COOPERSBURG, Pa. – Someone once described Roey Ebert's painting style as "chaotic."
Pausing to think about that and not the least bit offended, Ebert, a self-taught painter of jaw-dropping acrylic floral statement pieces, agreed.
“I thought, ‘Yeah, I'll take that. That’s pretty much how I paint,’” said Ebert, of Coopersburg, over the phone on a humid June afternoon.
“Even if I have an idea, a lot of times it comes out floral, or a tree, or the beach. My brain just does what it wants. I don't look at anything to paint.
Ebert from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, will be the subject of a Meet the Artist night at Apollo Grill at 85 W. Broad St. in downtown Bethlehem.Apollo Grill
"I paint ‘til I exhaust myself. I go in these bursts and then put it away for a little bit, then get that drive to do it again.
"Even if I try to stay consistent, it doesn’t work like that.”
It's no surprise. Ebert's life is synonymous with busy.
And from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, she will be the subject of a Meet the Artist night at Apollo Grill at 85 W. Broad St. in downtown Bethlehem.
Ebert created 40 new 30-x-40-inch paintings for the Apollo art show, her fourth show at the upscale-casual American bistro.
Owner Rachel Griffith sees the art show as a great way for anyone to just pop in and check out the artwork, without any commitments.
"Have dinner, or not, or sit at the bar and have a cocktail or mocktail, or even just come and meet Roey," she said. "She's amazing, and she always sells a ton of artwork. A ton."
Painting, books and more
The busy pace of Ebert's life starts with the fact that she's not quite at the finish line raising six kids (four are all grown up with full-time jobs and lives of their own; two others are almost there).
Her husband, Greg, has an award-winning furniture gallery — where you can often find her paintings among the rooms — and is in constant motion, with as many of the kids' hands on deck as possible for deliveries.
Ebert opened Roey's Paintbox, a paint party studio on Main Street near Hotel Bethlehem, while her kids were younger, which led to a PBS39 children's painting lesson series of the same name.
She also wrote and illustrated a children's book for each of her children.
Then came licensing deals with Birkenstock sandals and fine art publisher Penny Lane.
And it's no secret that Ebert is quick to say yes to creating special pieces for charity auctions and other projects in hospitals and schools throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Next up: yoga.
'Roey's a natural'
Ebert has practiced the discipline of yoga “for a while,” and even wrote a children’s yoga book, published in 2014, drawing the correct poses with help from a certified instructor.
Two years ago, she took the leap and became a certified yoga instructor.
“It ebbed and flowed with raising a family,” Ebert said. “It was the nicest transition for me from doing stuff at home to going out into the world.”
Her sister Brigid introduced her to Yoga Tone Studios in Emmaus, and Ebert was comfortable with the welcoming, unintimidating atmosphere.
Yoga Tone is a boutique-style, intimate 500-square-foot space in a refurbished building at 100 Keystone Ave.
It didn't take long for Ebert to begin teaching classes there. The trademarked-style practice incorporates weights with traditional yoga moves.
Angie Fenstermaker is the studio founder.
Fenstermaker said she knew right away that Ebert was the perfect person to fill an open spot.
“Roey is amazing," she said. "She's always positive but very real, too. We align so well because we’re invested in the people, and in collaboration, not being in competition.
"She's so talented. She brings her creativity to her classes, her format. Her creativity is there. I think that’s why she's such a good instructor. She puts a lot of thought into it.
"There has to be rhyme or reason behind it. It's formatting, and you have to have the brain that, when you think ahead to the next move, you can read the audience and ask yourself, 'How am I going to give a 65-year-old woman an amazing workout and also a 30-year-old fitness girl?'
"You have to tell yourself, 'Accommodate every person.' Roey's a natural."
Ebert even created a virtual Yoga Tone Studio library on YouTube so clients can keep up with their practice anywhere in the world. It launched May 1.
“Creating class programs, I try to keep each of my classes unique, switching things up and trying new moves to get every muscle in the body," she said.
“I do the same thing with painting. I try new ideas out constantly. And the yoga is so meditative for me, it’s just like painting. I lose track of time doing it.”
Practice calm, chaos on.
'Wanted her back every year'
“My art is a bigger size," Ebert said. "It’s a lot of beforehand prep to do the Apollo show; I have to hook and wire things, create the QR codes, photograph the pieces and put them on my website.”
That takes a couple of weeks, besides weeks of painting, she said.
"Once I found out about her, we wanted her back every year," Apollo owner Griffith said.
"She does such awesome artwork. It's so light and fresh and friendly, which is, obviously, what we try to promote here at the restaurant.
"Sometimes customers don't even know the name of the artist, but they’ll ask, 'When is that person coming back who does all the florals, the bright colors?'
"I always like to have Roey here over this time frame, spring and summer, because of all the vibrant colors."
