I am a gourd artisan and maker. That tells only a small portion of who I
am. I discovered the gourd as a canvas
in 2007. At that time I was about to
retire from teaching math and science at a middle school and move out west
because my first grandchild was on the way.
One stage of my life was closing and a new one was beginning.
I loved the idea of retirement. I didn't love the long hours of having no purpose besides playing facebook games. I'd had a dream long ago of being a maker and vendor. That dream included an old bus fixed up as a home and workshop and traveling all over the country going from craft fair to craft fair. The bus no longer seems like as good an ideas as it use to. Like all good dreams, it didn't die. It just got delayed. The maker in me just turned to less expansive projects that allowed me to put the majority of my energies into raising my children and teaching school. Throughout those years I taught myself new skills.
In 2010 I made my debut as a craft vendor at our small local farmer's market. I can't describe the feeling of that first time someone I didn't know, actually was willing to pay for something I made. Since then I divide my time between family, especially my granddaughters, and building my craft business. I love what I do.
I loved the idea of retirement. I didn't love the long hours of having no purpose besides playing facebook games. I'd had a dream long ago of being a maker and vendor. That dream included an old bus fixed up as a home and workshop and traveling all over the country going from craft fair to craft fair. The bus no longer seems like as good an ideas as it use to. Like all good dreams, it didn't die. It just got delayed. The maker in me just turned to less expansive projects that allowed me to put the majority of my energies into raising my children and teaching school. Throughout those years I taught myself new skills.
In 2010 I made my debut as a craft vendor at our small local farmer's market. I can't describe the feeling of that first time someone I didn't know, actually was willing to pay for something I made. Since then I divide my time between family, especially my granddaughters, and building my craft business. I love what I do.