Mississippi Gourd Society
Psi Chapter of the American Gourd Society
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More Mississippi Gourd Festival Info
This information applied to the festival held Sept. 17-18, 2011. We'll leave it here a bit longer.
Watch for updates to this page.
The 3rd Annual Mississippi Gourd Festival will be held at the same location on Sept. 15-16, 2012.
Watch for additions to this page!
For lodging and RV information, click here. Here's an update on one of the motels. Nicky Blakeney, MSGS member, checked with Scottish Inns in Taylorsville, MS. They will give a special rate to folks attending the Mississippi Gourd Festival--$45 for any room, first come, first serve. It is located at 212 Mayfield St. (Hwy. 28 W), about 16 miles from the Ag Complex. You may call Scottish Inns at 601-785-4743 or 601-785-4744.
Driving Directions to Smith County Ag Complex, Oil Field Rd. (SCR 77), Raleigh, MS:
Please do not use GPS to get you to the Ag Complex. For some unexplained reason, it takes you around the world! Watch for the signs and give us a call if you have problems. Mike Thompson, 601-374-0245.
From Jackson, MS: Take I-20 East toward Brandon. Take Exit #54 (Puckett/Raleigh). Turn right onto Hwy. 18 and travel approx. 38 miles to the 4-way stop in Raleigh.
From the 4-way stop in Raleigh (at the intersection of Hwy. 18 and Hwy. 35): travel 2.8 miles south on Hwy. 35. At the intersection of Hwy. 35, Hwy. 37, and Oil Field Rd. (SCR 77), turn right onto Oil Field Rd. Note: Family Medical Clinic and Patients' Choice Medical Center of Smith County are located at the intersection. The Ag Complex is the second large building on the left on Oil Field Rd.
From Jackson, MS: Take I-20 East toward Brandon. Take Exit #54 (Puckett/Raleigh). Turn right onto Hwy. 18 and travel approx. 38 miles to the 4-way stop in Raleigh.
From the 4-way stop in Raleigh (at the intersection of Hwy. 18 and Hwy. 35): travel 2.8 miles south on Hwy. 35. At the intersection of Hwy. 35, Hwy. 37, and Oil Field Rd. (SCR 77), turn right onto Oil Field Rd. Note: Family Medical Clinic and Patients' Choice Medical Center of Smith County are located at the intersection. The Ag Complex is the second large building on the left on Oil Field Rd.
From the 4-way stop in Mize, MS: travel east on Hwy. 28 for 1.3 miles and turn left onto Hwy. 35 North. Travel 10 miles to the intersection of Hwy. 35, Hwy. 37, and Oil Field Rd. (SCR 77). Turn left onto Oil Field Rd. Note: On Hwy. 35, after you pass Raleigh High School on the right and the Center Ridge water tower on the left, you'll be almost to Oil Field Rd. Family Medical Clinic and Patients' Choice Medical Center of Smith County are located at the intersection. The Ag Complex is the second large building on the left on Oil Field Rd.
Our vendor spaces are full! You'll have a wide variety of raw and crafted gourds from which to choose. Check out the vendor previews at the lower part of this page!
Vendors for the Mississippi Gourd Festival, 2011:
Louise Brooks, Laurel, MS--gourds with various designs, including Southwest, butterflies, and Christmas.
Glenn Burkhalter, Lacey's Spring, AL--raw and crafted gourds, specializing in long handle dipper knots and spirals; Gluesmith glue.
Susan Byra, Quitman, MS--Grip-All Jaws. Save your hands! Let Grip-All Jaws do the hard work for you!
Christian Art by Ann--Ann Coghlan of Philadelphia, MS--handpainted gourds.
Martha Ertle, Bentonia, MS--handcrafted gourds, gourd butterflies and flowers.
"Gourd"geous Art by Marsha Young, Florence, MS--gourd art (woodburned, painted, and mosaic), gourd jewelry and gourd purses.
Gourdgeous Gourds by Elizabeth Scesniak, North Little Rock, AR--handpainted gourds, books, and trim.
GourdGracious Gourds by Ray Davis, Collinsville, MS--painted and carved gourds.
Paul Grubbs, Florence/Shivers, MS--cleaned, dried gourds.
Bessie Johnson, West Point, MS--gourd baskets and other gourd items, many featuring pine needle coiling. Booth on Saturday only.
Tom Keller, West Point, MS--dried, cleaned gourds.
Gale Keys of Cordova, AL, has canceled. We hope she can be with us next year.
Helen Looman, Yazoo City, MS--handcrafted gourds.
Laura Lott, Seminary, MS--handpainted gourds.
Carol Maddox, Bossier City, La--handpainted and decorated gourds, Quikwood, gourdcrafting kits, and hats galore for your gourd creations.
Kenneth McPhail, Prentiss, MS--carved gourds.
Miriam Joy Gourd Creations, Prescott Valley, AZ--gourds and gourd supplies.
Jason C. Smith, Clinton, MS--Banzas (gourd banjos)
Southern Gourds--Amanda Jones and Edwina Goff, Lucedale, MS--crafted bowls and birdhouses, cleaned gourds in a variety of sizes.
Sunshine Woodcarving Supplies--Cecil Walley, Sebring, FL--books, gouges, power tools, jigsaws, burrs, woodburners, etc.
Donnie Terry, Shubuta, MS--abstract tribal designs on gourds done with colored pencils and leather dye.
Thompson Farms--Mike and Michelle Thompson, Raleigh, MS--handcrafted gourd art, gourd seeds, some tools and supplies for gourdcrafting.
Jo An Young, Newton, MS--gourd birdhouses, vases, and boxes.
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Vendors for the Mississippi Gourd Festival, 2011:
Louise Brooks, Laurel, MS--gourds with various designs, including Southwest, butterflies, and Christmas.
Glenn Burkhalter, Lacey's Spring, AL--raw and crafted gourds, specializing in long handle dipper knots and spirals; Gluesmith glue.
Susan Byra, Quitman, MS--Grip-All Jaws. Save your hands! Let Grip-All Jaws do the hard work for you!
Christian Art by Ann--Ann Coghlan of Philadelphia, MS--handpainted gourds.
Martha Ertle, Bentonia, MS--handcrafted gourds, gourd butterflies and flowers.
"Gourd"geous Art by Marsha Young, Florence, MS--gourd art (woodburned, painted, and mosaic), gourd jewelry and gourd purses.
Gourdgeous Gourds by Elizabeth Scesniak, North Little Rock, AR--handpainted gourds, books, and trim.
GourdGracious Gourds by Ray Davis, Collinsville, MS--painted and carved gourds.
Paul Grubbs, Florence/Shivers, MS--cleaned, dried gourds.
Bessie Johnson, West Point, MS--gourd baskets and other gourd items, many featuring pine needle coiling. Booth on Saturday only.
Tom Keller, West Point, MS--dried, cleaned gourds.
Gale Keys of Cordova, AL, has canceled. We hope she can be with us next year.
Helen Looman, Yazoo City, MS--handcrafted gourds.
Laura Lott, Seminary, MS--handpainted gourds.
Carol Maddox, Bossier City, La--handpainted and decorated gourds, Quikwood, gourdcrafting kits, and hats galore for your gourd creations.
Kenneth McPhail, Prentiss, MS--carved gourds.
Miriam Joy Gourd Creations, Prescott Valley, AZ--gourds and gourd supplies.
Jason C. Smith, Clinton, MS--Banzas (gourd banjos)
Southern Gourds--Amanda Jones and Edwina Goff, Lucedale, MS--crafted bowls and birdhouses, cleaned gourds in a variety of sizes.
Sunshine Woodcarving Supplies--Cecil Walley, Sebring, FL--books, gouges, power tools, jigsaws, burrs, woodburners, etc.
Donnie Terry, Shubuta, MS--abstract tribal designs on gourds done with colored pencils and leather dye.
Thompson Farms--Mike and Michelle Thompson, Raleigh, MS--handcrafted gourd art, gourd seeds, some tools and supplies for gourdcrafting.
Jo An Young, Newton, MS--gourd birdhouses, vases, and boxes.
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Supplies Vendor: MSGS is pleased to announce Mr. Cecil Walley of Florida will be our tools supplier for the Mississippi Gourd Festival. You can visit his Ebay store, Everglades Woodcarving Supplies or call him at 863-414-3589. He sells woodcarving gouges by Ramelson and Flexcut, carving knives, Everglades Patriot wood burners and pens, and many other items needed by gourdcrafters and woodcarvers. Mr. Walley has been in the woodcarving business for fifteen years.
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Food: We are happy to announce the Smith County MHV (Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers) will be serving food at the festival again this year. Chicken strips, hamburgers, hotdogs, French fries, chili-cheese fries, nachos, chips, drinks, and delicious homemade desserts will be served. The Homemakers fingerprint kindergarten students and present a flag program to 4th graders in Smith County Schools, donate needed items to the Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital and Ronald McDonald House in Jackson, MS, and work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. These are just a few of the things the Homemakers do to help people in Smith County, surrounding areas, and other countries. The members generously give their time and talents to help others. Please support the Homemakers by coming and buying some delicious food at the Mississippi Gourd Festival!
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Raffle Items: Thanks to the artists who graciously donated the four items for our raffle, a fundraiser for Mississippi Gourd Society. Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. If you wish to purchase raffle tickets before the festival, you may email Nicky Blakeney or Mrs. Ray Davis. Call Nicky at 601-782-4786 or Ray at 601-737-5333. Specify how many tickets you'd like to purchase for which item(s), such as 2 for "pine", 2 for "jug", 1 for "scallop", and 1 for "Santa". Your tickets will be added to the appropriate labeled boxes at the festival. Names will be drawn and the winners announced on Sunday afternoon, September 18, at the Mississippi Gourd Festival. See the beautiful raffle items pictured below.
Pine Needle Basket by Sarah Kemp "Pine"Basket is made with longleaf pine needles in a coiling technique. The focal of the basket center is an agate geode slice and the handles are accented with black walnut slices. Basket is sewn with sinew and finished with shellac. (Pictured stand not included. Stand made by Chick King, brother of Helen Looman.)
Sarah Kemp-Winchester, is a self-described fiber artist. Sarah, a retired engineer, lives in St. Helena Parish, LA, on a tree farm. Her hobbies include most fiber arts, spinning, weaving, quilting, beading, gourds, etc. (and it’s a lot of etc.!)
Little Brown Jug by A.B. Amis "Jug"
The little brown jug is a gourd which A.B. has chip carved on both sides with a hand-held gouge. The gourd jug is finished with reed handles, a cork stopper, leather dye, and shoe polish.
A.B. Amis is a native Mississippian. He was raised in Newton, MS, and now lives in Grant, FL. Although A.B. had dabbled a bit with sketching and the like during a 35-year engineering career, it took retirement and gourds to get the right side of his brain really cranked up. An inclination toward orderliness and mathematical "correctness" is evident in his frequent use of repeating geometric patterns in his carving. He enjoys sculpting graceful pitchers and vessels from single gourds. A.B. taught three classes at the first annual Mississippi Gourd Festival in 2010.
Scallop Shell Gourd Bowl or Vase by Martha Ertle "Scallop"
The gourd bowl or vase is leather-dyed. Martha dyed the longleaf pine needles which she coiled onto the rim. The gourd is accented with a large scallop shell. The color of the gourd is beautifully mirrored in the natural colors of the shell.
Martha Ertle, a resident of rural Yazoo County, a homemaker and grandmother, loves the outdoors. She used to paint on just about anything that didn't move. Her paint brush has been largely replaced by a woodburning pen. She loves to woodburn images of wildlife on gourds. She taught classes at the first annual Mississippi Gourd Festival in 2010 and will teach classes this year.
Victorian Santa Gourd by Georgie Enslin-Foster "Santa"
The Victorian Santa gourd is fully painted. There's even a design on the bottom.
Georgie Enslin-Foster lives in Hattiesburg, MS. She loves to paint and gladly shares her enthusiasm with others. She taught a Victorian Santa class at the first annual Mississippi Gourd Festival in 2010 and will teach a Blue St. Nick class this year.
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Silent Auction of "Feather Bowl"Sharon Beasley of Gulfport has graciously donated a beautiful gourd to help MSGS raise funds. It will go to the highest bidder in a silent auction. Bidding will end at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011. Starting bid is $50.
"Feather Bowl" is 6" tall, 8" across, and 25" around. It has been woodburned, carved, and embellished with hundreds of glass beads, fabric paint, acrylic paint, and handmade square clay buttons. The inside has been sealed to be food-safe. Sharon puts napkins inside the one she uses to keep from washing it.
About the artist: Sharon Beasley is a proud member of the Mississippi Gourd Society and the American Gourd Society. She enjoys trying to create functional "one of a kind" pieces from her gourds. She is a self-taught artist and has worked with a lot of different mediums, but has found gourds to be the most fun. She started working with gourds about five years ago. She attended her first gourd festival over two years ago and was very inspired by all the beautiful gourds she saw. Sharon says "One thing about working with gourds is that there is always something new you can learn to do with them. That is what makes 'gourding' so fun."
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vendor showcase - some of what was at the show
Miriam Joy Gourd Creations, Prescott Valley, AZSquare Gourd Toppers can be used for pattern designs on gourds or can aid in making more precise marking on a gourd using a white charcoal pencil or marker prior to cutting into the gourd.
Email Miriam Joy for current pricing. art@miriamjoy.com.
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Grip-All Jaws. Like having an extra set of hands!
Have you ever had a gourd slip on you when you were carving or trying to do chip carving or wood burning? How about fingerprints in your paints or stains? Well, no more! Let the Grip-All Jaws hold it all for you. Irregular shapes are child's play. With a 360-degree rotation and a 90-degree arc, the Grip-All Jaws can move your gourd (or model car or wood or whatever you want--up to 14" and 25 pounds) to any spot that makes it comfortable for you to do your best work. You can even clean the inside of the gourd with your power tool attachments with no fuss. The swiveling "wrists" of the Grip-All Jaws conform to the shape of the object you are holding. Plus, they can hold from the outside, or in the case of cut gourds, from the inside so that you can apply sprays, inks, stains and other finishes without worrying about getting smudges. Nothing sticks permanently to them, so there's no need to worry about drips. Email Susan Byra for a price list! Pictured is Ken McPhail's Tree of Life gourd.
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"Gourd"geous Art by Marsha Young, Florence, MS"Gourd"geous Art has evolved from a hobby to part of my line called "M Young Designs". I have been able to combine four passions into one art form--painting, jewelry designing, woodwork and gourds. I think I'm finally HAPPY!!! When a gourd that I'm working on breaks, a piece of jewelry is born. I think my "wearable art" pieces are exciting and interesting. I hope y'all think so, too. Come by and see my collections at the Mississippi Gourd Festival in September. 'Til then, Happy Gourding!
Marsha Young, 601-941-7024, myoungdesigns53@aol.com
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Jaybird Banjos by Jason SmithJason Smith is a musician and banjo maker. He divides his time between Clinton, Mississippi, and Fairhope, Alabama. He studied banjo playing and banjo building with the late Scott Didlake of Crystal Springs, MS. Scott was a master gourd banjo builder who pioneered the craft. Jaybird Banjos is accepting orders and can craft instruments to your specific desire.
Hear these instruments played on my CD, Gourd Banjo Gems, and visit my YouTube channel. Just type in Jason Smith/Gourd Banjo. Call me at 601-259-2390 or email me at jaybirdbanjo@gmail.com
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Gourdgeous Gourds by Elizabeth Scesniak, North Little Rock, AR Elizabeth paints unique and individualized gourds that may turn into roly-poly Santas, green-faced witches, turkeys, snowmen, angels, frogs or who knows what. She specializes in five categories--birdhouses, Southwest themes, holiday themes, characters, and ornaments. Many can be personalized. She also sells brushes, trims, books and patterns.
Elizabeth can be reached at seznik@sbcglobal.net or 501-753-7980.
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Mike and Michelle Thompson, Thompson Farms, Raleigh, MSMike and Michelle will offer a variety of handcrafted gourds and gourd jewelry. Michelle's decoupaged pieces can be customized to suit your taste. Pictured is one of her "cross" bowls. She can incorporate your favorite verses, etc. Their leather-dyed apple gourds make wonderful teacher gifts. The Thompsons will also have genuine Fiebing's leather dye, leather lacing, and various tools and supplies for sale.
Mike and Michelle are exhibiting members of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi. You may call or email them at 601-782-9444 or miketom1950@yahoo.com.
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Helen Looman, Yazoo City, MSWoodburning geometric patterns on gourds is my specialty, and I love doing it. I will have my latest pieces in my booth. I will also be teaching three classes on geometrics--two where you have to measure and lay out a pencil pattern to burn on the gourd and one where you freehand the pattern to burn on an egg gourd. You may call or email me at 662-746-1420 or helenlgourds@aol.com. Helen is an exhibiting member of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi.
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Martha Ertle, Bentonia, MSJust a peep at what Martha is working on for the festival...gourd flowers, gourd butterflies....
You may email Martha at charlesertle@bellsouth.net
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Glenn Burkhalter, Lacey's Spring, ALGlenn started growing gourds 22 years ago and built his first arbor in the spring of 1994. With encouragement from Jim Story, he began to tie overhand knots in the necks of his long handle dippers. Eventually, Glenn learned to tie figure eights and square knots in the gourds. Responding to a challenge from Jim, Glenn successfully tied two knots in one gourd--twice, but has been unable to do it again. Since the American Gourd Society established the Jim Story gourd manipulation award in 2009, a national competition, Glenn has won it in 2009 and 2010 and has successfully qualified for 2011. Notice Glenn's giraffes, too! They are pictured on the table in front of Glenn.
256-883-0064, algourds@aol.com
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GourdGracious Gourds by Ray Davis, Collinsville, MSI have been painting gourds for about 30 years and rarely do I do the same design twice, unless requested. I have tried the carving and wood burning on gourds, but find painting more satisfying. My husband and I also sell the natural unclean gourds and ship them all over the world. See our website at http://gourdgracious.homestead.com/gourds.html and you can email us at gourdgracious@comcast.net
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Kenneth McPhail of Prentiss, MSKen created these beautiful birds from gourds and pieces of gourds.
Aren't they fantastic?
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Tom Keller Gourds, West Point, MSTom is bringing over 3,000 cleaned, ready-to-craft gourds to the festival.
Great selection of gourds at reasonable prices.
Call 662-494-3334 or visit his website, www.tomkellergourds.com.
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