PROGRAM DETAILS:
Date Sunday, September 13, 2026
Time 1-3:30 PM
Location NUMU | 106 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA, 95030
Cost $40 General, $30 NUMU Members. Tax or additional service fees may apply.
Membership starts at $40. Become a member today!
Pre-registration is required.
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
Ages: 18+
Join local artist John Paul Amaral for gourd art making and its tradition in the Pueblos of the American Southwest. John Paul will teach attendants the elements of designing their own patterns on gourds. Then, he will teach them how to use wood-burning techniques and traditional plant-based water coloring to decorate them. The workshop will include a discussion on the long history of gourd art and pottery in Ancestral and contemporary Puebloan peoples. Visitors are invited to bring patterns from their own cultures and inspiration from their lives to design their gourds.
The instructor will be providing:
Hand-sized gourds
#2 pencils
Rulers
Wood burning tools
Watercolor paints
Paint brushes
Students are invited to bring (if you have materials already):
Digital or physical prints of patterns they will like to use as reference materials
About John Paul Amaral
Continuing his late grandmother Pablita (Paulette) Marshall’s legacy in American Indigenous art traditions, John Paul Amaral carries on the practice of creating Living Art, each made with the spark of purpose and duty. Gemstones and jewelry had always fascinated him, and creating jewelry allowed him to delve into his first love. After beading a tapestry for one of his aunts in 2023, she challenged him further to submit to museums. He then used tapestries to explore the impacts of colonization and rebellions. He made his museum debut in the summer of 2024 with the Museum of Beadwork’s Emerging Beader Program and genARTS Silicon Valley’s 4th annual experimental exhibition, Boundaries. Currently, his works are on display at Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
John Paul leads community beading circles for people to share and learn about their cultures and traditions. You can view more of his work on his Instagram @shashyohi.
Details
Advanced registration is require. Sales will close the day prior to the event.
Workshops start on time; please allow 30 minutes for parking.
All workshops have a minimum sign-up requirement. If the participant minimum is not met, the workshop is subject for cancellation and NUMU will reach out to you directly with next steps.
We offer cancellations up to 7 days prior to the event. Afterwards, tickets are nonrefundable. To request a cancellation, email workshops@numulosgatos.org
