There’s gorgeous art, and then there’s “gourd-geous” art. Today, Spectrum News goes “On The Town” with a former English teacher who is creating a unique artistic experience in Central Florida.

1. Bess Auer has a hobby, one she amped up within the last few years. She (lovingly) manipulates gourds. “Nobody’s ever heard of it here in Florida,” she said with a laugh. The “skeleton” of her art is a gourd — anything from squash to pumpkins.

2. She says the gourds she works with spend two years outside, which is what gives them their wood-like consistency. Her creations are part of a current exhibition called "Gourd-geous Reflections" at the Mills Gallery in Orlando.

3. So what do her gourds end up looking like? Bess — who used to teach English — says she's totally into Gothic fiction. The piece she’s working on now is a gourd inspired by "The Phantom of the Opera." This one will go on display at an upcoming fall-time exhibition.

4. “Gourd-geous Reflections” has extended its run at the Mills Gallery until July.

5. Sales made during the exhibit benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, where experts say one in five Central Florida children struggles with the reality of hunger and food insecurity.