Born in Georgia, Cher Shaffer spent much of her childhood on a farm, forging strong ties to the rural way of life. Parental influences gave her a healthy respect for the spiritual side of life; her father was a strong Baptist and her mother was of Indian descent. It was her mother's death in the late 1970's that led Cher to paint scenes of her childhood, rich with memories.

Another childhood source of inspiration was the black sharecropping families who were her neighbors. A fascination with their customs, superstitions, and church services is reflected in many of the subjects that appear in Cher's wide repertoire of images.

Cher works in both two and three dimensions, often with nontraditional materials. Canceled checks, pages from old catalogues, leather suitcases, and old wire mesh screen are just a few of the surfaces she renders into art. Her series of dolls (or spirit figures) capture emotions in a most tangible way. Some are used as talismans for good luck, fertility, or love.

A prolific artist, Cher is often so raptly involved in the creative process, she loses track of time and all other concerns. She believes that something is speaking through her work and she is just a translator.