Gourd artists featured at April 11 PCPL program

Celebrated local gourd artists Stuart Fabe and Marla Helton will offer an evening artists' talk at the Putnam County Public Library on Wednesday, April 11.

The 6:30 p.m. program is open to the public at PCPL, 103 E. Poplar St., Greencastle.

Fabe and Helton not only make art from gourds but grow thousands of gourds on their 36-acre property.

Once the gourds are cultivated, picked, and cleaned, the artists paint them and weave beautiful, intricate designs around and through openings cut into the gourds.

"We feel a strong connection to nature and our art reflects that commitment," Fabe said. "In essence, we enjoy giving 'artistic life' to an entity that once held 'natural life.'"

Fabe and Helton will show samples of their gourd artwork and discuss their evolution as artists, including their creative process, and their influence on each other.

An exhibition of photographs representing their artwork will be on display at the library for the month of April.