Sea Turtle Spirit

Sometimes we have those moments when our emotions consume us. They can be at the forefront of our mind and direct the words that come out of our mouths as if we were an actor on a set being instructed by the cue cards.. And while sometimes it can work out, more often than not those are the moments that we wish we could undo.

We humans are passionate beings, always striving to find that balance between the heart and the mind. It's a practice, a lesson that we are continually tested on.

Finding that balance is what inspired one of my new little Wisdom Keepers.

Shelley the Sea Turtle Spirit, a Wisdom Keeper Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

Her name is Shelley, and she is a Sea Turtle Spirit. The sea turtle totem focuses on mastering the balance of emotions. It reminds us of the importance of flowing with the ebb, like the waves in the ocean. It knows how the passion of our feelings is part of the human experience and a beautiful part of our soul, and while we can't just shut them down....we can acknowledge them, accept them, and then release them. We can use them as a tool in our life's path, factoring them into the equation, but not allowing them to take full control. It teaches us patience...to wait...and make our decisions with a clear head and heart.

Close View of Sea Turtle Spirit by Jeanne Fry

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Antonella the Sunflower Carrier Folk Art Doll

Antonella is the Sunflower Carrier. She was present during the very first existence of Sunflowers in Tabasco, Mexico and since that glory filled day so long ago she has carried them far and wide. It became loved by many for its numerous uses and is known to some as the fourth sister, to the three sisters of corn, beans, and squash.

 

Antonella the Sunflower Carrier by Jeanne Fry

But aside from all the uses that exist for the sunflower, Antonella knew that this beauty was a Sun Goddess in her own right. She carries its seed in her pockets, planting and spreading the beauty wherever she travels.

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The Red Haired Sleeping Mermaid

Kammie, the Red Haired Sleeping Mermaid, is full of dreams and stardust. While all of her other mermaid sisters are constantly swimming, playing, working, and taking adventures up top to see the humans....Kammie's favorite thing to do is....napping. 

The Red Haired Sleeping Mermaid, Contemporary Folk Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

You see when she was a wee baby mermaid she used to travel to the top with her sisters on adventures. One night as she was sitting on a rocky bank, a shooting star came drifting down through the skies and gently landed in her lap. She was glittered with stardust and soon fell asleep with sweet dreams of beauty and happiness. When she woke she was completely refreshed and felt perfect happiness. 

The stardust became a part of her, making her slumber times a journey to another world where she had her own exciting adventures.

And so today, more times than not, when you see Kammie...she is sleeping with a smile on her face.

The red haired sleeping mermaid is a Contemporary Folk Art Doll by Jeanne Fry that is a beaded creation of cloth and clay.
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Loving Mother Earth Contemporary Folk Art Doll and Symbolism

Mother Earth, Gaia, Mother Nature....the personification of the feminine influence that resides over this beautiful botanical garden that we call Earth and all of it's creatures is in my thought processes every day when I am creating. I have such a strong connection with nature and the animals, a mothering instinct, seeing the beauty in all that exists. My appreciation spans from the smallest butterfly cocoon to the tallest redwood tree. 

Loving Mother Earth, Contemporary Folk Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

She is always creating a balance in this circle of life, many times having to recreate the natural order of things to accommodate our human actions. 

She is the focus of my "Loving Mother Earth" folk art doll. I sculpted her face in attempt to capture the balance that she herself holds....a compassionate serene expression that is full of wisdom and at the same time carrying a strength to do what needs to be done. She may even hold a bit of sadness over how we as humans treat her, but still she creates a bounty of beauty for us to live within. She serves as a reminder to think about how we treat the earth we live on, and how we leave it for those that will come after us.

Close up view of "Loving Mother Earth" sculpt

Loving Mother Earth Contemporary Folk Art Doll

She was created as a wall hanger art doll, to display prominently, as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us each day.

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Gypsy Magic in her Heart, a Wisdom Keeper Art Doll

Remember when you were a child, and your dreams were bigger than the sky? Do you remember those times when you thought that anything was possible....when you could do everything....when you believed in magic? When we were children we were still innocent. We were in tune with the world around us, and in tune with ourselves. Our intuition was strong. We could see and here and feel things that the adults couldn't.

Growing up we learned other things...pessimism, how to build walls, and black and white. A much smaller population comes into adulthood with the same zest for believing. Many lose their intuitive senses. 

This was the reason I created the my most recent Gypsy Folk Art Doll.

Gypsy Magic in her Heart, Folk Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

 This Wisdom Keeper comes with a little scroll that reads "Don't ever let anyone tell you that magic doesn't exist, for it is always alive in your heart". 

With immense attention to detail, the Gypsy is hand stitched from a beautiful detailed and designed cotton fabric of rich colors. She measures 16 inches tall and is in a semi seated position. Her hair is created from black wool roving and styled loose and wavy with beaded trim as a headband. I sculpted her face from clay, sanded, and then painted with acrylics and sealed with a satin finish. She wears two black beaded long dangle earrings. Around her waist is a wrap around skirt that closes with a leather tie that has small metal charms attached to it. Small metal bells are sewn to the bottom of her skirt. Her gold colored blouse stands out from the rich design, providing a beautiful background for the many beads, charms, and necklaces she is wearing. A shoulder wrap that matches her skirt is worn and secured with a metal scrolled button. 

 "Don't ever let anyone tell you that magic doesn't exist, for it is always alive in your heart". 

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The Story of Drunken Rose Clay Art Doll Sculpted in Glass Bottle

Drunken Rose is a clay art doll that was sculpted within a glass rose water bottle. I collected this bottle a few years ago, and it sat in my studio waiting to be transformed. My great love of flowers and herbs has always been with me from childhood, urging me each year to keep gardens. I could spend hours in the garden or at a plant nursery, running my fingers through the herbs to release their scent, and creating bouquets of flowers. The therapeutic value of the aromatherapy that is offered from them makes one forget their worries and bring such comfort. When I'm in a garden, I can forget everything else, and just be...in the moment...at peace.

This feeling is what inspired Drunken Rose.

Drunken Rose, Clay Sculpted Wisdom Keeper Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

Rose spent every afternoon in her garden. She would wake at 4am, shower, and with coffee cup in hand would spend half her day writing. She was a well known poet, but she was known just as importantly for her gardens.  From Spring until Fall everyone knew that Rose would eat her lunch and immediately retreat to her gardens, rain or shine. Here she found her inspirations, here was her passion. She would lovingly plant, weed, prune, and tend every sprig of life in the rich soil. The breeze would permeate the air with the luxurious scent from the rose bushes that lined her oasis, making her feel and be the beauty that she herself was, and always appreciate the beauty around her. It was an ecstasy for Rose, luring her back each day. This is how she became Drunken Rose, intoxicated with the beauty of life and the magnificence of being Happy.

Drunken Rose, Clay Sculpted Art Doll within a Glass Bottle by Jeanne Fry

Drunk Rose, Clay Sculpted Art Doll Back View Photo

Drunken Rose is a clay sculpted art doll within a Rose Water Glass Bottle. Inside the bottle are blue paper roses. She wears a colorful shawl around her shoulders and  is adorned with leaf vine and burlap. 

You can see more of Rose and collect her in my Etsy Shop here
Drunken Rose Altered Art Doll in Glass Bottle on Etsy 

Tending the Sacred Fire ~ The Spirituality of Sculpture

Tending the Sacred Fire is a new Gourd and Clay Sculpture by Jeanne Fry. 

"The Sisters take their responsibility of tending their sacred fire with great care. Each step, thought, and movement are focused on their intentions and prayers. They carry with them the wisdom of the women before them, carrying on tradition for those who will come after them."

In this artwork, I used as much care in choosing the elements of the sculpture, as the two sisters in the story. I wanted to capture the essence of their spirituality and use Earth element symbolism. 

The sisters are sculpted from gourd and clay. Acrylics of periwinkle blue, greys, and burnt umber were used to represent a soothing sense gathered from being in balance with the Earth. Burlap was used to create their head wraps, that was painted with acrylics and a textile medium that gives them structure. 

The taller sister who is carrying firewood, wears a shoulder bag made of the same burlap that holds a small blue paper flower, symbolic for their ancestral wisdom. The rose colored paper flower at her hip represents the Divine Feminine.

 The shorter sister, who is also wearing blue paper flowers on her head wrap, holds her hands clasped together at her waist, to receive the blessings from their prayers. The sacred fire circle is created with river stones and miniature wood in the center. Each sister has a large dried botanical at her feet, each holding one small dried paper flower or botanical, both gifts back to the Earth for their gratefulness. 

The sculpture sits on a wooden display block that is painted black and is signed, titled, and dated on the bottom by me. In it's entirety the sculpture is 11.5 inches in length, 10 inches in height, and 5.5 inches in width. A story card accompanies the artwork.

Tending the Sacred Fire, a Gourd and Clay Sculpture by Jeanne Fry

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