Self-taught artist Cher Shaffer draws inspiration for her works from her life experiences and her rich heritage. Born in Georgia in 1947 to a mother of Native American descent and a German father, she cherished nature as a child and recalls her youth with warmth and fondness. She began painting thirty years ago, her creativity triggered by the death of her mother. Her artistic expression soon transcended paint and brush, however, to include a huge variety of media -- among them stone sculptures, woodcarvings, and found object assemblages. Her creations are intensely personal, reflecting at turns both her joy in being alive and her fascination and fear of death, darkness, and other terrors.Cher's works have been embraced by an enthusiastic community of collectors. She was featured in the landmark book and travelling exhibition "O, Appalachia", in 1989. Her art has been the subject of numerous one-woman and group shows, and she frequently conducts workshops with children and adults. She currently lives in North Carolina, and is delighted that her son Gabriel, an emerging artist of amazing talent himself, has recently relocated to North Carolina as well.
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