GOURD ROOM GALLERY TO FEATURE LOCAL ARTIST'S INTRICATE FIGURINES AND CARVINGS.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Patricia Boyd's African figurines hide a secret.

The beautifully detailed sculptures of mothers carrying their children, people holding baskets or people playing drums are all created from gourds no one wanted.

``They come in all sizes, a million sizes,'' explained Boyd. ``What most people do is they take the gourd and they make bowls out of them. Usually the ones I get they want to throw away because they're weird. Nobody wants them. They usually want a perfect gourd.''

Her artwork will be featured in an exhibit titled ``Figurative/Persona Expressions'' at the Cedar Centre Art Gallery today through Feb. 13. A reception will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Boyd's innovation knows no bounds. One figurine was created out of a gourd that grew in a fence, creating a dent on one side. Boyd used the dent as a defining line to accent the bottom of a child hugging her mother.

A nub on one gourd became a belly button on a pregnant woman. Another grossly misshapen gourd was turned into a mystical grandmother holding a child.

``I said this is going to be somebody reaching out and basically this is a tribute to AIDS in Africa with children,'' said Boyd. ``So this is a grandmother lifting up a baby. This is one that really kind of gripped my heart and I just wanted to show this.''

Faces are sculpted out of paper clay. She has used coasters as collars, napkin rings as necklaces and buttons for hair.

Raised in a family of artists, Boyd was encouraged by her sister to begin working with gourds. After 35 years as a nurse and later a physician's assistant, she was very familiar with the human body.

It wasn't until 1997, after a trip to Kenya, that her talent with the gourds really began to show.

``I didn't know I could sculpture a face until I tried and I was shocked. Of course if you do 100, one of them's going to turn out right,'' she joked.

Once the figures are sculpted, Boyd colors them with alcohol dye, acrylics and wood burning, depending on the look she wants to achieve.

Misshapen gourds are often procured for her by friends and family.

``People used to give me these gourds, and then when they realized that I was selling them, now they sell these as a category, twisted gourds. So now they're a category, so now other people are looking for them. Because there's other things that you can see out of gourds that nobody wants.''

Boyd's three grandchildren in Duarte often come to visit Boyd in her Lancaster home, and instead of wanting to paint, ask what they can do to make money. Boyd puts them to work inserting toothpicks and rice into taller gourds to make them into ``rain'' gourds. When the gourd is turned upside down, the rice grains trickle over the toothpicks inside and sound like rain pattering on the ground.

Some of her artwork is also practical. A figurine in the gallery gift shop holds rolled wash cloths.

``I just wanted something that could be useful instead of just sitting there,'' said Boyd.

She has also made custom pieces for clients, including a cake top of a bride and groom for a wedding.

Other artists featured in the current exhibit include Jim Cherry, Jim Zumwalt, Nancy Scherich, Edwin Vasquez, Glenn Knowles, Margo Baker, Anamelia Trusty, Ulrica Bell, Geoffrey Levit, Frank Dixon, Carl Fulmer, Warren Scherich, Joyce Moore and Nita Zerlin. Artist Glenn Vilppu will demonstrate some of his art projections at the reception.

The Cedar Centre Art Gallery is located at 44857 Cedar Ave. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, call [phone].

Peggy Hager, [phone]

peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color in AV edition only) Patricia Boyd of Lancaster poses with some of her gourd creations on Thursday; the sculptures will be on display at Cedar Centre Art Gallery today through Feb. 13.

(2 -- 4 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) no caption (gourd sculptures)

(5 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) ``Harvest Dance Celebration'' is part of Patricia Boyd's Lancaster art gallery exhibit beginning today, called `Figurative/Persona Expressions.''

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer