Episode 28 | Cher Shaffer Returns: Visionary Painting, Folk Art, and the Day the Mountains Cried
A Folk Artist’s Journey Through Creativity and Loss
In this follow-up episode of House of Folk Art, Matt Ledbetter welcomes back Cher Shaffer, a self-taught folk artist whose career spans over 55 years of storytelling, heritage, and an unshakable urge to create. With Cherokee and Melungeon ancestry, Cher’s art is deeply connected to history, blending visionary paintings, pit-fired pottery, sculptural dolls, and face jugs, each carrying a unique narrative of emotion, place, and resilience.
This episode dives deeper into the moments that shaped her as an artist, from the prophecy of her three thumbs to the pushback she faced in the commercial art world. Most importantly, she reveals the inspiration behind her latest body of work, The Day the Mountains Cried—a series documenting the devastation of Hurricane Helene and its impact on North Carolina.
Cher’s story is one of resilience, intuition, and creative defiance—an artist who refused to compromise her vision, no matter the cost.
Cher Shaffer’s Life & Artistic Calling
Born to Create: The Prophecy of Three Thumbs
Cher’s artistic journey began with an unusual prophecy. She was born with three thumbs, a feature that, according to her Cherokee grandfather, meant she was destined to "do something great with her hands." Though the extra thumb was removed in infancy, this story stayed with Cher as a reminder that she was meant to create.
Raised in rural Georgia, Cher learned early on to make art with whatever was available—painting on salvaged wood, sculpting clay from riverbanks, and telling stories through her hands.
A Near-Death Experience and the Birth of Visionary Painting
In 1985, Cher’s heart stopped for a full minute—an experience that changed everything.
When she recovered, her approach to painting transformed. Instead of sketching out ideas, images and figures began appearing on the canvas before she even touched her brush. This intuitive, almost spiritual process became her signature visionary painting style.
But this shift wasn’t accepted by everyone.
Art Dealers Tried to Stop Her
In the 1990s, Cher’s dealer—who represented her in New York and Beverly Hills—warned her to stop making visionary paintings, fearing they would alienate collectors.
"She told me, ‘No, no, no—you can’t do this, you’ll lose your audience.’ And I thought—what audience? This is about me."
But Cher refused to conform. Instead, she trusted her instincts, letting the images reveal themselves on the canvas. Today, those once-rejected visionary paintings are some of her most sought-after works.
The Day the Mountains Cried: Documenting the Flood
A Storm That Changed Everything
In 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated Ashe County, NC, uprooting trees, flooding homes, and reshaping the mountain landscape.
For Cher, who had just returned home from open-heart surgery, the disaster was overwhelming. She watched ancient trees torn from the earth, rivers swollen beyond recognition, and entire communities displaced.
"It was like the mountains themselves were mourning."
In response, she began a new body of work:
The Day the Mountains Cried – a series of paintings capturing the emotion, destruction, and resilience of her mountain home.
Bringing Tragedy to the Canvas
Cher describes these paintings as some of the darkest and most emotional she has ever created.
Key Themes in the Series:
Massive trees, uprooted and washed away
Homes and barns collapsing into the floodwaters
The sorrow of lost wildlife and disrupted ecosystems
A sense of human helplessness in the face of nature’s power
One particularly striking piece, titled "Where Did My Mama Go?", depicts her own puppy lost and searching in the flood’s aftermath. The work was so emotionally intense, Cher almost couldn’t finish it.
Folk Art as a Historical Record
Cher hopes to first exhibit The Day the Mountains Cried in North Carolina, before bringing it to wider audiences in Tennessee and beyond.
"This storm has to be remembered. Art can document what words can’t."
Her vision? That the collection serves not just as art, but as a healing tool for those affected by the disaster.
Cher Shaffer’s Artistic Process: Seeing the Unseen
Cher’s art is deeply intuitive. She doesn’t plan—she follows.
Her method for visionary painting:
1️⃣ Make seven strokes on the canvas
2️⃣ Step back and observe what appears
3️⃣ Follow the lines, letting the painting “reveal itself”
4️⃣ Never force an image—trust the process
This fearless, instinct-driven approach has defined her work for over five decades.
Cher Shaffer’s Work: Where to Find It
Cher’s art has been collected by museums, private collectors, and folk art enthusiasts across the country.
Some of her pieces can be found at:
Around Back at Rocky’s Place – A folk art gallery in Dawsonville, GA, known for showcasing outsider and self-taught artists.
Allison Sprock Fine Art (Charlotte, NC) – Featuring a mix of contemporary and folk art.
Kentucky Folk Art Center – While not currently holding her work, this museum celebrates self-taught Southern artists, including peers of Cher’s.
She has also sold work through:
Horse + Hero (Asheville, NC) – Specializing in contemporary folk art prints and originals
Taupe Gallery (North Wilkesboro, NC) – Featuring Appalachian and North Carolina folk artists
Final Thoughts: Why Cher’s Art Matters
Cher Shaffer’s work is a testament to the power of folk art—not just as decoration, but as a storytelling tradition, a historical record, and an emotional journey.
Whether she’s painting visions that reveal themselves on canvas, sculpting face jugs with deep ancestral meaning, or documenting one of the most devastating storms in North Carolina’s history, her work is always about truth, instinct, and resilience.
If you love self-taught artists, folk pottery, and the raw beauty of handmade art, Cher Shaffer’s story is one worth exploring.
Do you own a piece of Cher Shaffer’s work? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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