John Raymond Berry
60 Terri Lane
Berry is with the Orcas community from 1987, artist designer builder for Roses Bakery, Doe Bay and Eastsound Commons project and many more initiatives including the preliminary prep work for the mural at the ferry landing, collaborating with noted island artists craftspeople of all fields by presenting artist with local and regional and international merit. From the EU European capitals of culture 2018, to being invited to speak at the Americans for the Arts / NEA 2022 convention, and organizing music events at the Oddfellows and participating in the cultural life of the islands, monetarily and thru his completely self funded SOULARTSPACE efforts. Introducing the humble honey bee imagery into the local visual vernacular in 2006.
The Artist/Curator is included in many collections locally and corporate. He has proven to be is a major influence on graphic design in the music industry and his work has represented Prince, Billie Holiday and popular rock bands, First Avenue club in MPLS and many shops and cafes in America and Europe.
The work on Orcas Island is primarily about the connection of humans to nature as the portal is rendered with academic abilities, re~purposed materials and goldleaf, abraded and adorned much reminiscent of icons.
His posters for Leonard Cohen, the Replacements and other people in the folk and jazz milieu are collectors items.
One aspect of Berry is working with culture and addressing it in his story illustrations for a Folktale, as well as working independently, helping others connect to the flow of creativity, inherent in everyone, as the artist believes that learning to draw is a fine method to express oneself as well as the discipline of learning to play an instrument. These studies can create a meditation.
The artist will be showing large scale works that haven’t been able to be shown on Orcas Island, here in a setting of beautiful cedar trees, in the manner of the French impressionist painters bringing their art outside and showing it in nature, something of a first for the island, and part of a tradition that John has continued with the farm tour and other settings of art in nature.
This connection is very important to share with these experiences of creativity and an islands heritage, and newly minted culture with others.
Please enjoy and support the local creative culture makers whom are creating and have been creating the very essence of the attraction to Orcas Culture.
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