Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
Angela Arnett to Carve and Paint Gourds

On Saturday, March 18, Angela Arnett of Shepherdsville, will design, carve and paint gourds from 10:30 am – 3:30 pm at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea.

A Kentucky native, Angela Arnett has been working with gourds for many years. She is a member of the Kentucky Gourd Society and a juried member of the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program.

The gourds that Angela uses are all grown in Kentucky. Each is cleaned and sanded and then completely covered with intricate geometric designs similar to those used by traditional artists for hundreds of years. She is particularly drawn to imagery that has visual movement and reflects the patterns and colors used by Southwest Native American potters and basketmakers.

Each gourd is completely hand painted with acrylics without the use of stencils. Angela utilizes positive and negative spaces in her patterns to full advantage. She begins her designs by drawing on the gourd with a pencil and then wood-burning the design into the surface of the gourd. She chooses a wide variety of earthy colors, using the acrylic color of sandstone to emulate the effect of using talc paste, and to enhance the blend of her colors.

Works by Angela Arnett are regularly available at the Kentucky Artisan Center located just off located just off Interstate 75 at exit 77 (Berea). The Center’s exhibits, shopping, and travel information areas are all open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the café from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. The Center currently features works by more than 680 artisans from all across the Commonwealth. For more information call 859-985-5448 or visit the Center’s web site at www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov 

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is an agency in the Commerce Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.