Colleen McKnight

There are so many things to love about gourds – the form, coloring techniques, weaving, beading, carving and wood burning.

And here are the top 10 things you will love about being a member of Spirit of the Desert Gourd Patch, the largest, most active patch in the Arizona Gourd Society.

10. You’ll learn to use gourd as a verb. As in “Yes, I’m going gourding.” We have weekly workshops for members every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the Sun Lakes Arts and Crafts Room.

9. With 45 other members to learn from, your work will become even more ‘gourdelicious.’ Our members are all skill levels from gallery artists, award winners to novices creating their first piece.

8. Since many of our members sell finished pieces, we are always on the lookout for sales opportunities. We ran a huge, triple booth at the Gourd Festival this last February.

7. Our patch website, Spiritdesertgourds.com, is now up and running. It has safety tips, vendor links, general information and the newest page, Meet our Members. Here each member can create their own personal page with their bio, contact information and photos of their work. Contact each member directly to discuss pricing.

6. Classes are arranged for the membership. It’s often very hard to get into a popular class, but that’s where our Vice President Lorraine Longpre steps in. She’s managed to arrange several classes directly with teachers. Because we can supply a large, beautiful work room and have the membership to guarantee a sellout, this is something teachers enjoy also. And for members, taking a class with a supportive group of friends is very conducive to learning.

5. At our monthly business meetings on the third Thursday of each month in the Arts and Crafts room at Sun Lakes, we end with show and share time. Each member is invited to bring a piece of work and describe their process. Gourd art is a process, from picking the right gourd to every skill and product used. It’s wonderful to hear the sequences and see the results. No internet or book can compare with seeing and hearing an artist describe their work.

4. We also have a private Facebook page for members. This is great for those ‘oh, look what I just did!’ moments. It’s always supportive and helpful.

3. We do like to have fun! We enjoy socials like the Christmas party, Prescott play date, multiple work groups and road trips to farms. It’s great meeting such a friendly, generous group of women and men from all over the valley and the United States and Canada.

2. When family tells you “You are out of your gourd,” you will have a built in support group for backup!

1. You’ll be assigned a mentor when you join so you can take advantage of all we’ve got to offer. Quite a bargain at only $25 per year! Join by contacting Carol Reese at cmreese.hotmail.com or visit the next meeting on September 15.