River Jones was born a Coal Miner’s Daughter in Roslyn, Washington, once the home of the hit TV series, "Northern Exposure". She flowed through many incarnations with one recurring theme, the grace and power of every woman. While sharing her life with hippies, cowboys, the well-heeled and the disenfranchised, River was inspired with the constant beauty of the female spirit.

Now retired, she found her home of choice in the beautiful woodlands of Colville, Washington. She also found inspiration from the clay found in the banks of the Columbia River which she fashioned sculptures of women bearing the faces of her European and Native American ancestors.

A self-taught artist who began with charcoal portraits of her children has now turned her attention to the natural beauty of the gourd. Working with home-fashioned tools and her inner voice, she has heard the voices of women from multi-cultures and tried to capture their spirits in her art. Mothers, sisters and daughters, gaze out of the surface of these beautifully finished vessels. River also makes wall hangings, birdhouses, masks and ceremonial rattles with many different cultural designs.

The gourd was our first lightweight container for holding water, seeds, nuts and other food items. Then they were cut to make useful tools such as ladles, spoons and bowls.

They were also made into musical instruments, drums, flutes, and ceremonial rattles. Masks were made from them and used in ritual ceremonies. The gourd is now used to make beautiful works of art and River became addicted to it.

Since all gourds are wonderfully different in shape, size and color, there are no limits to what can be created once you begin a piece of work. First River draws her art piece onto the gourd with pencil then burns it in for a more detailed look. Sometimes she carves her design into the gourd’s hard skin or drills holes into it for lacing in leather and adding other forms of embellishment. For color she used leather dyes, paint, crayons, and finally used a sealer to protect the final result of her work.

The Marvin Johnson Gourd Museum in Fugua Varina, North Carolina has a sign reading:
"There is an old legend that says if you give or receive a gourd…with it goes all the best in life…health, happiness and other good things."

River’s work can be seen at Colville Woodworking and Stained Glass, Shoshana’s Handthrown Pottery in Northport, The People Place in Orient and at the China Bend Winery and she will take special orders using your own design ideas and colors that will compliment your home or office.