Cara Hollingsworth, a native of Greenville, South Carolina, has worked in a variety of art mediums over the years. Her broad talents include sculpting, sketching and painting, in which she received personal instruction from Greenville's very own Renato Moncini. Cara sought a form of art that would combine her creative skills. Continually inspired by the beauty of the area she has lived in most of her life, she experimented with natural elements to replace the traditional canvas and eventually discovered the gourd. She has spent the last seven years honing her skill for carving and painting gourds. For an inedible vegetable with a clumsy sounding name, in Cara's hands, the gourd is transformed into a delightful work of art. If you ask Cara "Why the gourd?" She'll likely tell you that the unique character of the gourd holds magical appeal for her. While perusing through a collection of raw gourds, she comments, "When I choose a gourd, it already knows what it wants to be. I just help it a little bit." So, where does one buy gourds? Well, most artists are limited to the odd vendor here and there. Cara began this way, driving to North Carolina and buying up gourds as she found them. Then a family member told her of a cousin she didn't know she had. Cousin Herman is a 98 year old gourd farmer in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Cara has formed a great relationship with her spunky relative and makes several trips a year to get the "pick of the litter" before the truckload of gourds go to market.". All prices include delivery charges for the continental U.S. Please click on a picture for a larger view. Checkout or Review your Shopping Cart Raindrop Gourd The gourd is 11" in diameter and 13 1/2" high. The inside is coated with black acrylic paint and varnished with asphalt coating. The outside is painted with acrylics and gold Gilder's Paste. Stone spray paint was applied to the top and accented with gold at the rim. Item # CHSC1201...11"d x 13 1/2"h...$128.50 Add to Shopping Cart Anthem Gourd Item # CHSC1202 11"d x 8"h $88.50 Add to Shopping Cart Sunset Gourd Item # CHSC1203 11"d x 17"h $88.50 Add to Shopping Cart Tulip Fish Gourd No Name No Name INDEX Click here for a listing of all the great Arts and Crafts available on this site. Phone: 1-386-439-4741 questions and suggestions Phone: 1-888-897-4741 Toll Free for orders email: info@visitsoutherncomfort.com