Good Gourds: Priceville woman’s gourd art features necklaces, spaceships and motorcycle-riding snowmen
By Catherine Godbey | Living 50 Plus
Every time Carol Montgomery hears about a local student with art hanging in the Huntsville Museum of Art, at the capitol in Montgomery and in Washington, D.C., a twinge of pride fills her heart.
“I like to think that maybe I had a little something to do with that,” the 85-year-old Priceville woman said. “When I was growing up we didn’t have art in school. That’s one of the reasons I love what we do, to be able to help county schools offer art to students.”
What Montgomery does is chair the Decatur Art Guild’s arts and crafts show at the Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic at Point Mallard Park. A portion of the proceeds from that art show, held the Saturday and Sunday before Memorial Day, benefits art programs at county schools.
“That’s the reason I do the Alabama Jubilee. That’s why I work so hard on the craft show and have worked on it for so long. The more we make, the more we can give to the schools and the more students we can impact,” Montgomery said.
A life-long artist, Montgomery’s experience with art began by creating Valentine cards and drawing comics in elementary school.
“I’ve done art as far back as I can remember. My art really started in the fourth grade. I remember having this little notebook. It was blue with a little horse on it. I liked to draw comics. Mother and Dad always took the newspaper and I would look at the comics. I filled that little notebook with my own comics,” Montgomery said.
Over the past seven decades, Montgomery, who worked as a telephone operator on Grant Street, painted on wood, fabric, tin and canvas, shaped, fired and painted on ceramics, made and painted lampshades and created jewelry.
“I’ll actually paint on anything that will sit still, I guess,” Montgomery said.
She took Bob Ross classes at Hobby Lobby and attended workshops in Leoma, Tennessee, and Killen.
“My husband was very supportive of me. He would drive me to Leoma and sit outside while I was in class. He bought me a kiln because I started doing ceramics. I did ceramics for 30 years. I loved painting on pottery. I painted so many chickens and cows and wildlife — more than I can count,” Montgomery said.
Ten years ago, armed with paints, a Dremel tool, saw and wood burner — all items provided by her husband — Montgomery started painting on gourds. She learned how to clean them, sand them and cut them.
“There is so much you can do with these gourds. There is no end to what you can create. And you can use all parts of the gourd from the seeds to shards of gourds to miniature gourd,” Montgomery said.
For her gourd paintings, Montgomery often finds inspiration from nature.
“I just look around at nature, at the butterflies and birds and flowers. God created so much beauty,” Montgomery said.
Other of Montgomery’s gourds showcase her whimsy and humor.
“For Christmas, I painted a gourd that looked like a snowman who wanted to be a biker. I made a cloth durag and a vest to put on the gourd,” Montgomery said.
Another of her gourds features two green aliens in a silver spaceship.
“I have a lot of fun with them,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery will display some of her gourd creations, including snowmen necklaces she created out of small gourds, during the Decatur Art Guild’s show at the Alabama Jubilee.
The Decatur Art Guild’s association with the Alabama Jubilee — an event that earned Decatur the nickname of the ballooning capital of Alabama — began 48 years ago.
“We had a show in the mall and the Jubilee people came to me and asked if we would be interested in having a show there. I said I would talk with the artists,” Montgomery said. “Here I am 48 years later having worked on it every year.”
The show features iron workers, ceramicists, stained glass artists, photographers, painters, jewelers, woodworkers, quilters and people who make soap, candles, doll clothes and dyed silk. The show also will include a make-and-take creation station for children.
Along with donating to art programs, the Decatur Art Guild provided funds to the Carnegie Visual Arts Center and scholarships for students.
“Everything we do is to fulfill our goal of fostering and promoting the knowledge and appreciation of visual arts,” Montgomery said.
To achieve that goal, the Decatur Art Guild holds workshops, including classes on poured painting, watercolor, jewelry painting and composition studies.
“A lot of people see the word ‘art’ and it scares them. They think it’s fine art. To me, if you take a piece of wood, clay, string or metal and you create something, that is art,” Montgomery said. “I’ve learned so much through the guild. The next thing I want to learn how to do is China painting. I’ve never done that before. I like to learn all the time and try different painting styles.”
The Decatur Art Guild meets the first Thursday of the month at noon on the third floor of the Morgan County Archives, 624 Bank St. N.E.
Along with painting, Montgomery fills her time participating in Shoal Creek Baptist’s sewing ministry. Members of the ministry make items for nursing home residents, including bags for the walkers and fidget blankets, throws for veterans and toboggans and port pillows for the cancer center.
“I try to stay busy all the time. It makes me feel good and like I’m contributing still, even at my age, to making other people’s lives a little better,” Montgomery said.
Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic
What: Two-day festival with hot air balloons, tractor show, car show and arts and crafts show
When: May 24-25
Where: Point Mallard Park
May 24
Balloon events: Hound and Hare race at 6:30 a.m., balloon fun flight at 5:30 p.m., balloon glow at 8:15 p.m.
Decatur Art Guild Arts & Crafts Show: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tractor show: Parade of Power at 10 a.m., tractor games at 11 a.m., pedal tractor park for 6 years old and younger, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., hands-on historical tool area open all day.
Live music: 6-10 p.m.
May 25
Balloon events: Key Grab balloon race at 6:30 a.m., balloons begin arriving at Point Mallard at 7 a.m., balloon fun flight at 5:30 p.m., balloon tethers at 6:30 p.m.
Decatur Art Guild Arts & Crafts Show: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Live Music: Karaoke, 2-4 p.m., bands, 6-10 p.m.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m.
