Marcella Buis, of Morristown, carves, inscribes, and elaborately decorates hollow gourds. She was inspired to pursue the art form by her husband and in-laws. “I am going on 31 years,” she explains. “My husband told me that his mother was not going to let me sit around and do nothing!” While Buis mostly developed her carving and decorating style by trial and error, her work straddles the line between that of a visionary, self-taught artist and that of a practitioner who is deeply rooted in a cultural tradition. Buis frequently notes the deep legacies of gourd carving that flow into her work and identity, calling her own style: “afro-lachian.” “My own background is African-American, Cherokee and Caucasian, so when I was getting started in art I asked my sister-in-law to come up with a name that reflected all that. She said ‘Afro-Lachian.’ It kind of says it all. The history of the gourd stretches from Africa to the Appalachian Mountains—from carrying water on trips across the land, or to have a cup to drink out of, to making bowls for gifts, to a place to store seeds, there are so many uses for gourds.”
Today Buis possesses an extensive knowledge of gourds and draws from each particular specimen the inspiration for how to transform it. Her designs include those that reflect the natural world or animal world, masks and boxes, wall hangings, and more. Sometimes the spark is sudden and the work is completed in a day. Other times, weeks or even months are needed to finally complete the piece. Like many visionary Southern artists, Buis is resourceful. Her designs frequently include inexpensive beads she purchases at yard sales. For some she creates hair from rough rope she finds or buys cheaply. Her tools are many, including everything from electric carving tools to nail files. She mixes her own paint to achieve a desired palette. Her work has been exhibited across East Tennessee, including at the Oak Ridge Museum of Art and The University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
As part of the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program this year, Marcella will be teaching the foundations of her technique to her apprentice and nephew, Donald “Donnie” Simonton. “My family has always been involved in the making of homemade items,” Donnie says. “My grandmother was always working with her hands and dealing with arts and crafts. My mother and two of my aunts are wonderful seamstresses. One is a self-taught artist in watercolors. My uncle’s hobby is putting model trucks together. I have an uncle that also makes walking sticks, and my great uncle makes knifes. And so I want to further pursue learning how to make gourds.”
Marcella has developed a thorough process of instruction that seeks to draw on Donnie’s natural creativity. “First, I want to teach Donnie about gourds and drawing on them. I want him to know the difference between gourds and so he will have a good understanding of what we will be working with. I will first give him a gourd. He will be instructed on how to clean the gourd. Then he will make a drawing on the gourd. I want to see what he is interested in. I expect Donnie to learn what kinds of gourds and wood he wants to work with and to be able from start to finish to complete this from of art.”
While her style is distinctive, she understands that, in general, the broader tradition of such hands on, family-rooted and time-consuming art making is not as common as she would like for it to be. The project has provided an opportunity to continue such inspired work in her family and community. “I don’t know if this art form is rare but from my side, it is endangered. But If I can help someone, I am going to so that it will not ever be forgotten.”
*This team is funded through a special partnership with the South Arts’ initiative In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Art & Culture.
