For Granite Bay artist and teacher Jenn Norpchen, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt for the perfect gourd. Searching for them herself, she’ll often spend hours exploring some of her favorite spots, including Davis Ranch in Sloughhouse. “I look for non-blemished, light-tanned gourds—those are usually the best,” says Norpchen. “I stand them up, look for symmetry and thump them for thickness. I then see their future!” The artist’s finished pieces—whimsical works of animals and creatures, seemingly plucked straight from dreams and make-believe—are nothing short of spectacular. The recognized award-winner from the California Gourd Society—who also creates custom sculptures—will have her works on display at Knock on Wood (thru June 29) at the Old Town Gallery of Fine Art in Auburn. You can also view her creations soon at High Hand in Loomis, as well as the Crocker Art Museum.    

HLB: What attracts you to gourd art and what challenges do they present? 

JN: I see gourds as an organic canvas or a living organism that I can bring to life. The shape dictates how I’m going to respond to the development of the piece. The biggest challenge is the quality of the gourd and how it can withstand the armatures, metal sculpture and weight of the polymer clay I’m using. They have to be checked for thickness with few to no abrasions. A good, healthy gourd makes it easier to complete the piece without any ramifications.

HLB: How have you been influenced by your interior design and fine arts background? 

JN: The discipline as an interior designer has instilled quality control, constant and earnest effort of quality work, and knowledge of the various mediums learned in fine arts, color theory and ceramics. There are so many new art products today, but as a trained designer with an art minor, I’m able to use or make my own products.

HLB: What were you like as a young artist? 

JN: Inquisitive, creative and always checking my surroundings; [noticing] how color changes with the angle of the sun, cloudy days and color; collecting rocks, glass, crystals and driftwood. I was also a very good illustrator, and people always wanted me to draw them. 

HLB: What inspires you most? 

JN: The hunt of the gourd. I can be out for hours and not realize the time. The same goes for when I’m looking for wood to which some of my gourds are perched on, which again speaks on organic and how I like to use organic materials on my work; also, symbiotic or artful interactions.

HLB: How do you approach artist’s block?

JN: Any setbacks or blocks I get, I leave my studio to go for a hike or a paddle and oxygenate my body and brain. It helps.

HLB: What’s the best artistic advice you’ve been given? 

JN: Comments from the public. My art makes them laugh, and it [brings me great joy] to receive updates after someone buys a piece—where they placed it in their homes, and of course the name they give to my artwork.

HLB: What are your future goals? 

JN: To continue my work; grow, learn and share; and be content with whatever life puts in my way.

By Heather L. Becker // Artist photos by Dante Fontana. Artwork images coutesy of the artist.

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