RENAISSANCE WOMAN AND QUEEN ANN'S LACE CRACKLED PLANTERS

RENASSIANCE WOMAN

AND

QUEEN ANN'S LACE CRACKLE PLANTERS

Full Picture of Renaissance Woman

Sold. Thank you Elsie!

I've been experimenting recently with crackle glaze for some of my sculptures. I could visualize my planters all crackled and looking as though they were dredged from antiquity. (I mistakenly said eternity on the video but I guess either could be right) For Renaissance Woman, the larger of the planters, I used "Fools Gold" which reputedly brings money to the holder. Hopefully it will bring fortune to whoever purchases her. I also used an intricately carved wooden piece for forehead, crystals and an antique sphere for the crown. She is 8”w by x6”D and approx 15” high. I have priced her at $110. I'm including the story I wrote for her below.

Close-Up of Face

The smaller of the two planters I have named Queen Ann's Lace. Along with the crackled glaze over stoneware clay with 2 firings, she includes an old bronze colored beaded headpiece. I also found a lovely golden angelic face with purple dew drop for the center.She is 5”w by x 4”d by 11”high and priced at $78. Her story is also shown below.

You can purchase either planter from me directly by contacting my e-mail. I accept paypal and checks.

Usually my planters can be kept outside all winter because they have been fired to a high temp but in the case of the crackle planters, since I've used delicate embellishments like the beadwork, it is best to display inside. I just couldn't resist using that beautiful beadwork on her though.

Close-Up Detail of Embellishments

Full Picture of Queen Ann's Lace

Close-Up of Face and Embellishments

Close-Up of Crackle

RENAISSANCE WOMAN

She wore a cloak sewn by nature and she was driven by an unquenchable thirst for unity. She was a renaissance woman..with an eye to the future and a tear for the past.

QUEEN ANN'S LACE

She is inspired by angels. They whisper to her of another day. A day when she had roses for tea for a long days reverie. Crystal and lace, heirloom flacons and a porcelin smile. Her pale beauty shows an ambience of that of a romantic visionary, of one who is celebrating purity on the highest level.in a way only she chooses to remember.

GODDESS BURNING BOWL-VESTA

GODDESS BURNING BOWL

VESTA

Full View

Sold. Thank you Angie!

I have named my home Woodloft because I believe anything worth owning is worth naming. The video below was taken in one of my many gardens (I'm obsessed with flowers and water ponds) which I call the labyrinth garden. I hope you enjoy viewing.

I named my burning bowl Vesta which in Roman it means 'guardian of the sacred flames.She has a stern, austere look-as though she holds fast and can conquer any situation in life. She is 4 1/2” w x 4 1/2” deep and 9” high. I created her with stoneware clay which I kiln fired along with the stained glass basin she features. I also used abalone shell and turquoise as embellishments. She is priced at $68. If you would like to purchase Vesta, please just click my e-mail. We can go from there. I prefer Paypal or checks.

Back

The burning bowl is traditionally used as a means to rid oneself of bad habits or annoyances by writing them down on a piece of paper and burning them. Community church has a ceremony held once a year in which a very large burning bowl is used for the entire congregation. I came up with the smaller more personal bowl some time ago. When you are not using your sculpture for doing away with problems, the stained glass basin can be used for incense or the burning of a small candle.

Close-Up

Stained Glass Basin

PASTA ANDIAMO!

I just found a new, fun way to make pasta. Hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching.

GARLIC!

GARLIC!

4 Goddess Garlic Keepers

Last fall, I decided to try my hand at growing garlic. I grew it once before but was disappointed when my harvest was comprised of the most miniscule cloves of garlic I had ever seen! This time, since the deer, ground hogs, rabbits and other animals seem to eat every vegetable I plant, I decided to plant my garlic in my vegetable garden. After doing a web search and it seems that most animals will stay away from the scent of garlic. I decided to order the most exotic garlic starters I could find. I have Spanish Roja garlic, Italian Lococonia, Maisky , Elephant, Chinese Pink even garlic from Transylvania! (I'll be naming that one-”Dracula's Nemesis.”

Garlic Garden

I used only the best fertilizer-Black Gold- and other organic fertilized soil. Planting took place in October and I was up and down, just like my garlic scapes all winter with worry. The scapes on garlic are only supposed to come up one time in the spring. Because of an extraordinary winter, with temperatures alternating from very warm days of 70 and dropping to the teens, my scapes made an appearance about 5 times. Nowhere have I read about this happening to garlic before.

Scapes

So now, the garlic scapes have been up once again for a few months and supposedly I will be able to harvest in late June, when the stalks start to turn brown. I am so excited about it. If any of my readers have advice for me concerning my garlic, please let me know. I can use all the help I can get.

Garlic Queen Journal

In the meantime, I plan, if I have a large enough harvest, to display and sell my garlic along with my artwork at our Farmer's Market this summer. A friend suggested that I create garlic keepers to sell along with the garlic. After experimentation, I am pleased to offer my original Goddess Garlic Keepers for sale. They are priced at just $28. and are approximately 31/2"x 5"x 31/2" and the purple one is a bit smaller. They all feature one of my bas-relief faces on the cork lid along with some beautiful glazes.

Garlic Keeper Number 1 -Rustic Apricot

Number 1 Sold-Thank you Beth!

If you'd like to purchase one of my new series, please e-mail me with the number/color you'd like. I like to use Paypal or checks.

With Lid

I'll name my garlic “Draculas' Nemesis” Pavaroti's Italian, Spanish Flamenco and the rest will be aptly named for the country as well. I think I'll call myself “The Garlic Queen.”

Garlic Keeper Number 2- Purple Plum Shino

Sold. Thank you Gloria!

With Lid

Garlic Keeper Number 3-Textured Brown

Sold. Thank you Gloria

With Lid

Garlic Keeper Number 4-Light Yellow

With Lid

Thanks for viewing. I'd appreciate any tips you can give.

FLOWER POWER

Your's Truly Set Up at the Roanoke City Market

For those of you who are new to my blog, every so often I feature a picture or two of my art car-B-Dazle. She has 23,000 beads, bangles and bows and took me 6 years to complete. We had our first weekend of “Festival in the Park” over Memorial Day and naturally, I just had to purchase lots of flowers from the farmers.

B-Dazle-1990 Nisson. She is 24 Years Old. Next Year She'll Be An Antique (Just Like Me!)

For today's offering, I am featuring “Brownyn," which is Welsh for dark and Pure. She is 6"wide x 11"x high 5"deep and I used stoneware clay which has been fired to a high temperature so that she can stay outside all summer without any problem. I added a beautiful crystal and other embellishments to her. She is $68.00. You can e- mail me if you are interested in purchasing her and we can go from there. I accept checks and Paypal.

Full View

Close-Up

Thanks so much for visiting today and a special thank you to Joe Light and Rick Stump for taking and sending me the pictures.

BLOOMING SPIRIT-CRACKLE GLAZE

BLOOMING SPIRIT

CRACKLE GLAZE

Side View

Sold. Thank you Patty!

This seems to be a year of experimentation for me. I've had a love for old world crackle surfaces ever since traveling to Europe. The facades on buildings, cathedrals and duomos bring to mind stories of long ago mysterious civilizations.

Beige Crackle Glaze

I've had pretty good luck in crackling paintings and other artwork but I've never tried to get that effect with pottery glazes. A few weeks ago, I found a crackle glaze that promised to deliver and I became really excited to give it a go. Sure enough..it worked! Blooming Spirit was born.

Green Crackle Glaze on Leaves

She has deep crackled glaze covering her body and leaves surrounding her. She is double kiln fired and has a look of longing as she views her new world. She is 16" high by 8" Depth by 8" Width and I have priced her at $245. She is small enough that she should ship well in comparison to some of my larger standing sculptures. You can see more images on Etsy and purchase there or from me directly by clicking my e-mail. We can go from there. I accept Paypal or personal checks.

Back View

I am looking forward to the next piece I will create with the crackle glaze. I am going to make a planter that has a time worn appearance. She will look as though she was dredged from antiguity and somehow arrived in our timespace. Watch for her soon.

“BLOOMING SPIRIT”

Her home was far away and she longed for the roots that had for so long held her life together. Friends, family and familiar surroundings. Time passed as she quietly endured her sorrow. Finally, she rejoiced, for her Higher Self, who knew far more than she, revealed a great truth. “Change is Growth, you must bloom where you are planted.”

~Cheryl Dolby~

LI SHIZHEN CHINESE HERBALIST TEA VESSEL

LI SHIZHEN

CHINESE HERBALIST TEA VESSEL

Li Shizhen Chinese Tea Vessels

Ever wonder how artists come up with a new series? My friends and customers always ask me how I continue to imagine new ideas for my work. I'm sure it's different for all artists, but for me, it usually has to do with someone I've met or something I've seen. For my new Ancient Chinese Herbalists Tea Vessel series, it started with a visit from an extraordinary man who visited the Farmer's market where I show my work each week. He was dressed in casual loose clothing but his hat was definitely authentic Chinese. It looked to be leather with ties coming down on each side surrounding his beard which ended with a pointy tip, just like the revered Chinese Herbalists you have read about.

Vessel Number 1 Front

He had been on my mind for a few days and then Angie, one of my special customers, asked me if I could make a masculine tea vessel for a male friend of hers. Click. The light bulb went on and flashes of venerable Chinese herbalists filled my mind. I could immediately see them as bas-reliefs on my tea vessels.

Vessel number 1 Lid-Character on Lid Means Mindfulness in Chinese

I decided to honour Li Shizhen as the first herbalist in the series and I made two different types of vessels so that I could offer Angie the first choice. After years of research, in which he studied and classified over 800 different herbs, Li wrote his most famous work which was the Compendium of Materia Medica. He is thought of as the most superior naturalist of China. He also is noted as finding the cure for a rare disease called “children's worm addiction.” For those of you who have an interest, It might be worth the effort to google more information about his amazing life.

Vessel Number 1 Back

I created Li Shizhen tea vessel number 1 by using stoneware clay which was high fired using a lead proof glaze which is a textured chocolate. He is 6 1/2” wide x 6” high and 4” deep and holds approx 2 cups of tea. Vessel number 2 is the one that Angie chose and is 6” wide x 5 ½ “ high and 4” deep and also holds approx 2 cups of tea. I looked up the characters for mindfulness and tea and etched them onto the lid, handle and back. The glaze is a mustard glaze with brown overlays. Vessel number 1 is priced at $76. Just e-mail me if you would like to purchase vessel number one and we can go from there. I take paypal or checks. Thanks so much!

Vessel Number 2 Front

To brew tea:

The best way to brew tea for vessel is to place cold water in another microwavable container. Heat water and then pour into vessel in which either tea bags or a tea strainer or tea ball has been placed. Place lid back on and allow to steep for 5 minutes or so. Serve.

Vessel Number 2 Lid-Character on Lid Means Mindfullness

Care of Tea Vessel:

Because of the various embellishments placed into the vessel, it is best not to place in dishwasher or microwave but instead use the tea vessel to steep and serve. I have used lead free glaze on the interior of each pot so that it is safe to drink the tea and after finishing, running hot water inside the pot releasing any tea having lodged there is all that is needed to keep sanitary.

Thanks everyone for viewing and especially you Angie for igniting the spark.

Vessel Number 2 Back

DORAN GODDESS PLANTER

DORAN GODDESS PLANTER

Full view of the Doran

I've been so busy this spring that I haven't had time to post my planter preview of available planters so I've decided to post just one. The Doran is special in that I used a beautiful crystal that sits among the clay leaves that adorn her crown. I hand sculpted her out of stoneware clay and she is 6”w by 6”deep x 11” high . I fired her to a high temperature in my kiln so that she can be placed outside all summer. She has a look of mystery upon her original hand sculpted face.

Close-up

I think she'd make a lovely mother's day gift and I can ship immediately so that she arrives on time. I have priced her at $76. plus shipping. I prefer using Paypal or checks. If you are interested, you can e-mail me and we can go from there.

The Doran

Some call her a witch because in her presence, miraculous events sometimes occur. She is known to be able to cure many illnesses with the ointments, teas, tinctures and potions she makes with her herbs. She spends hours cutting, removing seeds, shredding roots, turning, drying, crushing, steeping and distilling. She uses eyebright, pennyroyal, primrose, lovage, borage and comfrey. She carefully watches the seasons: She dies with the winter and rises with the spring. She is totally in tune with the harmonics of nature because she is able to see on luminous levels. She believes we are all in some way linked together; the birds, flowers, trees and plants and somehow are part of something much greater than we are able to comprehend. She is majestic, serence and at peace with herself and the universe that surrounds her..she is a doran…

Cheryl Dolby

View of Back

Thanks so much for viewing~ Cheryl

SHE-WOLF TALA BURNING BOWL

SHE-WOLF TALA

BURNING BOWL

Full Picture of Tala

Sold. Thank you Angie!

The name 'Tala,' is of Native American origin. It seemed an appropriate title for my latest burning bowl. For those of you who are new to my art blog, here is an explanation of what they are and how to use them.

Wolf Detail

Unity Church has a special ceremony each New Year’s Eve. A large bowl is placed at the altar and each member of the church is asked to write down problems or vices they wish to annihilate from their lives.. It could be a wish to quit smoking or drinking. It might be a desire to loose weight or to quit any of a number of addictions. Each person places their list into the bowl and at midnight, the bowl is lit. Everyone watches as the fire burns away all the troubles.

Back

I created a smaller, more personal bowl in my burning bowl series. This is the first offered this year. I used stoneware clay to sculpt her and a wolf emblem and feathers as embellishment. Her basin is stained glass, which I fired in the kiln. Tala is 4”w x 4”d x 8 ½” high and her price is $68.00. If you are interested in purchasing her, please e-mail me and we can go from there. I prefer using Paypal or I take checks. Thanks so much for viewing!

Close-Up of Stained Glass Base

OLERON BERRY TART AND SUNSHINE TEA VESSEL

OLERON BERRY TART AND SUNSHINE TEA VESSEL

Sunshine Tea Vessel with Oleron Berry Tart

After I finished reading Ruth Reichl's book, “Tender at the Bone”, I knew I wanted to try the Oleron berry tart she tells a story about. It's French and like most French cooking, it is melt- in- your- mouth delicious. I love the fact that any berry can be used in the tart. As a matter of fact, I only had one cup of raspberries instead of the 2 called for in the recipe so I substituted with 1 cup of blueberries.

Full Picture of Sunshine Tea Vessel

What better way to serve the tart than with a cup of tea shared with a friend. Of course, I had to use the latest tea vessel I created. I am calling her Sunshine because she brings a smile to my face when I gaze upon that golden antique mustard yellow and butterscotch shino I used for her glaze. I also added beads and a steampunk lid. Her face looks wise and mysterious yet full of light and happiness. She is 9” wide by 4 1/2” deep and 5 1/2” high and serves 2/2 large cups of tea.

Tart and Ice Cream

I have priced Sunshine at $89.00. If you would like to purchase, please e-mail me and we can go from there. I prefer to use Paypal or I accept checks. The best way to brew tea for vessel is to place cold water in another microwavable container. Heat water and then pour into vessel in which either tea bags or a tea strainer or tea ball has been placed. Place lid back on and allow to steep for 5 minutes or so. Serve. The lids are an integral part of the vessel. Be sure to hold the lid as you pour the tea. As in all my tea vessels, I have used lead free glazes.

Steampunk Lid

Oleron Berry Tart

Pastry:

1 ½ cups sifted flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 pound sweet butter

2 T. cream

1 egg yolk

Method:

Put flour and sugar into a bowl. Cut the butter into small squares and add to flour-sugar mixture. Toss with your fingers until butter is coated with flour and then rub until the mixture is coated with flour. Rub until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

Add cream to egg yolk and pour into flour mixture. Mix lightly with a fork until pastry holds together in a small ball. If not moist enough, add a T. or so of water to bring it together.

Sprinkle flour across a counter and place pastry on flour. Push the dough with the heel of your hand until it has all been worked through. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in fridge for 3 hours.

Remove and allow to warm for 10 minutes and sprinkle more flour onto the counter. Flatten ball into a disc and roll out into an 11” circle. Fit gently into an 8 or 9” tart pan with removable bottom. Press into pan gently, being careful not to stretch the dough; trim off edges and put into freezer for 10 minutes until firm.

Preheat oven 350. Line tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans and cook 4-5 minutes more until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool while making filling.

Filling:

3/4 cup blanched almonds

3/4 cup sugar

3 T. butter, softened

3 large egg yolks

1 t. vanilla extract

4 cups raspberries or other berries

Put almonds and 3 T. of the sugar in food processer and grind to a fine powder. Cream butter with remaining sugar. Add egg yolks stirring until smooth. Add ground almond-sugar mixture and vanilla extract. Spread almond crem into bottom of prebaked tart shell. Carefully cover the tart with 2 cups raspberries. Sprinkle with 2 t sugar, bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 2 hours. Just before serving, cover the top of tart with remaining 2 cups of berries. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

You can cut the steps down by using one of the frozen pie crusts if you'd like. I use them often but decided to make the tart the original French way this time and it was delicious!

COOSAPONAKEESA NATIVE AMERICAN NECKLACE

COOSAPONAKEESA INDIAN NECKLACE

Coosaponakeesa

Try saying that 3 times! A few years back I designated the name to another one of my pieces and wrote a post about the life of this courageous Yamacraw Indian woman. My friend, Gene, her many times great grandson, certainly inherited some of her qualities. You can read the post about her life as well as a bit about Gene's here.

Detail

"Her name was Princess Coosaponakeesa (“flying white horse”). She was the niece of emperor/warrior Brim of the Creek nation. It was that relationship that gave her the title, “princess.” Born in the 1700's, she was married 5 times. One of her husbands was John Musgrove, and she took the English name Mary Musgrove. She was a Yamacraw Indian of the Musogean tribe and the Wind clan, and she learned to speak English as well as Creek. She was the only Yamacraw Indian who spoke English at that time.

Close-up

When military leader James Edward Oglethorpe landed in Savanna, Georgia in 1733, he selected her as the cultural liaison between Colonial Georgia and the Creek nation. For her services as an interpreter, she was given the islands of Sapelo, Ossabow, and St. Catherines near Savanna, Georgia in 1760. Later, the English took the land away from her and she became very upset. She was thrown in jail at Ft. Fredrica where she caused a lot of trouble. Eventually, she was reimbursed for the loss of her land with 2000 pounds sterling from the auction sale of Ossabow and Sapelo. She lived into her late 80's, an age that very few reached at that time.

I used various Native American embellishments and turquoise in creating Coosaponakeesa. The focal point is one of my original hand sculpted faces. She is 2 1/2" wide x 6" high and 23" from the neck to top of her face.

I have priced her at just $89. If you wish to purchase, please just e-mail me and we can go from there. I prefer Paypal or checks. If you'd like more views, please click my etsy shop. I can ship out immediately.

Thanks so much for viewing.

Cheryl