Episode 27 | The Art of Cher Shaffer - A Conversation with a True Folk Artist
📌 Chapters
00:00 - Introduction: The Art of Cher Shaffer
02:30 - Growing Up with Folk Traditions
06:15 - The Urge to Create: A Self-Taught Artist’s Path
10:45 - The Near-Death Experience That Changed Everything
14:20 - Folk Pottery & African American Face Jugs
18:50 - Pit-Fired Pottery: Learning from Pueblo Artists
22:30 - Final Thoughts on Art, Heritage, and Legacy
A Self-Taught Artist with a Lifelong Passion
In this episode of House of Folk Art, host Matt Ledbetter sits down with Cher Shaffer, a self-taught folk artist whose work spans over five decades. Cher has created tens of thousands of pieces, including visionary paintings, sculptural dolls, and pit-fired pottery. Deeply rooted in Cherokee and Melungeon heritage, her art reflects the traditions, history, and storytelling of the American South.
Cher’s work has been featured in museums, private collections, and folk art exhibitions across the country. Despite her success, her journey wasn’t conventional. She grew up in rural Georgia, shaping clay from creek beds, painting on salvaged wood, and making dolls from found materials. Over the years, she developed a style that blends Southern folk traditions, Native American influences, and visionary painting techniques.
In this conversation, Cher shares her artistic philosophy, her near-death experience in 1985, and the cultural significance behind her pieces. She also discusses early influences, the process of pit-firing pottery, and her unique approach to visionary painting—where images seem to appear on the canvas before she even begins.
If you’re interested in self-taught art, Southern folk traditions, or the creative process behind visionary painting, this episode is a must-listen.
Cher Shaffer’s Journey: Art, Heritage, and Self-Taught Mastery
Growing Up with Folk Traditions
Cher’s artistic journey began in Fairburn, Georgia, where she and her siblings spent their childhood exploring the woods. From an early age, she learned herbal medicine, root gathering, and storytelling from her Cherokee mother—traditions that would later influence her artwork.
At just 16 years old, Cher demonstrated her unyielding determination by convincing her father to let her commute two hours every day so she could finish school in her hometown rather than attend a city high school. This strong connection to place and identity became a recurring theme in her art.
From Rural Experimentation to Recognition
Like many folk artists, Cher never received formal training. Instead, she followed her instincts, experimenting with materials and techniques. She painted, sculpted, and created dolls—often using found objects, reclaimed wood, and hand-dug clay.
By the 1970s and 80s, folk art collectors started taking notice. Her work appeared in festivals, folk art galleries, and exhibitions across the South. But in 1985, everything changed.
A Near-Death Experience and the Birth of Visionary Painting
In 1985, Cher suffered a medical crisis—her heart stopped for a full minute. When she recovered, something had shifted.
Before the incident, she planned her paintings in detail. Afterward, she found herself painting intuitively, with shapes and images emerging on their own. This spontaneous, subconscious approach defined her visionary painting style.
Her dealer at the time discouraged the change, urging her to return to her earlier work. But Cher refused to compromise. She followed her instincts, and today, her visionary paintings are some of her most sought-after pieces.
Face Jugs, Grave Markers, and the Influence of African American Traditions
Cher’s work was deeply influenced by Southern face jug traditions, which originated in African American burial customs. These expressive, symbolic pottery pieces were used as grave markers to ward off evil spirits.
She first encountered face jugs through the legendary Meaders family, a dynasty of Georgia potters. At early folk festivals, Cher watched as collectors scrambled to buy their wagonloads of pottery. Fascinated by their history, she began incorporating similar themes into her work, blending them with Cherokee and Appalachian folk influences.
For more on face jug traditions, visit:
Pit-Fired Pottery: Learning from Pueblo Masters
In the late 1990s, Cher studied pit-firing techniques under a Santa Clara Pueblo master potter. Unlike modern kilns, pit-firing uses open flames, natural materials, and hours of controlled burning.
She adapted these traditional Pueblo techniques to her own work, using natural smoking processes to create her signature earthy finishes.
For a deeper dive into pit-fired pottery, check out:
Art as a Calling: “The Urge to Create”
Cher believes true artists don’t choose to create—they are called to it. She describes her process as spiritual and instinctual rather than structured.
Her advice to aspiring artists?
Start with a blank surface and make seven strokes.
Step back and see what forms emerge.
Follow the piece rather than forcing an idea.
Trust your instincts and avoid imitation.
This free-flowing approach defines her work—raw, deeply personal, and uninfluenced by trends.
Cher Shaffer’s Legacy in Folk Art
Cher’s work is widely collected, with pieces found in museums, private collections, and folk art galleries nationwide. She remains a major name in self-taught and visionary art, alongside artists like Howard Finster and Bill Traylor.
Collectors seeking her work can find pieces at:
Her journey from a self-taught Georgia artist to a nationally recognized folk artist is a testament to the power of artistic instinct, heritage, and storytelling.
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