At 99 years old, Berta Blackburn, your Seven Oaks neighbor, continues to brighten the neighborhood with a life rich in color, humor, and heart. Whether she’s sipping a Neapolitan shake at In-N-Out or reminiscing about her first dance performance at the Fox Theatre, Berta’s spirit remains as vibrant as her oil paintings. 

 

Surprisingly, Berta didn’t discover her talent for art until later in life. “I just looked at someone painting and thought, ‘I could do that.’ And so, I did,” she says. That quiet confidence sparked what became thousands of paintings. One iconic piece, a floral work finished in just one hour, is featured in a photo where she proudly holds up a single finger. 

 

Berta paints primarily in oil. “You can fix mistakes,” she explains. “It doesn’t dry too fast, so you can reflect and go back and forth.” Watercolors, she jokes, are “crazy.” Oil gives her the control and richness she enjoys. “You have to be your own critic,” she says. “If something’s not right, you fix it.” 

 

Her favorite subject is the rose, an obsession sparked by an art teacher who told her, “Just look at the rose.” That simple direction became her guide. Over time, she took countless workshops and developed her own distinctive style. 

 

One of her early mentors was art professor Clayton Rippey, known for his “21 Missions” series. Rippey taught at Bakersfield High and chaired the art department at Bakersfield College before gaining wider recognition for his murals and historical paintings. 

 

Berta’s work has been shown in galleries across California. For over 35 years, she displayed and sold pieces at the respected Virginia Lynn Art Tower Gallery in Cambria. She and her husband traveled to art shows, combining work and joy, especially at their home in Grover Beach. 

 

Berta grew up in Bakersfield behind her parents’ grocery store on Eighth and Union. “They ran it for 40 years,” she says. Her childhood was filled with fresh produce, Delaware Punch, and morning radio shows like The Breakfast Club. In 1938, she danced in a troupe led by Mary K. Shell, who later became Bakersfield’s first female mayor. 

 

She met her husband in wood shop class at Bakersfield High. “He helped me build a wooden table. I gave it to my mother,” she recalls. They reunited after high school and married in 1949. Together, they raised two children, Lori and Gary. Her granddaughters Robin and Mary remain her greatest joys. “Family and painting, that’s what I love most,” Berta says. 

 

Outside of painting, Berta is a passionate camellia grower. She and her son Gary are members of the Camellia Society of Kern County and exhibit their blooms at the Bakersfield show each first Saturday in March at The Bakersfield Racquet Club and in Los Angeles from January through February. At 95, Berta was the oldest rookie clerk at one of the LA shows. “We compete,” she says with a twinkle. Growing camellias requires year-round care, and Berta thrives in the spirited community of growers. 

 

Even in her late 90s, Berta lives with energy. She drove until age 95, never smoked or drank, and follows a routine of vitamins B, C, D, E, magnesium, zinc, and krill oil. She enjoys walks, physical therapy, and her beloved Neapolitan shake. “She’s 99 going on 12,” Gary jokes. “I’m a kid in a candy store in this little body right here,” Berta adds. 

 

Her cheerful spirit lights up her neighborhood. Neighbors drop by with See’s Candy or to chat. “Everybody acts older than me,” she laughs. “I just go with the flow.” 

 

A recent highlight came when she accidentally triggered her emergency button. Firefighters arrived, and Berta offered to play the organ. One fireman watched, smiling. “He was cute,” she giggles. 

 

Look out for her art featured in Heal with Hue, a rotating coloring book gallery at Meadows Field Airport. Each book sold donates one to a hospital patient, veteran, senior, or foster child. Books are $28 and available at the airport, Covenant Coffee, or online at healwithhue.com. Follow the project FB/IG @healwithhue. 

 

From roses to camellias, childhood memories to gallery walls, Berta’s life continues to blossom. With each brushstroke and laugh, she reminds us that joy and passion truly have no age.