About the Gourds

Available Artwork

Upcoming Exhibitions and Viewing Opportunities

Publications

Gallery Representation

Email the Artist

 
 

About the Artist:

Heather Kinkade, Gourd Weaver

 
large product photo

Heather Kinkade is the president of Desert Willow Gourds, a company that grew out of a desire to continue the hand graphics that she had refined over the last 25 years in the Land Planning and Landscape Architectural field. As time moved forward, hand graphics were replaced with computer graphics and Heather’s talent was set on the back burner. The creation of Desert Willow Gourds LLC has allowed her express her creative talent through carving, painting, staining, and color pencil rendering. Working with gourd embellishments additionally allows her to prepare innovative feather, bead, natural material shards and sterling silver adornments to incorporate a head dress for the story being told with the gourd. She is a member of the Arizona Gourd Society and has shown her gourds at exhibitions and galleries in Wyoming and Arizona.

   

 

Education / Registrations

 

 


Currently continuing education in sustainability focused on water and energy.
   
 

Certificate in Sustainable Technology and Management (2007)

   
 

Arizona State University

   
 

Master of Environmental Planning (1994)

   
 
Arizona State University
   
 
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (1984)
   
 
University of Arizona
   
 
 

 

Memberships and Associations

 

 

 

Arizona Registered Landscape Architect

US Green Building Council LEEDTM Accredited Professional Building Design and Construction

American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA)

American Gourd Society

Arizona Gourd Society

Southwest Gourd Association

 

   

 

 
 

About the Gourds

 

Ms Kinkade’s techniques/mediums consist of carving, burning, acrylic paint, and color pencil.Her embellishments include feathers, natural stones and shells as well as silver, copper, and brass accents. The acrylic paint is only used to create the solid color panels, while all other color is created by color pencil.

All of her gourds are purchased from the Wuertz Gourd Farm in Casa Grande, Arizona. Because of Arizona’s long growing season, this farm is able to grow thick gourds, making Wuertz Gourd Farm one of the nation’s best. Wuertz Farm currently grows over 200,000 quality gourds each year! These natural uncleaned gourds are completely dry and come in many shapes and forms. Ms Kinkade selects her gourds based on size, weight, shape, and stem configuration of the individual gourd. The gourds are then cleaned, burned, carved, painted and colored. Two final protective coatings finish the gourds. Embellishments are determined by the feel and look of the gourd.

More information about the Wuertz Gourd Farm and Wuertz Gourd Festival can be found at: http://www.wuertzfarm.com.


   

 

Publications

 

         
     
ISBN: 0-9720036-4-9

Kinkade-Levario, Heather. 2004. Forgotten Rain, Rediscovering Rainwater Harvesting. Forsyth, Missouri: Granite Canyon Publications.

    ISBN: 978-0-86571-580-6

Kinkade-Levario, Heather. 2007. Design for Water. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers.

 

 

Book Awards

2008 Arizona Publishers Book Award. Glyph Award (Top) in the Science and Environment Category for Design for Water

2006 National American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Communication Award for Book – Forgotten Rain Rediscovering Rainwater Harvesting

2005 Arizona Chapter of ASLA Communication Award for Book – Forgotten Rain Rediscovering Rainwater Harvesting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gallery Representation

 
   
Big Horn Galleries
Cody, Wyoming and Tubac, Arizona
www.bighorngalleries.com/HeatherKinkade.htm
Cody Country Art League
Cody, Wyoming
www.codyart.vcn.com

Fountain Hills Artists Gallery
Fountain Hills, Arizona
www.fountainhillsartistsgallery.com/heather_kinkade_artist.html

     

 

 

Exhibitions &Viewing Opportunities

 

K3 Guest Ranch Bed & Breakfast
Cody, Wyoming
July 2009-Ongoing Revolving Display

http://www.k3guestranch.com

K3 Guest Ranch Bed & Breakfast
Gourd Giddy-Up Information 2010
Gourd Giddy-Up Information

Wild West Extravaganza
Cody, Wyoming
July 2-4, 2009, 2010

Cody Country Art League
45th Annual Art Show
June 11 thru July 11, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

Awards & Recognition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wuertz Gourd Festival
Casa Grande, Arizona
February 2009
Our company took the following awards:
First Place Novice Painted
Second Place Youth Mask
Third Place Novice Mask

Requested to Contribute a Panel for the Arizona Gourd Quilt
Southwest Gourd Association
September 2009

Requested Showing by Framin’ Works
Phoenix, Arizona
October-December, 2009

Sundust Gallery
Mesa, Arizona
“A Real Art Show” October 9- November 9, 2009
Dancing Sunflowers won 3rd Place “Artist of Distinction”

Wuertz Gourd Festival
Casa Grande, Arizona
February 2010
Our company took the following awards:
First Place Open My Way
Third Place Open Carved, chiseled, or gouged

 

 

 

 

 

     
  Heather Kinkade, Gourd Weaver
Desert Willow Gourds LLC
Phoenix, Arizona
602-550-9316
hkinkade@desertwillowgourds.com
Call or email for mailing address
Rainwater Harvesting Information:
Forgotten Rain LLC
www.forgottenrain.com
hkinkade@forgottenrain.com