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Cheri Blum (1969-2003) View Cheri Blum's Art Prints Morning glories, climbing vines and an eclectic cottage garden welcome any visitor to Cheri Blumıs studio. Cheri's cat Snickers lays in the sunshine among flowers that grow from worn-out shoes or assorted cans, wash basins, and crab pots. "My studio has become my sanctuary," Cheri says, the historic tenant farmerıs house is filled with items that have been shared by generations of owners. Here Cheri surrounds herself with an ever-changing array of items collected in antique shops, flea markets or on walks along the beach. An old loom is used to display her paintbrushes. A broken lamp now serves as a candleholder. Even the sign outside the door is unconventional: it was made from a racing sail. "I'm drawn to things that are old, have character and a sense of nostalgia," Blum says. "To me, the older an object gets, the better it looks. It doesn't wear out, it wears in." The overall effect of Cheri's surroundings is one of natural everyday elegance. Like the paintings of this talented young artist, her studio is beautiful, casual and comfortable. Clearly, Blumıs paintings take on the character of the antiques she loves. She has perfected a method of painting on cracked linen that conjures up images of Italian villas. "My goal is to take the fine art aspect of the Old Masters and combine it with a worn handcrafted look that suits today's styles. I love to find unusual painting surfaces and create something from nothing." To create the effects of time and weather, Blum has gone so far as to put a completed painting in the washing machine. Even if she buys something new, she paints it to look old. She continues to experiment so that each piece of artwork pays homage to the beauty of time passing by. Until her untimely death in November 2003, Cheri worked in her studio along the banks of the Sassafras River in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. “I am truly grateful to be able to make a living doing something that gives me so much satisfaction,” said Cheri. View Cheri Blum's Art Prints

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