|
Judith LeBerteau, 64, sits at an easel in her home where she uses chalks to create portraits, images of animals and landscape scenes. In January, this self-taught artist from Beecher displayed her work at the Crete Public Library. It was her first show after a 20-year pause to raise her grandchildren. 'I still surprise myself with my work,' Judith said. Photo by Tracy Ahrens.
Self-Taught Artist Still Surprised by Her Work  Share
As a child, Judith LeBerteau liked to draw images of people with pencils. ''I erased a lot,'' Judith, now 64, said with laughter. By her teenage years, the Beecher resident was sketching images from magazines of models wearing unique dresses. Judith dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. Today she looks back at drawings saved from the fourth grade and high school. Her talent for drawing and painting is truly a gift, Judith said. Her parents were unable to afford sending her to art school. She also never finished high school. Regardless, Judith stuck to her creative passion and continued to draw and paint.
''I seem to know what I'm doing,'' Judith said with a smile. For nearly 20 years, Judith put aside her paints, pencils and chalks to raise her two grandchildren: Richard, 21, and Chrisi, 16. Now that Chrisi is nearing adulthood, Judith is focusing on her art once again. ''I still surprise myself with my work,'' Judith said. In January, Judith displayed her art in chalks at the Crete Public Library. It was her first show after a 20-year hiatus. ''I decided when I raised my grandchildren that I was too busy to work on my art,'' Judith said. ''Now that I've retired, I have started up again.'' For 21 years, Judith was the head cook at Rube's Sportsman's Club in Harvey. Six months ago she picked up her art supplies again and started creating portraits, images of animals and landscape scenes on velvety velour paper. Judith's studio is a small area surrounding an easel positioned along one wall in her bedroom. ''My oils were all dried up,'' Judith said, noting the condition of her supplies after 20 years. Since it would be costly to buy new oils, Judith started using pastel chalks, some of which she also had from years ago. ''I just love working with them,'' Judith said, noting that she cherishes the chalk dust that sticks to her fingers and hands. Her choice of velour paper allows the chalks to blend smoothly. All of her images are 16x20 inches in size. Judith creates pieces by studying photographs. Working nonstop, she can finish a piece within several days. Only one person in her family was artistic, Judith said, and that was her father. ''He used to doodle with pencils,'' she said. If her parents could see her work today, Judith said, ''They'd be so proud of me.'' Judith recalled a portrait she created in the eighth grade of Jesus, featuring a halo above His head. ''My teacher said the halo wasn't necessary,'' Judith said. But Judith wanted the halo in the image. ''She (the teacher) got mad at me and told me, 'You'll never amount to anything!''' Judith said. However, at the age of 19 Judith married a man named Richard and he, too was a self-taught artist working with oil paints. For years Judith and Richard created and sold countless works of art. ''Richard never sold or showed his work in public until I encouraged him to do so,'' Judith said. ''He would take 18 to 20 months to create one piece.'' Richard focused on tiny nuances, such as members of a crowd watching Roman chariot races. ''He used a magnifying glass to create fine details of people in the crowd,'' Judith said. Judith also focuses on fine details in her work, from eye coloring to wisps of hair. From the time she was in her early 20s, Judith traveled to area art shows, including shopping mall settings where she exhibited her work and created paintings on site. ''I only charged $50 per portrait,'' Judith said. One season she earned $2,000 from selling portraits. The quality of her work would surely earn much more today, but Judith merely charges $75 per portrait, unframed. ''A lady from Indiana (a professional artist) saw my work at the Crete Library and she told me the starting price for one of my portraits should be $500,'' Judith said. In the future Judith hopes to show her work at more libraries, shopping malls and art galleries. She also posts fliers about her art in stores, hoping to attract customers. Most of her commissions come by word of mouth. A portrait Judith created of Jesus hangs in Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher. All of her art is recorded with pictures so she can reflect on her work. Only one of Judith's original pieces, an owl, hangs in her home. As the years passed, Judith and her husband were ''poor and in need of money,'' she said, so they sold all of Richard's paintings. Richard is now deceased. Judith has just one of his small oil paintings tucked into a journal of sketches. ''I love doing this,'' Judith said about creating art. ''Practice makes perfect. The more you work at something, the more you learn and the better you get.'' If you would like to contact Judith LeBerteau, call her at 708-946-3555. Tracy Ahrens is the editor of the Neighbors section.
|
This Week's Front Page »
Related Stories »
|
