Owner / Artist: Susan Russell Product: Hand-Painted Gourd Birdhouses My “real profession” is as a certified arborist, but art is my “first love”. I grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where we were encouraged to pursue arts and crafts during the long winter months indoors. I began doing tole painting at age 5 with my uncle. Functional art (painting on items that have a “function” – chairs, stationery, fences, birdhouses, etc) has remained a hobby and passion since those years in Maine. I am an alumni of the University of Georgia, ended up married to a Georgia cattle farmer, and discovered Martin Gourds. And while the gourds, in and of themselves are intriguing, I wanted them to be a little bit more fun in their “function”. I started painting them to look like village buildings, and garnered the interest of friends and neighbors. The majority of gourds I grow myself. In 1997, I began taking my gourds “on the road” through a variety of juried art shows, including the shows at St. Simons Island and the Riverside show in Jacksonville, Florida. As I have become more involved in activities in the local community, and as an owner of several animals, it has been more important for me to stay close to home. In the past few years, I have sold the gourds through North Georgia galleries, and through local farmer’s markets and art shows. I am delighted to now be a part of the Athens Farmers’ Market, and I appreciate the interest and patronage I have received from the local community.