Kristen Treuting, Gourd Artist

My journey with this medium started about 14 years ago after collecting many gourds which my husband and I had grown, stored and dried in my garage. It took me a couple years to develop the courage to create with them and I am essentially a self-taught gourd artist. I no longer grow my own gourds as the short growing season in Minnesota produces thin and weak gourds. I now purchase my gourds from other states that have more favorable growing conditions.

I have always been drawn to the natural world for inspiration. I find myself attracted to so much in nature, whether it’s leaves, trees, animals, flowers or patterns. And water and flow are recurring themes in my work. I find the sense of ‘flow’ in the shapes and forms of the gourds themselves. Gourds, with their earthiness and almost infinite variety of shape and form, communicate to me and I listen…

I use a variety of techniques when making my gourd creations to include wood burning, carving, staining and embellishing them with natural objects and fibers.

Prior to my passion with my gourd art, I dabbled in painting, photography, book arts, fiber arts and paper marbling. I have shown my work at various venues including art centers, small galleries and stores throughout the Twin Cities, and in art festivals such as Powderhorn Art Fair, Loring Park Art Festival, Art at St. Kate’s, “60 Artists on 50th”, and the Women’s Art Festival.

Contact

Kristen Treuting
Studio D, Homewood Studios
2400 Plymouth Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55411
www.kristensgourdcreations.com

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