When Janet Bratcher, AK, Moberly, Missouri, told her husband, “I’m going to be a gourd artist,” he took it in stride, as Janet had picked up several different arts and crafts over the years—painting, drawing, sewing, quilting. None of them stuck. Now seven years and 1,000 gourds later, Janet can legitimately call herself a gourd artist—and an accomplished, acclaimed one at that.

Janet’s fascination with gourd art began soon after her children left home and she was an empty-nester. was just kind of bored and looking for something to do,” she said. “I got on Pinterest and saw a carved gourd and thought, ‘Wow, that’s kind of interesting!’” After a month of in-depth research about gourd art and watching videos about carving and woodburning, she bought all the tools she needed, moved her husband’s stuff out of the garage and set up a studio.

The first gourds she made were gifted to friends and family, but as Janet was prolifically creating, she had an excess of about 40 gourds. So, she signed up for a local craft show. Janet recalled, “I just had a little rinky-dink tent and one little table where I set up my gourds.” With gourds priced from $40-$250, Janet’s husband was skeptical that she would sell anything, but at the end of the day, there were only three gourds left.“I had such a tremendous response at the show,” said Janet. “It was so much fun, just talking to everybody about gourds!”

Encouraged by the response at her first event, Janet signed up for a larger show, the Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival in Kirksville, Missouri. This time she had more gourds, a better tent and more tables. She sold all her gourds and won Best of Show, which came with $300 prize money. Janet said, “I was flabbergasted, I couldnot believe it! And once again, it was just so much fun talking to everybody about gourds!”

GOURD VIBES ONLY

Janet was hooked! She fully immersed herself in the gourd art community, joining Missouri’s official gourd organization, The Show Me Gourd Society, and the American Gourd Society. At her first Show Me Gourd Society show, she entered 10 gourds into the intermediate category and won a blue ribbon for every single one. The following year, she entered her gourds in the master’s category and again, won ribbons for everything. She was thrilled to find this community, where she continued to learn and improve her techniques while making friends. Janet has since become an American Gourd Society Certified Judge, giving her the opportunity to travel to shows and competitions all over the country to judge and teach classes. “It’s awesome!” she said. Most recently, at the Show Me Gourd Society Festival in June 2024, Janet won two big awards—the People’s Choice Award and the Masters Artistic Recognition Award.

FROM THE FIELD TO FINE ART

The gourds Janet uses to create her masterpieces are hardshell gourds, rather than soft-shell gourds like pumpkins and squash. Hardshell gourds are grown in a field; they take about a year from seed to curing to harvest. These kinds of gourds have been around for millennia—used by indigenous cultures around the world for tools and art.

For the intricate designs Janet does, she prefers thicker gourds; she works with suppliers who do the hard workof cleaning and prepping the gourds for her. Right out of the field, the gourds are covered in mold and must be soaked and scraped clean. The inside of the gourds must also be cleaned and prepared—removing the membrane and seeds. Janet explains that working with a hardshell gourd is almost identical to working with a piece of wood. Gourd artists use the same tools that a wood carver would use—wood burners, hand tools and small power tools.

For Janet’s most intricate designs she uses tools reminiscent of dentist drills. Janet’s technique mostly involves carving, cutting and painting. She has also experimented with woodburning and assemblage—combining pieces of multiple gourds to create a new, original piece. Over the years she has continued to perfect these techniques, becoming more detailed about fitting pieces together and focusing on the artistry of the entire piece. She’s now more picky about the gourds she selects and has upgraded her tools and equipment.

THE ART OF SISTERHOOD

Janet has been in P.E.O. since 2014. “My family had just moved to Moberly and I was wanting to meet people; I was thrilled to be invited to become a P.E.O. It’s just a wonderful group of ladies,” said Janet, who has served as guard, chaplain, corresponding secretary and currently, president of Chapter AK. Janet has given several programs about her gourd art to her chapter and always donates one of her gourds to the chapter’s silent and live fundraising auctions. Her studio is also a popular spot for the women in her chapter to do Christmas and birthday gift shopping.

Reflecting on President of International Chapter Cathy Moss’ theme, The Art of Sisterhood, Janet said, “There is an art to our Sisterhood. You know, learning how to be an artist, you have to learn so many different things and art, to me, is trying and failing, but learning from those mistakes and persevering to get better. Just like learning about all of our P.E.O. sisters, embracing their faults, helping them when they make mistakes and helping them to grow and be better, that’s true friendship.”

 

 

 

Article Info

Byline

Becky Frazier, Editor, The P.E.O. Record

Topic

Membership

Article Type

Special Feature

Related Articles

Winter 2025

Spelunking Sister: Empowering Women Through Cave Exploration and Conservation

In the summer of 2023, a good friend of mine told me about P.E.O. and…

Winter 2025

Vitality Blooms in P.E.O.

My dear friend and soul sister, Claudette Greene Apperson, M, Huntsville, Alabama, approached me about…

Winter 2025

A Library Born from Sisterhood: One P.E.O. Chapter’s Lasting Legacy

AT A MEETING IN 1923, then three-year-old P.E.O. Chapter FL in Bellevue, Iowa, broached the…