A Unique Celebration of Life Includes a Painting Party at Studio B Fine Art Gallery

By Jane Stahl

Boyertown’s Studio B Fine Art Gallery hosted 19 members of John Schultz Steel’s family—ages 3-89—for an art party recently as part of a unique 24-hour Celebration of Life that was meaningful and fun for his family and inspiring to Studio B. John died at age 93 in 2021.

The family were eager to honor his life by participating in things he loved, and painting was one of them. “Oil painting was his favorite medium, but he worked in many mediums. His work varied from the traditional to the whimsical. One of things he loved to do was make life-sized papier mache people and animals,” notes Trudie, his wife of 63 ½ years.

And so, Trudie ordered the paper mache animals, and Destiny Bigler, Studio B’s art instructor, provided the paint and painting instruction during a Saturday afternoon painting party. Animal choices were spider, cat, dog, lion, tiger, hippo, or duck.

“Watching our family during the art activity was most interesting. It was unbelievable how intense and serious they were during the painting. Folks chose the animals to paint for different reasons. One chose a dog because they had just lost a beloved Labrador; one picked a lion because it is her favorite animal, and another loves cats. It was fascinating to watch the concentration,” she shares.

The celebration began for 29 family members at the Fairview Cemetery in Boyertown and proceeded to Bahr’s Mill on Ironstone Drive, Gabelsville, for a tour and box lunch prepared by Brakeman’s Café. At 3:00 p.m., the family gathered at Studio B to paint. Dinner at Brakeman’s Café was followed by a video show of Steel’s life. Family members filled Twin Turrets Inn on Saturday night.

“John loved Gabelsville and the home where his mother Gertrude Bahr Schultz Steel was born. They visited Uncle Jake Bahr, who ran the sawmill. John loved the chickens running around, the stone mill across the road, the store, the store, the barn, and shoofly pie which they always had for breakfast. After we were married, we would visit now and then, especially with Lawrence and Tamie Bahr. Lawrence ran the stone mill. John was there for the auction after Raymond Bahr died,” she offers. “By the way, we had shoofly pie for dessert at Brakeman’s,” she laughs.

“In considering his Celebration of Life, our youngest son had made a list of activities that included hiring a yoga instructor so everyone could try a headstand—I X-ed that one, milking a cow, renting bikes—they were not available where we were, and skiing was out of the question,” Trudie recalls.

“We actually looked into the idea of milking cows, but it was one of the ideas that wasn’t satisfactory! But painting paper mache animals was do-able after we found Studio B. And the studio was perfect,” she exclaims. “Everyone in Boyertown was so very kind and helpful. I’ll be back!”

More about John Schultz Steel
“John was a man with so many interests and hobbies,” notes Trudie. “We met skiing in Vermont. Throughout his life he was an avid golfer, tennis player, sailor, craftsman, home renovator, and dog lover.

“In retirement, living in Cape Cod, he added to his repertoire and became a lobsterman, boater, fisherman, and bicyclist taking annual bicycle trips in Europe with friends,” she continues. “One thing he didn’t do was sit still! His last ski run was at 80; he was still playing golf late into his 80’s, and took his last European bike trip with me at the age of 85. He lived by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s statement: ‘it is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts.’”

“He read history voraciously and became a prolific artist exploring multiple mediums. His favorite was oil painting,” she adds. “His studio was always full of works using multiple media including oil, watercolor, paper mache, wire, clay, and ceramics.” His obituary notes that his style captured the complexities and absurdities of being human.

“Emerson’s description of a successful person fit John perfectly: ‘To have played with enthusiasm, laughed with exuberance, and sung with exultation. To go down to dust and dreams knowing that the world is a little bit better, and that even a single life breathes easier because we have lived well, that is to have succeeded!’

“We loved his love of life and sense of humor, and that’s shown in the photograph we included in his obituary of him doing a handstand at age 90. He also used to say that he was land-rich in Pennsylvania with 4 plots in Fairview Cemetery and one in Philadelphia.

“While John had many interests and hobbies, there was never any doubt that family was always John’s greatest love. He was a gentle, kind man, a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, a family-connector, and a great friend. He was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. And he never forgot Gabelsville.” Trudie concludes.

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