The Dooryard Gallery--Nancy Gezella

"I incorporate a variety of materials in my work to achieve an interesting and creative mix of textures and depth. An
important aspect in achieving the richness of my work is the layering of color and texture. The base of my work is either
handmade paper or hard-shell gourds.

"My work with gourds begins in my garden. Being able to incorporate my love for gardening into my art process has
added a new level of satisfaction to my work. Most of my colors and textures are inspired by nature as well. About half
of the gourds I use, I have grown mself. The remainder I purchase from a California grower. Hard-shell gourds have an
approximate growing period of 140 days, after which they require 6 to 9 months to dry. During this drying period, the
outer epidermis molds and needs to be removed. Using a variety of hand power tools the gourd is transformed by
cutting and sanding. Surface textures are created by etching, burning or carving followed by an application of dyes, stains
or paint. It is then sealed with several coats of polyurethane. The gourd is then finished with embellishments
of beads, reed, stone, gold leaf, wax linen, glass, etc. These embellishments are applied by sewing or with an archival,
acid-free adhesive. To maintain the highest standards, and to insure that each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind, I
personally create all of my own work."

Nancy Gezella is a Wisconsin artist working in mixed media, with a base of either handmade paper or hardshell gourds.
Her educational background consists of an associate’s degree in interior design from Fox Valley Technical College and an
associate’s degree in mechanical design from Northwestern Technical College. After working in a corporate enviroment
for several years, she decided to take art classes to fi ll the creative void she felt. Gezella took classes in several
different media through the University of Green Bay Extension.

Gezella fi rst started to show her work with handmade paper in 1993. She has won several awards for her work with
paper and her work is part of corporate and private collections. Gezella started working with hard-shell gourds, which
allowed her to bring more dimension to her work as well as incorporate her love for gardening. She continues
to show work in both media in galleries and shows across the county.