She Makes Gourd Jewelry

2024 - Volume #48, Issue #4, Page #21

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Rachel Pauli is passionate about gourds and turns them into works of art, especially wearable works of art. She grows, makes, and sells “Gourdgeous Jewelry,” brightly colored, lightweight earrings made from gourds.
“When I painted my first gourd, I thought how light it was,” recalls Pauli. “I asked myself how I could utilize it. Most earrings are so heavy that making them from gourds seemed like a natural fit. I can make even larger earrings with gourds that are light as a feather.”
Working with a coping saw, sandpaper, and elbow grease, she began turning pieces of gourd into earrings and selling them on Etsy, an online marketplace. She posted her work on Facebook and Instagram, and the word spread. While still mainly sold in her region, she’s starting to get customers nationwide.
Increasingly, she’s asked to make earrings for an entire bridal party out of the same gourd. “I show the bride my color pallet and gourds, and she’ll pick the color and shape she wants,” says Pauli.
Pauli says the gourd’s shape makes it conducive to handmade jewelry. The curves work with and against her, preventing her from using traditional mechanized equipment. It’s hands-on from beginning to end.
“I grew up gardening and was an art teacher,” says Pauli. “I always felt that art and nature went hand in hand. With gourds, my art starts with me planting a seed.”
Pauli has a small garden plot alongside her house. Each summer, she grows about 100 bottleneck gourds, dries them, stores them, and then cuts them up for her artwork. In a 40-hour week, she can make 40 to 70 pairs of earrings.
Growing her own medium appeals to her, noting that no factory creates it, packages it, and sends it to her.
“The gourd has to mold for it to dry, which creates patterns almost like marble or granite,” says Pauli. “I use a lot of art ink, which has a translucent quality. It doesn’t cover the natural texture. It accentuates the beauty of the natural gourd. I feel like I’m painting sunset after sunset and landscape after landscape, reflecting the natural world.”
One of the things Pauli likes most about her gourd art is how accessible it is. It requires very few tools, is low cost, and her techniques are easy to share, whether with adults in the community or grade schoolers. She also emphasizes the sustainability of art made with natural materials.
“I want to get the word out about gourds,” she says. “I never knew until I was in my 30s what an absolutely fascinating plant it is. It’s a win if I can get people thinking of getting into the garden and using natural materials for art.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rachel Pauli, Gourdgeous Jewelry, 721 East 8th St., Winona, Minn. 55987 (ph 765-237-7886; gourdgeousjewelry@gmail.com; www.gourdgeousjewelry.com; www.etsy.com/shop/GourdgeousJewelry).

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She Makes Gourd Jewelry SPECIALTY/SERVICES Rachel Pauli is passionate about gourds and turns them into works of art especially wearable works of art She grows makes and sells “Gourdgeous Jewelry ” brightly colored lightweight earrings made from gourds “When I painted my first gourd I thought how light it was ” recalls Pauli “I asked myself how I could utilize it Most earrings are so heavy that making them from gourds seemed like a natural fit I can make even larger earrings with gourds that are light as a feather ” Working with a coping saw sandpaper and elbow grease she began turning pieces of gourd into earrings and selling them on Etsy an online marketplace She posted her work on Facebook and Instagram and the word spread While still mainly sold in her region she’s starting to get customers nationwide Increasingly she’s asked to make earrings for an entire bridal party out of the same gourd “I show the bride my color pallet and gourds and she’ll pick the color and shape she wants ” says Pauli Pauli says the gourd’s shape makes it conducive to handmade jewelry The curves work with and against her preventing her from using traditional mechanized equipment It’s hands-on from beginning to end “I grew up gardening and was an art teacher ” says Pauli “I always felt that art and nature went hand in hand With gourds my art starts with me planting a seed ” Pauli has a small garden plot alongside her house Each summer she grows about 100 bottleneck gourds dries them stores them and then cuts them up for her artwork In a 40-hour week she can make 40 to 70 pairs of earrings Growing her own medium appeals to her noting that no factory creates it packages it and sends it to her “The gourd has to mold for it to dry which creates patterns almost like marble or granite ” says Pauli “I use a lot of art ink which has a translucent quality It doesn’t cover the natural texture It accentuates the beauty of the natural gourd I feel like I’m painting sunset after sunset and landscape after landscape reflecting the natural world ” One of the things Pauli likes most about her gourd art is how accessible it is It requires very few tools is low cost and her techniques are easy to share whether with adults in the community or grade schoolers She also emphasizes the sustainability of art made with natural materials “I want to get the word out about gourds ” she says “I never knew until I was in my 30s what an absolutely fascinating plant it is It’s a win if I can get people thinking of getting into the garden and using natural materials for art ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Rachel Pauli Gourdgeous Jewelry 721 East 8th St Winona Minn 55987 ph 765-237-7886; gourdgeousjewelry@gmail com; www gourdgeousjewelry com; www etsy com/shop/GourdgeousJewelry

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