An African-born Dutch woman of the 17th century said, "Beauty is here because I am here.” Her words are my mantra. With every thought and action, I strive to exemplify beauty. My gourd creations are the physical manifestation of that ideology. They are a celebration of the richness, harmony and simplicity the form.
Over the years, I have tried drawing, painting, screen printing and etching but nothing excites me as much as creating art with gourds. It answers a longing to be connected to the stream of black culture and historic consciousness. Simply put, creating gourd art makes me feel whole. I affirmed my love for gourd crafting in 2003 and have been producing gourd creations ever since.
My primary goal in creating gourd art is to capture the essence of the medium and transform it into elegant works of art. Additionally, I am challenged to create works that go beyond the traditional confines of what gourd art is.
I mainly design vessels and figurative pieces. However, I started working on a line of distinctive gourd jewelry in 2006.
When selecting gourds, I look for visual balance no matter what the shape. My design inspirations come from many sources such as a pottery technique, an ancient symbol or a piece of fabric. Sometimes I make small design sketches, but more often than not I take cues from the medium. The gourds speak to me and then my heart tells my hands what to do.
Sala Faruq.
About the Artist
"The gourds speak to me and then my heart tells my hands what to do."
