Stewards of the Earth..Our Interconnectedness with Nature

I try to surround myself with people of like-mind, people that find an importance in caring for our Earth and take responsibility for the footprint they leave. I have such a deep respect for the gifts we receive from our environment, and not just the obvious things such as the sustainability of food, water, plant life, but to have a gratitude for the natural balance and peace we can feel when engaged in our surroundings. I marvel in the fact that when sitting in our homes and offices we can become so stressed and worried and look at things as if they're black and white....and then the moment we step outside we feel relief. Black and white doesn't seems so simple anymore, because the color palette explodes upon you, the air comforts your cheek, and our heart beat becomes "one" with the Earth. The rhythm sways our spirit and we exhale.

This feeling is what inspired my latest painting, "Stewards of the Earth"

"Stewards of the Earth" Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

The painting has multiple layers giving a great deal of depth to the subject. The tree silhouette, Tree of Life, was created with yet another silhouette inside it, that of the Turtle Totem. The symbolism of the Turtle is motherhood of the Earth and healing. Within the framework of the turtle are 7 human figures which are the stewards. The design of the turtle shell lays over the humans. Inside the tree trunk, you find two more tree silhouettes, growing and blooming, and the main tree (the Tree of Life) is sprouting it's new growth for the season, for the cycles of life.

I used hues of Periwinkle blue, Raw Umber, Titanium White, Grey,and Sap Green, all representing different seasons.

Symbolism is important in all of my paintings, to convey the processes of my spirit.

The Original Painting of Stewards of the Earth is available in my Etsy shop here

Stewards of the Earth on Etsy

A Weekend of Art and Nesting

The Cold month of December has brought the rapid arrival of Nesting to our home. While we continue to create our Artwork, at a bit a bit of a slower pace, we are also enjoying the simple things that winter brings in getting ready to settle down for the season.

My Frida Kahlo apron

 Out comes the Frida Kahlo apron my mother gave me a few years ago and the baking proceeds.

I do a lot more cooking and baking in the winter, but find that I don't really end up eating more. It's more the "Meditation" that it provides. The repetitive stirring and chopping is very soothing to me, and clears the mind from it's clutter.

Prepping for Oatmeal Cookies

BIG plate of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The Art Room needed cleaning, as clutter adds up quickly when I'm working on projects.

Art Room Clutter

I spent both afternoons creating some small collage boards as gifts for family and friends.

Simple and Sweet, the colors are the most relaxing to me.

Small Collage Boards for Gifts

I did manage to finish a new original painting during all of the "feel good" activities.

Staying within my Wings theme as of late, the new painting is called Departure.

"Departure" Original Painting by Jeanne Fry 12 x 12

Original Painting of Woman with Butterfly Wings on Artfire

And along the way, I sleeved up some of my Art Prints that are for sale.

Art Prints of Jeanne Fry's Paintings

The Winter time is a very introspective time for me. This is when I usually spend a great deal of time writing, in order to chase away those old blues that can sneak in you during this season. So, spending my time on the "small stuff" , the things that make the memories, is very healing to me.

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

Supporting Handmade in America

As Artists and Consumers, we ourselves have taken the Handmade Pledge to support local artisans. We continue to share with our collectors the value of supporting local artisans and their craft to perpetuate a stimulus in the economy of each community. At the same time, we always look to artisans first when we are needing to purchase something, and have found while researching that we can find many functional and decorative pieces that are handmade versus manufactured.

If you are not familiar with Handmade in America, they are a wonderful organization supporting artisans in Western North Carolina with their superior programs.

http://www.handmadeinamerica.org/



 

"Departure" New Original Butterfly Painting and it's Symbolism

I find lately that much of my painting is done late at night and in the early morning hours, when everything is Still and Quiet. During these times, my work comes from a deeper place, when no distractions are occurring and all you hear is the sound of the brush stroke on the canvas.

"Departure" a new original painting by Jeanne Fry



These last few weeks I have been very attracted to things with Wings, birds, butterflies, dragonflies....all with the ability to fly...all symbolic of freedom.

"Departure" was created to represent those few moments when you are ready to take off in flight...when you have "butterflies" in your stomach..you're filled with anticipation. Fear and Excitement fill your soul and yet you await, ready to escape the stagnancy and walls that you have built around you, and soar into a new world of possibilities.

"Departure" Woman with Butterfly Wings Visionary Art Painting by Jeanne Fry

Her complexion seems similar to stone, like the bland and dull surroundings that have developed from the baggage she has had to carry. But now is her Time, her Wings have emerged, promising to take her to new heights in a healthy and happy space. Here she can explore her utmost desires with no strings attached and nothing weighing her down.

And so she waits....for Departure.

"Departure" is a form of Visionary Art.

It measures 12 inches x 12 inches, is signed and dated by me, and is ready to hang.

The collector receives a description card that tells about her symbolism that is also signed and dated.

SOLD

Unveiling a Winter Wonderland of Art Dolls and Ornaments

The holidays are rapidly approaching, like a shooting star zooming through the sky.  Time seems to speed like a flash of light at this time of year. I've been busy here in the studio crafting holiday art, but you know me...you won't see Santa Claus or Snowmen. I enjoy the olde traditions of the season, and the lesser known legends and tall tales. Of course many of them revolve around the woodlands, my favorite aspect of nature.

So, let's not waste any more time and show you what's been transforming in the studio...

Jillian Frost Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

Jillian Frost, a Winter Elf has arrived to town for the Holidays. Jillian is a mild mannered Elf, tender and caring, and watches over the woodland animals during the cold long days of Winter. She helps the wee ones find warm homes to shelter them and directs them as to where they can hunt for their meals. She knows what old Jack Frost is up to and when he will be bringing harsh frigid temperatures and frost, and will quickly alert the nearby animals to seek warm shelter.

Jillian Frost Art Doll

 

Jillian Frost Art Doll available on Artfire

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Now, Jillian has an old friend....wise and majestic..and a great teacher. Her name is Beth.

Beth ~ Celtic Tree Birch ~ Goddess Tree by Jeanne Fry

Beth is the Lady of the Woods, derived from the Celtic Trees. Beth (Beith in old Celtic) is symbolic of the Birch Tree, which is considered to be the Goddess Tree. In understanding the Celtic Trees, the meaning of the Birch is Growth, Renewal, and Stability. It is known for the honoring of traditions.

Birch Celtic Tree Art Doll named Beth by Jeanne Fry

 

Beth Birch Celtic Tree in the Artfire Studio

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Many wee ones came to life as well in the process, excited about the upcoming festivities and clamoured to join in the party.

This is Star Spirit

Star Spirit Art Doll Ornament by Jeanne Fry



Have you ever seen a Star Spirit before? The Star Spirits float down from the skies and hover in the trees watching over the humans and animals. They love to be nearby us and act a bit like guardians, and are especially attracted to happy humans.

Star Spirit Beaded Christmas Ornament by Jeanne Fry

 

Shabby Chic Star Spirit Beaded Ornament in Artfire Studio

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Next I would like to introduce you to the sweet little Peace Dove.

Peace Dove Beaded Christmas Ornament by Jeanne Fry

He is beautiful with any Shabby Chic or Winter White Decor, and emanates Peace to All. After the holidays he would be perfect to hang in a window or on a cabinet pull.

 

Peace Dove Handmade Beaded Ornament on Artfire

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The New Year Angel Christmas Ornament joined this Holiday Crew as well.

New Year Angel Handmade Christmas Ornament by Jeanne Fry

The New Year will be arriving soon, and this little New Year Angel is here to help you ring in a beautiful New Year and bring wonderful opportunities for you.

 

New Year Angel Christmas Ornament on Artfire

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As you are running around getting gifts for all of your loved ones and wrapping them up in pretty papers and adornments, what about sealing one with a kiss?

This little Art Doll Ornie is named "Sealed with A Kiss"

Sealed with a Kiss Handmade Christmas Ornament by Jeanne Fry

She just looks like she is supposed to be sitting on top of a gift...and she really loves to because she is one of those that loves to shake the gifts to guess what's inside.

 

Sealed with A Kiss Art Doll Ornament on Artfire

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Next to join the party is "Big Heart in a Small Package"

Big Heart in a Small Package Art Doll Ornament by Jeanne Fry

This little Celtic Woman spirit came all the way from Wales to be a part of the lovelies.

 

Big Heart Small Package Ornament on Artfire

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And lastly, you know I wouldn't finish out the collection with out a bit of the tribal....Here is Crazy Bear, a beaded ornament.

Crazy Bear Beaded Christmas Ornament by Jeanne Fry

 

Artfire

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Thank you for letting me share my latest Holiday Creations with you. I hope you enjoyed them. To see some of our other Artwork you can always visit our regular website at

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

For all of my artwork that is currently available you can visit my Artfire Studio

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

Heron Totem Symbolic Meaning

The Heron is not only a beautiful bird, but has wonderful symbolic meaning.

The Heron has the essence of a free spirit. They represent an air of multi tasking and ability to accomplish things in ways that others may not be able to. He has a confidence in his uniqueness.

Their legs are symbols of balance and adaptability. They are self reliant and determined, not easily swayed by the opinions of others. They remind us to trust our own instincts and that we can provide for ourselves, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
They symbolize transformation and a peace within the changing.

"The Relief of Transforming Change" a Heron Animal Totem Painting by Jeanne Fry

The above Heron painting has been sold. You can view some our other animal totem artwork at our website.

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

Gourd Art ~ Using the Gourd as a Palette

More and more we integrate the Gourd into our artwork. Having always been drawn to using natural materials in our creations, this medium becomes not only a perfect palette, but provides so many possibilities.

Granted, the cleaning of the gourd is time consuming, but if you are not wanting to exert the energy for that step, you can always purchase your gourds from a farm that will do it for you. We get many of our gourds from Ghost Creek Gourd Farm

http://ghostcreekgourds.com/

Otherwise, you'll need to use a little elbow grease, a Scoth-brite pad, and a 10% Bleach solution.
If you are choosing to paint your gourds, you have a diversity of paints you can use. Acrylics or  Oil Paints can be used, while many others use leather dyes. Personally, acrylics are our preferred paint because it dries quickly, blends well, and has nice coverage.
Alcohol inks can be used: http://www.gourdsupplies.com/Adirondack-Alcohol-Ink-Dyes.htm
Many leather dyes, angelus paints, and suede dyes, along with a treasure box of other gourd art supplies can be found at TurtleFeathers
http://turtlefeathers.net/text/product-index.html

Do you know what types of gourd you want to use? There's many varieties.

Digital Gourds chart © Dan Dunkin 2003
This chart is used courtesy The Gourd Reserve

Gourds aren't just for birdhouses anymore. The creative possibilities are endless. They are used in sculpture, musical instruments, vessels and bowls, lamps, dolls, ornaments, the list goes on and on.

Some of the things we do with OUR gourds..

Bear Claw Frame Drum by John Fry

Sweetgrass Blessings to the Star People Gourd Art Doll by Jeanne Fry

Running Horse Gourd Art Bowl by Jeanne Fry

Bear Totem Gourd Ornament by Jeanne Fry

Gourd Jewelry by John and Jeanne Fry

Dragonfly Gourd Ceremony Rattle by John and Jeanne Fry

To see more of our artwork you can visit our website
http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

We also sell our work on Artfire
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/ConsciousArtStudios

Happy Gourding !

The Symbolism of Wings and Using Art to Heal

The events in my life and the evolving of my spirit as I move through life's lessons, often produce themselves in my artwork. Colors, subject matter, and symbolism are reflected in my creations, and while it does so I remain flexible with it.

Maybe it is the coming of winter, or just the current passage I am transitioning through with my disability, that is causing my focus at present to be on Wings and Flight. The representation of freedom is what is dominate; the freedom from feeling "stuck", the freedom from pain, the freedom from my inner critic nagging at me.

For those of you that are familiar with the archetypes that are representative of our character, I pay particular attention to the archetypes present in my life. One of my archetypes is the "Wounded Healer".  Carl Jung did a great deal of writing about this archetype. The Wounded Healer is the person who has gone through a great suffering and because of that suffering has now become a source of inspiration to others. There is a shadow side and a light side to each archetype. I think that being aware of those sides allows you to find a balance and use it to create a positive influence in your life.

As a child I experienced a profound event that forever changed my life; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Looking back on the course of my life, my mission was to help inspire others through support, conversation, or art. At the time I didn't realize "why", but it felt natural to me. It shaped who I was. As an adult, I understand.

So, as I move through the course of my life, I have found that when I share my processes, it not only helps me, but helps others as well.

The current phase in my life presents a challenge with mobility, I believe which is causing this great attraction to Wings and Flight.

I began a recent series, without conscious intention actually, on wings integrated into my paintings. The first painting was of an Owl Butterfly found in the rain forests of South America.

Owl Butterfly ~ Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

The markings on the butterfly resemble eyes, nature's way of distracting predators and providing balance.

The second painting  is called "She Flies with the Owls". Meant to be symbolic of learning the wisdom of the owl, it's intuition, sight, and walking in both worlds.

She Flies with the Owls ~ Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

She Flies with the Owls ~ Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

The Original Paintings are no longer available, but they are available art Art Prints in my Fine Art America Shop here

Jean Fry Fine Art America Shop

The Spirit of the Flute

It doesn't matter your age, gender, culture, or race, the Native Flute brings a sense of peace and relaxation to most people who experience it's beauty.

Eastern Woodlands Style Flutes by John Fry



It's song can adapt to most any genre of music, from native to classical, blues to world, cultural to pop. Within seconds of listening, a breath of relief can be heard and shoulders relax from their rigid posture.

John has been a flute carrier for more than twenty years, performing and teaching, as well as crafting them when he has the opportunity. He creates them in an Eastern Woodlands Style. Only Cedar is used and never any stains, in order to keep the natural beauty of the wood. Several passes of hand sanding are involved in his process, giving it a most silky feel. When finally near complete he wood burns his signature in to the flute and attaches a gemstone at the end.

The Native Flute has had importance to many, to bring relaxation, for ceremony, courtship, healing, or  simply for  the joy of music.

We have watched many people over the years who were once listeners, evolve into players, as they found  the beauty and healing it could bring to their lives.

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/NativeFluteCDsandInstruments.html





The Owl Butterfly: It's Beauty and Strength

Portraying nature and animals in my artwork is a large focus for me. The ability to bring their strengths and lessons to light in a visual way, is yet another confirmation of understanding them. As of late, I am intrigued and attracted to the Winged Ones, symbolically I suppose that the wings are engaging me because of the freedom in life that they represent.

Recently while studying on various animals I came across the Owl Butterfly, yes it's common name is truly Owl Butterfly. He comes from the genus Caligo, meaning darkness, which would be accurate since they do much of their flying at dusk when fewer predators are present.

The beauty of this Owl Butterfly is that his wings look as if they are an owl's eyes, which deceived the predators, thinking that it is something other than what it truly is.

Immediately I began to paint this beauty.

Beginning to paint the Owl Butterfly

Later that evening, after having started at 4am, I completed it.

Owl Butterfly Contemporary Folk Art Painting by Jeanne Fry

The original of this painting is not available, but you can collect prints here in my Fine Art America shop
Owl Butterfly Art Print on Fine Art America 

Fox Totem and it's Meaning

The Fox Totem is often misunderstood. His meaning and symbolism is quite complex.

Fox Totem Gourd Art Bowl by Jeane Fry

The Fox teaches the need and benefits of learning to camouflage in order to walk around unnoticed. This allows you to hear and see things that you might not otherwise be aware of, bringing a better clarity to situations.

 His fur is very thick, making him appear larger than he is, which is another lesson he teaches..the ability to have a larger "presence " in life when needed. It gives the illusion of a greater stature, making adversaries think twice about engaging, that Fox would not be easily overpowered judging by size alone.

 The fox is monogamous, living alone for some months and then in a den, and are comfortable with being alone AND with their partner. He teaches to enjoy one's completeness, to enjoy self, allowing for a comfort level when they are on their own.

 Their hunting style is similar to feline, and they carry great feminine energy.

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/3955972

Why am I an Artist? How Art Makes Us Feel

Why am I an Artist? Well, that could be a pretty complex question, but simply..because of how it makes me feel. Not only how it affects me, but how I see it affects others as well.

I have always believed that Art was Healing. The colors, the subject matter, the shapes, the composition, what it says, and what it doesn't say all lend to the effect on us. As a child at the age of four I received by first piece of Art, a painting of "Faith, Hope, and Charity", the three women...or were they angels..muses? Doesn't matter. I was given this painting in the pediatric ward at the hospital after my surgery, and I still have it to this day. The symbolism is what is important to me, and I realize that the symbolism is what I carry with me to this day, in my own Art and in my own Life.

Cleansing ~ Purity by Jeanne Fry

Much research has been done on the effects of Art in our lives, showing that art has an effect on our  nervous system and brain neurotransmitters. It can help to change our perception and attitude and that color and shape have a therapeutic influence.

Friedrich Schelling, a German philosopher, felt that geometrical forms could influence our emotions (ie. a curved line symbolizing flexibility, a wavy line symbolizing life, and a elliptic horizontal line symbolizing tenderness).

Music has been a large part of my life since the age of four as well, when I began piano studies. Today it's healing force is still strong in my daily life. Dr. Rubinstein, a Russian psychologist, noticed that "minor" chords helped in relaxing muscles, while "major" chords excited them. Instrumental music activates the right cerebral hemisphere of the brain. Today I work on music endeavours with my husband, mostly instrumental music of Native Flute and Piano, but also Guided Imagery Meditations laid over the the Native Flute music. We personally believe that the body has the ability to heal itself when it is in a relaxed state, therefore our focus is to bring that into our music.

I am a strong supporter of the Arts in all modalities, not only for it's pure beauty and intelligence, but for it's physiological effects our mind and body, the freedom it affords the artist, and it's function to use our voice with not only our vocal chords but with our heart and hands.

I began creating a series of painting that I find "Healing', who's intention is to integrate the mind and body as a whole. Three of the paintings are complete, with more in the process.

"Healing" an Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

"Introspection" an Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

"Cleansing ~ Purity" an Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

I created these paintings to be at an affordable price to those that find the symbolism important in their lives.

To see my available paintings, please visit my Artfire Studio

Our music offerings are collected by many massage therapists and yoga practitioners for their relaxing attributes.

Guided Meditation and Native Flute CD by John and Jeanne Fry

Instrumental Native Flute CD by John Fry "Tribal Journey"

Our Music available in our Artfire Studio