the monster gourd project

two gourds of the same shape. Both students used the bottom as a nose
and the stems on the other side as tales.

Yesterday I wanted to do something special for my middle schoolers in after school art since it was Halloween and all. Fortunately the local farm market let me buy some cool looking gourds from them for extremely cheap since the season is ending. They had a really nice selection and a good variety of sizable gourds, we're talking as big as a basketball for most of them, so for mere pennies on the dollar I toted a crate of them over to the Arts Center for our special "mystery project." I think gourds can be very emotive of creatures, so I didn't give the kids any guidelines except that they had to create a "monster" with their gourd. I ransacked the supply closet so they had paints, buttons, yarn, feathers, paper, pipe cleaners, and fabric at their disposal. And we all had a lot of fun! I think they really enjoyed being able to take their project home immediately and set it in their kitchen or on their porch as a halloween decoration. Also, it was a nice break from our linoleum blocks, which we'll finish next week. Everyone needs a break sometimes. Even my student aid said making a creature was so much fun and really brightened her day. I took pictures of all our creations and thought I'd share a few with you. Enjoy! -hil

more gourd creatures after the jump!

This one was a "rocker" complete with a yarn afro and wire arms that held his paper guitar.

I was informed by my student that this was a "wind spirit". She very meticulously glued every strand of yarn to the head
of her creature. Pipe cleaner spirals for eyes.

This is actually my student aid's gourd, but it was too good not to share. She even fashioned
a little brooch out of sequins for her creature's scarf.