John Gibson
Gourd Maestro

John Gibson sees a gourd the way a painter views a blank canvas or a sculptor looks at a piece of stone. Gourds, he has learned, are instruments for boundless artistic creativity. And Gibson is the maestro. Using Southwestern, Native American, wildlife and contemporary designs, John Gibson is turning gourds into magnificent pieces of art. In the process, he is turning heads of many across the country that have discovered the intricate natural beauty that emanates from his work.

"I feel more like a person who sculpts rather than paints," said Gibson, who produced his first piece in 1993 and has since seen his art displayed in a growing number of galleries nationwide. John Gibson is indeed more than a painter. He is a craftsman, designer and engraver, and it is these disciplines, coupled with the exactness of a mathematician, that John uses to begin each project. With compass and ruler in hand, John painstakingly makes the measurements that insure the geometrical precision that is so vital to his art. There is nothing simple about John Gibson's work. From the initial choice of the correct shaped and sized gourd to the final decorative stone inlay, leather lace, or abalone shell, each piece reflects the individualism of its creator.

Green Dream Catcher

Teal Dream Catcher

Each of Gibson's gourds requires a lengthy multi-step process. He begins by washing, cutting, cleaning, sanding, and leveling each one. Then he draws the design and burns it into the gourd's hard shell. Next he turns to dyes for color, which give the gourd a textured three-dimensional look not possible with paints. After a clear coating is applied, final designs are etched in with a high-speed drill. He may then add a finishing touch such as a piece of bone, horsehair or turquoise. Like the gourd itself, everything that John Gibson incorporates into his art is natural. "For as long as I can remember I've had a special connection to the outdoors and to the landscapes of the West," says Gibson. "It is that love which I try to reflect in every piece I make."

Feather & Bone

Eagle & Antler

Bear & Cub

Hopi Bear

Kokopelli

Sun Face Kachina

Tree Design

Turtle

Two Feathers