FRESCO VS FRESGO

FRESCO

vs

FRESGO

Front of Fresgo Box

The master painters of the Renaissance took the art of the fresco to a level of perfection that may never be surpassed. During that era, large walls in cathedrals and other buildings served as the canvases for frescoes – and they still do. Michelangelo' s painting on the ceiling of Rome’s Sistine chapel is perhaps the best known example of this type of work. A fresco is actually a painting that has not been painted on a wall, but into it. The painting is finished while the plaster is still wet, a technique that is called “l'ora del santo” or “the hour of the saint.” Therefore the painting and the wall become one. Because a fresco is part of the wall on which it is painted, it is subject to all the environmental factors that cause walls to deteriorate with the passage of time. This is one of the features of frescoes that make them so unique and special. The cracks, crevices and other signs of wear that occur within the fresco reflect the hardships the environment has imposed on the work – much as our own exteriors provide a living testament to the hardships and struggles of our lives. I am proud of each wrinkle on my face. They are the result of what I have given and endured throughout my life: I have earned them.

Notice the Heavy Texture and Metal Watch Part

As you may have guessed by now, I have created frescoes of my own during my life in art. For some, I have used the technique of masters like Botticelli, Giotto and Masaccio – “buon fresco.” In buon fresco (good or true fresco), the paints are mixed with lime water, and the plaster is painted while it is still wet. I find this difficult to do well since I am forced to work a lot faster than I would otherwise. To overcome this problem, I have sometimes created my work using “secco fresco.” This is a modification of the fresco technique in which dried plaster is dampened to simulate fresh, wet plaster before it is painted. Although creating frescoes a secco is easier than the classic technique, it is also a bit less durable. Since most of us do not live in one place long enough to own a fresco and watch it age, it occurred to me several years ago that it might be nice to make frescoes portable. I decided to create frescoes that could be transported to any new surrounding. Using the secco fresco technique, I began creating smaller frescoes I call “fresgos” – my term for “frescoes to go.”

View of Entire Box

I have created a fresgo box that is 8” w x 8 “ and 4” high. I have priced her at $145.00 and named her “Timekeeper.”I finished the inside with a simple upholstery material. I just placed her on Etsy where you can view a bit better and purchase if you like her or contact me directly at my e-mail.

Inside of Box

I studied 'buon fresco' in Serravalle Italy at Palazzo Galletti with the renowned Alma Ortalon. If any of you are interested in taking a class from her just click here for a link to her website. I am sure you will love Alma and the experience.

TIME CAPSULE

TIME CAPSULE

ONCE UPON A TIME

Very unusual "time" piece

I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of time capsules. When my children were young, we gathered together some of their toys and other everyday items like coins and newspapers. We placed them into a metal box along with a poem that we wrote and buried it in our yard in St. Louis. The poem started something like this:

“Woe be it to he, she and they who open this box before this day.”

The actual poem was longer but I can’t remember it now. As we placed the box into the ground, we were excited thinking about someone from another century finding it. We imagined the look on their faces when they discovered what life was like back in the twentieth century.

Jax's Time traveler book

It was with that in mind that I created this storybook for my new grandson, Jax. I decided that I wanted to fashion it after a “Once Upon a Time” type of story with an outer space theme.

"Once upon a time" and the Visitors from outer space

It is hard to believe that I actually found the very old time keeper ( I don’t know what it is exactly) that I placed on the front. It was stored away with steampunk type items in my studio and worked out perfectly. I set the date to his actual birthday.

Front of mysterious box where book is to be kept

I also wanted to have time appear to stand still on the day he was born. I think I accomplished it by showing each and every one of his relatives on the Dolby side of the family, as we were on that day. I know that right now I would love to have a journal or album created especially for me, exclaiming and proclaiming my birth. I would love to be perusing that sanctified book and viewing my aunts, uncles, cousins and entire family as they were on the day I was born.

View of some of the inside pages

My son Cameron, Jax's father

My parents, "The Greats"

Skyrockets and explosions from deep space...Jax is born!

I crackled and textured the box and added a mysterious key and the time keeper I had found. I placed his special book into the mysterious box I created for it.

Book placed inside of box

I’m headed for Washington D.C. this morning and I will surprise the parents with Jax’s book. I’m posting the blog just as I leave so that they can view it when I get there. Hope they like it.

SPELLS AND CHANTS

SPELLS AND CHANTS

Spell Box

There definitely was magic in the air for my Samhain celebration. It started out at the Roanoke City Market where I show my work. I took pictures of some of my friends who dressed for the occasion. The first one is of Pauline, who owns Shades of Color Boutique. Pauline is a really spiffy dresser and created this dynamite cat outfit. Next is of Linda Jo, who creates fabulous jewelery. She is probably the witchiest witch I have ever seen. I used no photo editing for any of my pictures.

Pauline in front of my art car B-Dazle

Linda Jo

I took a few pictures of some of the costumes the children wore and of course people had their pets all dressed up for the occasion.

Devil Goat!

Suzanna and Daisy the Dog

Next stop was the Samhain party our Little Supper Club had. We chose a New England (Salem) dinner theme and our hosts were Dian and Tom. We wore costumes to this one, which is a first. I decided to be the Gypsy that I really am. I went as myself basically but dressed a bit wilder than I normally do. I took my spell box that I created just for the occasion. Gypsies chant just like witches but mostly they chant for material things, like money.

Spell box with key and chant

With that in mind, no spell box would be complete without the appropriate spell or chant. Here is the one I offered to help attain money.I figure it is a good one to use since we all could use a bit of extra money these days.

The spell being read and chanted

Light your candles and incense. Sit for a moment and think hard about the exact amount of money you need. See the money, see yourself holding it, counting it.

Here is the chant:

Suddenly I see the pile,
Suddenly I hold the sum,
Suddenly I end the trial,
For the money –it has come!
For the money — that I need.
For the need that is so strong.
For these words that I do read,
Brings the money right along.
Brings the money without waiting.
Brings the money right to me.
Brings the answer to my waiting.
Suddenly I will be free.
Look hard into the smoke of the incense and, again, see the money in your hands. Again chant:
For the money that I need,
For the need that is so strong
For these words that I do read,
Brings the money right along.
Brings the money without waiting,
Brings the money right to me.
Brings the answer to my waiting,
Suddenly I will be free.
Close your eyes, place your fingertips on your temples and again see the money in your possession. After a few moments of this visualization, open your eyes again and chant:
Suddenly I see the pile,
Suddenly I hold the sum,
Suddenly I end my trial,
For the money –it has come!

The costumes were wonderful. Even Tom and Dian’s post was dressed for the occasion. They decorated it with an alien that was a reconstruction of a costume their son wore years ago.

Alien Post

Val and Dean-The Vampire and the man she turned

I think there was more food at this gathering than any other. Chef Stratton made his New England Clam Chowder and it was dynamite. He worked as a chef in New England so you can imagine what this tasted like. Wayne came as Orson Wells who was also a gourmand.

Stratton, looking very Orson Wellish

Jason as cow..probably the funniest costume yet

That's me, with the skull cup, as my gypsy self

Em's Pumpkin Custard Cups

Dian as pirate and Tom as hippy

Another table shot

Nancy and her sister

I decided not to list my spell box on etsy but if anyone is interested in purchasing it, it is $42.00 plus $8.00 shipping. I'll throw in the key and the chant too. Just e-mail me at cherdolby@cox.net

Sold. Thank You Shelley!

Happy Samhain everyone!

ORGANZA COLLAGE BOX

ORGANZA COLLAGE BOX

Organza Collage Box

Terri Kahrs of Pringle Hill Studio was gracious enough to share an image of one of her captivating women. I fell in love with this one and experimented using a lot of different techniques.

Close-up of part of the collage

First I found an interesting picture in a magazine of a woman with her hand outstretched. I used Never Dull, available from WalMart, and rubbed it over the surface so that I could erase all but part of the hand. I also did the same thing to a face I found in another add. I took photos from the Cliffs of Moher and Ross Castle, places I had just visited in Ireland, and created a digital image of them using organza and attached them to an old wine box I had in my studio, using gel medium.

Next, I took Terri’s picture and ran a digital print of the beautiful lady on organza cloth. Once again, I overlayed the organza cloth onto the box with gel medium. I wanted her to have a ghostly look and the organza was perfect for that effect.

I added one of my stories from my book, She Who Whispers, titled Morning Song. I then used tissue paper that I soaked in gel medium that I thinned with water and placed it onto the box in various places. I drizzled gesso around the collage and painted the box with more gesso. I attached gold and silver mosaic pieces around the edge and added an old watch part.

Another close-up

Before tiles are added

I will use the box to house some of my acrylic paints. I’m really pleased with the image of this enchantress. I just had cards made from a close-up of the collage. There’s many other ways I plan to use her. Again. Thanks so very much to Terri!

Cards I had made of the collage

Side view of the finished box

OCEANA

“OCEANA”

Oceana

Oceana

As she was standing at the edge of the ocean she
could hear the waves chanting
their familiar song.

“Come to me, I am geater than you, I am wiser than
you..I am the one.”

She resisted once again. How long could she
continue to resist…How much longer before she
embraced her larger self,
her destiny,
her soul…
..the sea….

~ Cheryl Dolby ~

Decorating cigar boxes became a passion of mine a few years ago. There is an unbelievable story relating to my finding a huge stash of them at one of my art show adventures. If you’d like to read about it or would like to see some of the boxes I created from that stash, please click here.

As I have said in previous posts, I wrote a book titled She Who Whispers, which includes about 44 of the stories I give my finished pieces. I almost always sculpt women since I just can’t seem to come up with a good male face, and I write all women's stories (we have a lot to tell). I use the story of Oceana quite frequently since this is exactly how I feel about the ocean and I am drawn there once a year to get my “fix.” Customers have asked me to expound on Oceana’s story so I finally gave a possible scenerio concerning her life and included it in my book, Layers. You can click here to go to my etsy site where you can read more about my book.

Before I ever started using the very difficult, labor-intensive art form of fresco, I developed "fres-goe's." This is the name I have given to these special pieces of art. Below is the story and explanation that I attach to all of my "fres-go" pieces.

(Click to enlarge)

I created this particular "fres-go" on a a plain white tile. It fit nicely on the top of the cigar box. I added iridized glass tiles to the right side and large ball feet. I added the Oceana story to the inside top of the box and placed a heavy brocaded type material to the base.

Interior view of Oceana box

I painted it with a layer of Modge Podge and then applied a crackle texture to it. I experimented with using a layer of paint, then Elmer’s glue and while that glue was still wet, I gave it another layer of paint. This gave the piece a look of barn peeling. While this may be a good application for some projects, this was not the look I wanted. By using a tan crackle solution and then applying another light shade of green acrylic, I finally got the result I was striving for. The box now appears more sea foam and sand and has the feel of the ocean.

Painting the cigar box

I think she came out pretty nifty. Oh, and by the way, feel free to download a copy of my poem to use any way you’d like, just give me credit ok?

Unsatisfactory barn like texture

The desired crackle effect