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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Mother Crow Gourd Art Doll Sculpture

Crows are a highly skilled and beautiful totem, and even though we have learned so much about them they still hold great mystery. We understand that they are intelligent, can use tools, and have adept communication skills, which along with their ability to work as a team make them proficient at manifesting their wants and needs. And even after all of our observing and studying, they still hold a magical sense about them that intrigues us.

It could be there are some stories about them we still do not know....such as who is Mother Crow?

Mother Crow Gourd Art Doll Sculpture by Jeanne Fry

Mother Crow presides over the entire Crow Kingdom. She stands majestically at the Tree of Crows, which is their homeland. It is here where they return to every evening as the sun is setting and the moon is rising, under the safe and loving watchful eye of Mother Crow. They are given reprieve from the constant chore of being watchmen during the day, and can rest safely under her guard. While they rest, she with great care rejuvenates them, spreading her magical sheen of protection and mastery over their feathers. Mother Crow is ever present to them here at the Tree of Crows...waiting nightly...to spread her magic again and again..watching over her clan of Crows.

Mother Crow Gourd Sculpture by Jeanne Fry

Mother Crow Gourd Art Doll Sculpture by Jeanne Fry

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Gaia Earth Turtle Folk Art Doll

When I think of all the animals that walk, fly, or slither in our world, I think of the turtle as one of the most connected to the Earth. She steps slowly and quietly as she moves, feeling the pulse of the ground as she walks, almost as if she is in a meditation. I imagine her in deep conversation with the Earth as she meanders, listening to stories of what used to be,and how things will be in the future. And  I imagine her telling those same stories to her young ones, teaching and guiding them as they grow. 

Gaia Earth Turtle, a contemporary folk art ornament by Jeanne Fry

"Gaia Earth Turtle is the elder of all the Turtle Family. She holds the wisdom for all and shares her stories daily. Her stories tell of our connection with the Earth, how to care for her, and the importance of our relationship with her. She begins teaching the turtle clan when they are very young, so that as they grow they share the knowledge with others. She steps lightly, with care and respect, as she walks upon our living Earth..grateful for it's gifts."

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Free to be Me, a Woman's Empowerment Spirit Doll

Sometimes those mornings sneak up on you...those mornings when the face staring back at you in the mirror is that of a stranger...those mornings when you just can't get your hair right, or the clothes don't fit right, or you don't even feel right in your own skin. How hard we can be on ourselves as women, always comparing ourselves to the "perceived" notion of what society thinks we should be.

Free to be Me, a contemporary folk art spirit doll by Jeanne Fry

We can spend years going through this drama if we're not careful, judging ourselves so harshly. The constant "fitting" into that box can become mundane and monotonous. And I don't really know what that moment is and can't truly explains when it happens...it's different for each of us...but soon one morning you wake up and feel perfect. Perfect being....YOU.

Was it piles of self help books? Women's Studies? Our circle of friends? For me it was simply the morning that I woke up and decided to give myself a break and ACCEPT myself, Love myself, and Cherish myself for who I am. Pure and Simple...I gave myself permission to be free.

Free to be Me, a woman's empowerment spirit doll

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