with which he could create the fine details for which he is now known and purchased the Detail Master burning system. Ahhh - now he had the freedom he needed.
Looking back Bill states that art has always been a part of his life. When other kids in grade school were off playing ball and shooting BB guns Bill would go out to the woods with a pad of paper and sketch wildlife. As a matter of fact he was called "Billy-the Boy Artist" by family members. At the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University he majored in Art Ed but became distracted after three semesters. He longed to leave his small Arizona town for the mystique of Los Angeles and finally, all caution thrown to the wind, Bill packed up and moved. The year was 1966.
Bill's artistic interests were put on the back burner for the next 26 years. He worked at various jobs unrelated to art and ended up working with a landscape firm in Northern California where he learned an abundance of knowledge centering on plant life and species. He became a Master Gardener and began to design Zen gardens. In 1995 he returned to Arizona and continued his landscape career.  Gourds were a creative pastime for Bill and in 1997 he joined the Artists' Cooperative in Jerome, AZ. He now describes his beginning art as his crude gourd pieces but soon realized that people liked them and purchased them. Since that time Bill has created his own unique style with a museum-like quality that really stands out. He has won numerous awards for his art which is amazing because Bill is completely self-taught. He finds that something will catch his eye and with patience and persistance, he will do his best to translate it into his own design.  Bill lives in a wonderful 2.5 acre space with his two dogs, Minnie and Paco. They are the loves of his life; his faithful companions. He gardens with flowers and vegetables and has over 100 trees on the property. There is an abundance of wildlife and birdlife and the space and peace adds to Bill's inspiration and creativity. A lot has happened to that young boy in the woods, sketch book in hand, and the way we see it, it happened just as it should. As a youngster Bill dreamed of being an artist and now, luckily for us, he has accomplished his dream.  To learn more about Bill Colligen and his art click here: http://www.billcolligen.com/ Bill's art is featured at the Lanning Gallery in Sedona, Arizona as well as other venues. Here is the link to the Lanning Gallery:
Thank you Bill. Your art is absolutely amazing and we are excited about what is "around the bend" too. We look forward to seeing further works from you. Carolyn and Linda
The Art of Growing Gourds
 Female flowers always have a little baby gourd ( a pepo) underneath the flower. If the female flowers are not pollinated the pepo will turn brown and die. Your seedlings should be looking strong with healthy green leaves depending on the weather conditions. If you have experienced lots of rain you may notice that the stems are splitting. Do not fret! They will survive believe it or not. It will be a couple of weeks before there will be any blossoms. Gourd flowers are night blooming and when they first come out it seems as though there are tons of male flowers and no female flowers. The females will soon follow...they just like to make an appearance. If you are growing on a trellis, once the vines get long enough, start training them upward. The tendrils on a gourd vine are thick and strong and once started, the vines will find their way up with little assistance. Hand Pollination - A Happy Experience!
 If your gourd growing area is wide, a trick is to use cheap paint brushes attached to a piece of dowel. Now you can reach the middle with ease. If you live in an area where there are not many night-flying insects, hand pollination is essential. Why? Because every female gourd flower that is pollinated will develop into a gourd. For the beginner it will be hard to distinguish a male flower from a female but after two - three weeks of pollinating, you will be able to tell the difference from six feet away.
Gourd vine are monoecious - that is that there are both male and female flowers on the same vine. The male flowers will be found on the main vine and the females will be found on the lateral or side vines.
 Left: Female Flower ; Right: Male Flower
The females have a raised, golden yellow center. There will always be a baby gourd or pepo directly under the bloom. Females like to hide under leaves so make sure to pick up the leaves and take a peak.
Males have a recessed pale yellow center. They grow on longish stems and nine times out of ten, on most nights, there will be more males than females.  These gourds were pollinated early. The yield is greater and the early ones will have lots of time to grow and mature.
Using a cheap, small paint brush find a male flower, dab and then find a female flower, dab. Do this every evening in June and the early part of July and you will end up with a beautiful crop. An Invitation to the GAG's Saturday Get Together
 The GAG's Get Together is the second Saturday of every month here at Northern Dipper. The time is from 11 am to 3 - 4 pm depending on what we are working on. There is no cost, everyone brings a lunch and their own supplies. We try a different project every month.
Last month we did pine needle coiled bases on gourds. (There we are working in the sunshine.) If anyone would like to drop in and give it a try check out our GAG's on Yahoo groups or contact Carolyn at info@northerndipper.com
Thank you For Your Support!
 Before....
On April 30, in Vaughan, Ontario, I participated in the Canadian Cancer Society Cops For Cancer Event. My goal was to raise $2000.00 and due to many peoples' donations, I raised $2430.00. The total sum raised online was $51,000.00.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who did donate to this worthy cause. The money will be put to good use and will help save people's lives.
Linda Bond
 ...and after
To learn more about Cops For Cancer click here:
 Here are some of the gourds that are on sale (20 % off) during the month of June. That is Linda far, far away at the end of the bins! NEXT ISSUE: Imagine: It is a beautiful July day. We are driving along a country road set back in the woods and are heading to a magical place called Gooseberry Lane. Waiting for us is Nancy Overmyer, an artist well-known for her nature inspired gourd vessels. More recently, Nancy has caused quite a stir with her collection of fairies; each one different and each with their own distinct personalities. Nancy has had a long history with art and next month we will join her as she talks about her journey and how it got her to where she is today. Out in the garden pollinating on a nightly basis will continue into July. There should be lots of young gourds now. Easy to see on a trellis but a little more difficult with the ground grown. Don't despair, look under the leaves - you will find some nice gourd action happening there. Next month a little pruning instruction will be in order along with other topics such as powdery mildew. Growing gourds is so much fun!!!  We also have a couple of things up our sleeve but in the meantime; enjoy the lazy summer weather. Until next month.... Carolyn Cooper and Linda Bond PS If you have any stories or phots that you would like to share please send to info@northerndipper.com
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