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

GODDESS TEA VESSEL AND 3-SEED BISCUITS

TEA AND 3-SEED BISCUITS

“She Who Knows Her Own Sacred Sound” Tea Vessel and 3-Seed Biscuit

Sold. Thank you Beth!

While browsing through my recipes, I came across one that I had completely forgotten about. There it sat in an old recipe file that I had relegated to the back of my pantry. Since I'm completely addicted to creating my new tea vessels, I thought it might be a good idea to test the biscuits and then do a posting of them to go along with a luxurious cup of tea.

Close up of Lid. I've been told the lid is an antique spigot for a beer barrel. Perhaps I should have made a beer biscuit.

It's interesting that my father painted the tea pot on the board in background many years ago. I never suspected way back then that I would be making tea vessels similar to the one in painting.

Close-Up of tea biscuit

Here is the recipe:

THREE SEED BISCUITS

3.C. flour

½ C. sugar

1 ½ t. baking powder

¾ t. baking soda

1 ½ C sour cream

1 egg (beaten)

1 t. salt

2 T. poppy seed

1 egg white

2 T. caraway seed

2 t. anise seed

1 egg white

Method: Preheat oven to 450. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in 1 t. each of caraway, poppy, anise seeds. Blend in sour cream and 1 egg. Knead mixture til smooth and elastic. Roll out on floured surface to 1/2” thickness. Cut with a 2 12 “ biscuit cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 450 for 15 minutes. Cool Garnish by brushing top with egg white and a sprinkling of remaining seeds. Dot with confectioners sugar if desired.

What I like about this recipe is that it is unusual in that the 3 different seeds are not ones that you might think work together. The sweetness of the poppy when paired with the caraway are enough to cause your taste buds to go into a dance step. Then add the small amount of anise and you are off to a tango!

Now for the latest vessel. She is x by x and features a I fell in love with the glaze on this one. It's funny, with glazing, you can plan all you want but you never quite know what to expect until you open the kiln. I used a glaze I had many times before but this time, same kiln cone, same firing and it came out a completely different color. It has to do with oxidation. I have learned to live with and love opening the kiln to surprises. Just like opening a birthday gift.

Close-Up of Face

My tea vessels are each an original. I hand sculpt them using stoneware clay. The Goddess faces are sculpted in the bas-relief method. I used a lead free glaze on each vessel. She who knows... is 9” wide x 5” deep x 6” high and also includes a antique lid. Also featured is an old watch part. I used Textured Brown for the glaze.

If you would like to purchase “She Who Knows Her Own Sacred Sound” tea vessel, she is priced at $89. You can e-mail me and we can go from there. I like to use Paypal or a check.

Back of Vessel

TRUTHSEEKER TEA VESSEL

TRUTHSEEKER TEA VESSEL

Sold. Thank you Deb!

Truthseeker Tea Vessel

I just finished Truthseeker tea vessel. Here is her story.

TRUTHSEEKER

Her years of research were filled with aggravation and disappointment. She searched for the answer to many questions. “Why are we here..Why do we Die..What purpose does our lives have here on Earth?” They were questions many had asked before. Finally, one day while she was meditating, the answers started to come to her. They came in the form of sentence upon sentence of words...words. At first she couldn’t understand any of them. Then it was as though the words had a life of their own. She became one with the words...She was speaking the words and then to her amazement, the words were speaking her! They spoke of the unity of all things, of the linkage we all have with one another. She learned that she was the composer and the composed. The performance and the performer… the sculptor and yet the clay. She learned she was everything..and as these truths were unfolded..she knew she was on the way to becoming a part of something much larger-much greater than she could have ever imagined before.

Cheryl Dolby

Close-Up

My tea vessels are each an original. I hand sculpt them using stoneware clay. The Goddess faces are sculpted in the bas-relief method. I used a lead free glaze on each vessel. Truthseeker is 7” wide x 4” deep x 5” high and also includes a unique steampunk lid. I used burnt apricot for the glaze.

Care and use of the tea vessel:

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.

Lid

Truthseeker is priced at $65. If you would like to purchase, just e-mail me and we can go from there. I prefer to use Paypal or checks. Thank you so much for viewing.

Back

Enchantment found it’s way to the table where the Goddess Ceremonial Tea Vessel was placed. Three friends gathered to help initiate a healing. The pungent herbal aroma from the mysterious vessel containing the special roots and herbs chosen fresh from the garden permeated the air. The elixir was steeped to perfection and the cups were filed. Each Goddess inhaled the scent of the tisanes which opened their sensory perception as they gazed at the fascinating original clay Goddess face that was sculpted into the vessel. All were oblivious to their surroundings and time was lost to antiquity as they partook of this special potion, all the while awaiting for the magic to unfold.

CRYSTAL WOMEN

CRYSTAL WOMEN

Crystal Woman #1

I’m not sure but I think most artists tend to sell their favorite pieces. I know I do. My burning bowl series has been very popular, so much so that I sold every one that I made last year almost immediately after finishing it. That led to a slight problem. On New Year’s Eve, which is when I like to have a burning bowl ceremony, I had not one burning bowl left for myself. My friends Trish and Ben, who sell gorgeous crystals and fossils, gave me the most beautiful crystal which has some sort of a gold inlay. I have no idea of the value of it because I don’t know that much about crystals but I do know that it picks up the light and reflects rays all over the room. There was a stipulation that came with the gift. I had to make something for myself and had to promise not to sell it! So, here it is Trish and Ben…my Crystal Women Burning Bowlis not for sale - She’s mine!

View of Unusual Crystal Formation

I also received a pouch of other crystals that I could use in my work so I created Crystal Woman #2 and Crystal Woman #3 and they are for sale. They are each priced at $68.00. I chose the name from Lynn Andrews series of books that I read decades ago. I loved her story of Crystal Woman. Maybe some of you remember that series.

Crystal Woman #2

Sold. Thank you Trish!

Close-Up

Side View

If you would like to purchase either Crystal Woman 2 or 3, you can e-mail me directly and we can go from there. I like to use Paypal or accept personal checks.

Thank you again Trish and Ben.

Back View

Close Up of Crystal Formation

Crystal Woman #3

Close-Up

Back View