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Portland man uses gourds to make unique creations

PORTLAND — Instead of the traditional paint on canvas, Portland’s Arnold Tranquist uses a different medium to create artwork: gourds.

Over the course of two years, Tranquist estimates that he’s created more than 200 artistic gourds. No two are quite the same.

Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels first became aware of Tranquist’s hobby after he sent several of his creations to the agency’s office. In the spirit of giving, he shared a few of his gourd vases, bowls, and assorted creatures after some “free kittens” arrived courtesy of Meals on Wheels and the clever crafters at Symphony Living in Dunkirk.

“Everyone who sees them admires these beautiful vessels and whimsical creatures that now decorate the Meals on Wheels office,” said Debra Pacos, executive director. “Mr. Tranquist claims that he is not a trained artist, but he certainly has a gift for seeing the possibilities in the irregular markings and textures of what some would see as an ordinary fruit.”

Inspired after seeing a display of gourd art at a craft show, Tranquist thought that the intriguing combination of gardening and art would make an appealing hobby for him to experiment with.

According to Tranquist, every gourd has different possibilities. Some he knows immediately what they can become and others he keeps because they are interesting.

“Each gourd is unique in shape, size, and color. That makes them an interesting canvas, one that lends itself well to painting, carving, and wood-burning,” he said.

Gourds can take six months to a year to dry. As Tranquist explained, he dries them over the winter, turning them a few times. When dry, it is time to decide what each gourd will become.

“I just took a gourd and decided what I wanted to do with it,” he said. “For example, if I wanted to make a vase, I’d look for one with a straight neck.”

Although Tranquist no longer indulges in this unusual hobby, his home continues to show evidence of his artistic nature. His living room is home to a flock of gourd birds — a duck, a turkey, a penguin, a swan — who also share the space with their gourd turtle friend.

While he once spent a lot of time on his hobby, Tranquist said that he never wanted to get to the point where working on his creations was no longer fun.

It’s clear that Tranquist enjoys the menagerie of gourd creations as much as he enjoyed the process of growing, drying, selecting and designing them. He is eager to share what he knows about growing and making artwork from gourds with anyone and everyone who shows an interest.

“There’s something very satisfying about crafting a work of art from what nature has created,” Tranquist stated. “You always work with something new, each gourd is different, every single time.”

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