Gourds
"Tablita Lady"- by gourd artist Robert Rivera of New Mexico. The headdress has a night sky with stars in it, the figure is decorated with turquoise, shells, feathers and leather. The body is the natural form of the gourd and left in the dried fruit color. She measures 11 3/4 inches tall.
Gourd Kachina has a tablita on it's head and a feather headpiece. It is decorated with shell earrings and a necklace. Measures 7 1/2 inches tall.
Gourd Kachina is hand painted and decorated with feathers and heishi. This sculpture stands 5 3/4 inches tall.
Robert Rivera's prehistoric buffalo has a heartline embellished with a natural turquoise stone. Birds fly in the sky and there is yucca plant in the foreground. The natural color of the gourd gives the background a feeling echoing back to the cave paintings of the ancient people.
Robert Rivera creates magic on these natural gourds. Pictured is a bear that is adorned with feathers, turquoise, horse hair and leathers. Including the handle, this rattle measures 23 inches in length.
Mirror image Mimbres inspired birds are painted on to the surface of this natural gourd. With the handle and horse hair tassels included the rattle measures 21" long.
The featured wall Katsina by gourd artist Robert Rivera is adorned with, wood, turquoise, fabrics, beads, leather and feather. This is signature for the artist who has been creating gourds into art for over 30 years.
Pictured is a wall hanging Katsina doll. The gourd is hand painted and is the head of the figure. Like most of Rivera's art, there are plenty of other materials that make up this one of a kind piece of "Gourd Art."
Thunderbird Rattle is hand painted on the natural color of the gourd. There is a square piece of Turquoise in the middle of the bird. The rattling comes from the dried seeds of the gourd fruit. It measures 7 inches in diameter and 21 inches long with the handle and horsehair tassels.
Folks wonder in amazement how Robert Rivera achieves the finishes on his gourds, so that they appear to be a different material altogether. This Mudhead Katsina is a perfect example of this, the Mudhead looks like rusted earth and is decorated with feathers, leather and beads. The figure stands 6 and 1/2 inches tall.
