Untold Stories of Berks County Artists

John Manuel Rodriguez started drawing at 3 ½ years old and coloring and loved it. He pursued painting at 21 years old. His Dad draws and he admires how his Dad can draw something from nothing. John’s uncle is a sculptor, one of the best known artists in Puerto Rico. Acrylic, oil, pastels and portraits are all in John’s toolbox. He likes oil because it’s fun and acrylic because it’s fast. He does a lot of Puerto Rico art which depicts island life and enjoys portrait painting. John says, ͞If you don’t know what you are doing with art, go for it anyway .... Make it work! John created connectivism as a sort of social statement. It says something about how we are hyper-connected yet dis-connected. He drew inspiration for this from the stars and constellations. John shares a number of stories of inspiration in his life and he shares the story of his real name!

Christian Egbert is a graduate of Conrad Weiser High School and has been pursuing his craft since graduation. He calls himself an experimentalist and tries his hand at art in all different mediums. He has identified acrylic painting as his strength and he says it is best suited for murals. He loves painting animals and ‘space things’. He is currently working on painting an indoor mural at The ‘Wellness Center For Pets And Their People’. The mural will be an underwater scene because that creates a calming environment. Christian says, “I like to provide to the community … artists can help small businesses grow”. Christian says artwork draws people in. He loves painting animals and ‘space things’. He is writing a book to help other artists avoid the mistakes he made along the way. Listen to his story and find out why he calls himself ‘Mr. Anomaly’.

Robert Seabourne was born in Bethlehem, PA in 1963. He lived there until 1977, when he moved with his family to the scenic countryside of Berks County, PA. His love for art started the way any other child’s would start, but when his mother asked him to draw a train the way she had drawn it, he drew it exactly the way she had. She knew then that he had a very special, natural talent. This talent was fostered with many different private art lessons. In high school, after his second year of art classes, the teacher could not teach him anymore, because he had reached her limit of knowledge. He was told then that he could write his own curriculum for his third year. Robert went to Kutztown University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art, Cum Luada. After college, he taught himself Graphic Design so he could make a living, though he never stopped painting. Some of Robert’s early endeavors included wildlife painting in caseins and watercolour and hand-drawn animation. He has taught himself the use of the computer and most of the Adobe programs.

Sandra is a glass fusing artist with a requirement. She says all her pieces must have a job. The beautiful art pieces she creates are extremely durable. They are meant to be used, not just sit on a shelf! Sandra says, “I think color and design should be incorporated into everything you do everyday”. Her art invites you to slow down and enjoy moments. She has always been an artist and describes her younger self as that shy girl who always had a drawing pad. She started out as a portrait artist and her path changed when she moved to PA and applied for a job at a glassblowing production studio despite the fact that she had no experience. This tenacious woman got the job and experimented with glass fusing kiln and developed a product line for her employer. Sandra Kaye raised her kids by making functional art. Her untold story also reveals a tenaciousness that saved her son’s life. She has a studio on Lancaster Avenue in Reading where she teaches the art of glass fusing. The last quarter of the year is filled with glass ornament workshops, the rest of the year she is busy filling galleries all across the country with her beautiful functional art. You can find more about Sandra Kaye and her art at www.sandrakayestudios.com.

A sports injury in high school turned the tables for Theron Cook and he found art to be a healthy outlet for self-expression. He gives a shout out to his teachers who played a major part in his art development. Theron has a degree in advertising design but relies on the fine arts to express himself when dealing with life changing situations. Advertising design and graphic art is all about meeting customer’s needs. Theron is successful designing for BMW and staging his own art shows in Brooklyn, New York. He credits Hydra Studios in Reading for helping him prepare to stage art shows. Theron uses his art to engage people in thought and conversation. Theron overflows with creativity and has branched out into textile art, using everyday items, clothing and pillows as a canvas for art. He stays busy with big paintings, advertising and graphic design, and commissioned textile art. You can see more of Theron’s work or commission him.

Nettie Price’s art is bright and fun and it reflects her personality. Nettie has a goal, Be Happy and Have Fun! Of course life always happens while we are busy making plans. Nettie was a co-owner of an auto body shop and a teacher. She taught math and science at the BCIU and the Youth Detention Center. A nagging feeling that she should be doing something else led her to painting with sprinkles and it made her happy. She tells of a childhood where she was free and happy. It was that memory that led her to re-inventing herself . She has a blooming business and is adept at bringing her art to market in a variety of forms, including a Hallmark mini book mailer. Her first one is a story she wrote and illustrated and it benefits The Animal Rescue League in Berks County. She also developed vendable arts! Yes she sells her art in vending machines! Listen to her story and find out how she does it.

My recent trip to Cuba (February 2016) sparked a whole new energy in my work. The vibrancy of the city, the vintage cars, the people, and the music helped to create a frenzy in my work that I am truly loving! And, my recent use of thicker paint, applied with palette knife, also creates a more dynamic visual. I’m now coupling this enhanced energy with my preference to painting outdoors directly on site. I feel that it is the best way to capture the immediacy of what I am feeling in the moment. It allows me to immerse myself in the subject. Whether standing next to a busy café, a crowded street or inside a jazz club, I know that it is not just the visual information that becomes a part of the painting. The sounds, the smells, the mood and the environment all become integral to the finished image.

Jafet Jaime’s story starts in elementary school. He was introduced to Picasso and cubism at Lauers Park Elementary School in Reading, PA. Today he loves to draw faces in an abstract manner. He credits his motivation and inspiration to the art programs at Lauers Park. In addition he talks about influences at home from his mother and brother who are both artistic. He is the first in the family to take his art to this level. Jafet Jaime is just 16 years old and has already staged art shows! He staged his first art show at Olivet Boys and Girls Club where he volunteers. He says that was the beginning of identifying his career path. Cardboard, book art, acrylic and watercolor are a few of the mediums he uses to create art. Jafet says his mind is always creating things. When he sees a book he doesn’t think about reading it he thinks of ways to turn it into art! He finds inspiration in everything around him and has a natural gift of turning everyday items into pieces of art. He is motivated to continue. His dreams and goals include opening an art center for youth. He wants to introduce art to kids and motivate them to be creative. Jafet says, “Art is an escape for me … it’s always going to be there for me. It was Lauers Park that nurtured that side of me. They motivated me”.

Juan Carlos Ruiz, Jr likes to leave the interpretation of his paintings up to the viewer. You will find many of his paintings to be social in nature. There is not always a solid message in his art, sometimes it is simply to make something beautiful and cool. Other times he uses his art to make a statement, whether it is about society or about an emotion he is feeling at any given time. Juan Leans toward surrealism in his work and uses a lot of symbolism. His pictures of depict dichotomies, the struggle between good and evil or technology versus nature. Juan Carlos is influenced by renaissance art along with neo classical and abstract art. Growing up he was absorbed in comic books, comic books that were graphically detailed. These influences all show up in his work. Juan is a professional artist who teaches, does graphic design, paints and does murals.

Yenna Hills is a most delightful woman from whom inspiration flows. She grew up steeped in street and pop art and is greatly influenced by her uncle Keith Haring and has always been trying to find her own hand. Influenced by her uncle and her grandfather, Yenna was raised in a family of artists. They all continue to influence her today. She say sometimes her grandmother is in her handwriting, other times various family members show up in her art, like a thumb print. She plays with textures and lines and randomization. She personifies the word prolific and brought a variety of pieces to our studio as you can see. When asked how she you describes her art, she says, “I do complex line work … I make things with my hands”. Check both those hashtags and you will find Yenna’s art. Yenna Hills started out not making things, rather looking at blank spaces and wanting to see lines across them! Acting was her love in high school, She used to write a lot and now she draws. Her art has become her writing. Creating art is a meditative state for Yenna. It can be a meditative state for us as well. Keep looking at her work and you will keep seeing different things. She doesn’t necessarily title her work. Eight people can look at a piece and each see something different and they are all right in some way You will find her work on statues, on bodies, on blank spaces in the city and hanging on walls across the country. She is adept at putting things all over the place. Find her art on Instagram: I make things with my hands or @yennakills. Email her at [email protected]. Listen to her story as she shares 1 thing most people don’t know – it has to do with her power.