Class takes traditional pumpkin carving to a new level

Published 9:16 am Monday, October 16, 2023

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Terri Hardin, left, discusses design with Barbara Hill and Ashley Jennings, right. (John Surratt | The Vicksburg Post)

A finished pumpkin with the image of Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" graced the back porch of Cedar Grove. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

A pumpkin get its smile. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

Barbara Hill removed the outer skin from her pumpkin. (John Surratt | The Vicksburg Post)

Ashley Jennings begins to outline the area for her pumpkin's design. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

Terri Hardin shows Ashley Jennings how to outline the design for her pumpkin. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

Terri Hardin assists Kendra Reed with cutting open her pumpkin. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

Barbara Hill uses an empty can to remove seeds and and excess material from the pumpkin during pumpkin sculpting class at McRaven. (John Surratt|The Vicksburg Post)

A two-day pumpkin carving program held Saturday at Cedar Grove and Sunday at McRaven took participants beyond the traditional art of cutting holes in pumpkins to create jack-o’-lanterns.

The pumpkin sculpting workshop was conducted by Terri Hardin, a judge on the Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins,” and taught participants to use the skin of the pumpkin as a canvas to draw and shape the squash’s outer skin to develop different designs and characters.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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