Gourds are found in a wide range of shapes and sizes and are members of one of the largest botanical families, the Cucurbitacae family, which includes melons and squash. Traditional Native artists know that only three types dry with a hard shell and this separates a gourd from a squash. These days, dried gourds (intended for gourd art) may be gotten from gourd farms and farmers' markets, rather than grown from seeds, which is very time consuming.

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