Cool Cats Convene in Sugar Loaf, NY

Gourd cats of all shapes, sizes, and colors tumbled from delivery trucks hoping to win first place in Cool Cat Gourd competition. It was hosted in Sugar Loaf, NY (http://www.sugarloafartsvillage.com)by Devon Cameron, award-winning artist and owner of The Gourd Gallery (http://www.gourdaments.com). The event took place on Oct. 7, 8, and 9 during the artisan community’s Fall Festival. The winners were chosen democratically by over 500 Festival attendees.

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Quote startI…glued a small gourd on a dipper gourd and sculpted the face and ears. I had a lot of fun seeing the cat’s expression come alive.Quote end

Sugar Loaf, NY (PRWEB) October 17, 2006

Gourd cats of all shapes, sizes, and colors tumbled from delivery trucks hoping to win first place in Cool Cat Gourd competition. It was hosted in Sugar Loaf, NY (http://www.sugarloafnychamber.com) by Devon Cameron, award-winning artist and owner of The Gourd Gallery (http://www.gourdaments.com). The event took place on Oct. 7, 8, and 9 during the artisan community’s Fall Festival. The winners were chosen democratically by over 500 Festival attendees.

“First I was amazed at the response to my call for participants, which appeared on the American Gourd Society website and some state gourd society publications. Gourd artists from Texas, Indiana, Kansas, New Jersey, Ohio, Maine, Tennessee, and New York participated. Then I was delighted as the Cool Cats arrived. Each was brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed. Finally, I was pleased that so many passers by voted….All in all, this was a most successful contest. And best of all, the contestants are now on sale at The Gourd Gallery.”

First place went to Cloe, a winsome grey domestic from Tennessee. Her creator, Lois Wiser, states: “I…glued a small gourd on a dipper gourd and sculpted the face and ears. I had a lot of fun seeing the cat’s expression come alive.”

Alpha, a pure white kitty with one blue eye and one green, won second. Artist A. F. Reinhart reports that her sister-in-law gave her a white kitten with one blue and one green eye a month after she began work on Alpha. “She knew nothing about this ‘gourd’ cat…Greater forces at work!”

Cally-Alley Cat, a calico tabby, took third. Myrtis McClenny from Texas describes her entry as “prissy.” “The calico cat next door is the model.” Myrtis’s own tabby, Willis, lies on the table beside the gourd cat, occasionally taking an interest and giving it a sniff.

“All the entries were wonderful,” Devon exclaims. “We have Sir Julius Fionius, an orange tabby from Nancy Overmyer in Kansas; a contemporary mask from Ann Light featuring three cats; Tilly, a tabby submitted by local artist Debbie Siew, is a mouser unaware of the gourd mouse riding his tail; Jewell, a very large, ornate kitty covered with pearls, hails from Ohio and the imagination of Gayla Smith. Marilyn Tedesco grew her entry, Vegas, on her Maine farm. And Baby Beans by Jane Weller of Ohio has a happy ‘Cattitude’ and a purpose in life—her hollow belly can be used to serve up jelly beans.”

When asked if she would consider making the Cool Cat Gourd Contest an annual event, Devon nodded vigorously. “Absolutely. This was great fun.”

All entries can be seen at The Gourd Gallery, 1364 Kings Highway

Sugar Loaf, NY 10981. (845) 469-5090.

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Cloe- Cool Cat Gourd Show Winner! Cloe- Cool Cat Gourd Show Winner!

Lois Wiser Knoxville, Tennessee “I made this cat by glueing a small gourd on a dipper gourd and sculpting the face and ears. I had a lot of fun seeing the cat’s expression come alive.”


Sir Julius Fionius Sir Julius Fionius

Nancy J. Overmyer Topeka, Kansas “I am a kansas gourd artist and I’m surrounded by Orange Tabby cats. So I had lots of inspiration for Sir Julius who is fondly named after my own tabbies Julius and Fiona. I also adopted two others a couple of years ago. Sir Julius the gourd is the one and only undemanding orange cat to visit my home!”


Jewell Jewell

Gayla Smith Millersport, OH “Jewell loves to watch QVC and play in her Mom’s jewelry box!”


Stella Stella

Baldwin Jones Middletown, NY “Stella is charming and sweet and will make a purrfect pet. She is made from 7 gourds “


Cally- Alley Cat Cally- Alley Cat

Myrtis McClenny Fort Worth, Texas “ A Calico Tabby that is very prissy. The Calico Cat next door is the model. She is the mother of five kittens much like my Willis."


Vegas Vegas

Marilyn Tedesco Kittery, ME “This gourd was planted on my farm in Kittery, ME. It was planted May of 2005 then harvested and dried for a year. It was washed, scrubbed, bleached and sanded before it could be handcrafted. I used acrylic paint, black leather dye and clay. I then sealed it with high-shine glaze.”


Baby Beans Baby Beans

Jane Weller Continental, Ohio “Baby Beans will serve up your jelly beans in a novel way! She’s sure to make you smile with her happy “cattitude”. Jelly Belly beans are included with purchase”


Thomas- Alley Cat Thomas- Alley Cat

Myrits McClenny Fort Worth, Texas “A very charming looking striped tabby- my own tabby is named Willis, he is my model. He lays on the table, sometimes taking an interest and gives the gourd cat a sniff.”


Willie Wobbles Willie Wobbles

Jane Weller Continental, Ohio “Willie was made from a Tennessee Spinner and egg gourd. Tip him down and watch him wobble back up. He’d make a good executive toy to relieve tension for the cat lover”


Tilly Tilly

Debbie Siew Monroe, NY “The first gourd I chose for this project looked like a giant mouse. When I moved to a smaller scale I still incorporated the mouse. Tilly was originally a calico but ended up a tabby”


Calabash Calabash

Ann Light Morristown, New Jersey “Contemporary mask with three cats”