Incredible Kids: Luke Berta
Curiosity Sparks Creativity
by Mike Sanchez for gmhTODAY
At just ten years old, Luke Berta has a knack for making his imagination leap off the page— or, sometimes, out of a cardboard box. From the moment he could hold a crayon, Luke was fascinated by art, crafting colorful worlds with both two- and three-dimensional creations. But what truly set him apart was his boundless curiosity about how things move.
This fascination drove Luke to explore puppet-making. " I ' ve made bag puppets, sock puppets, hand puppets, and even life-sized ones," he shared enthusiastically. His resourcefulness is remarkable— he crafts puppets from materials as varied as air clay, felt, fur, popsicle sticks, and even old Amazon boxes scavenged from the recycling bin.
By the time he was six, Luke was already pushing the boundaries of his creativity. He proudly built an interactive costume with moving parts, lights, and sound, sparking a love for cosplay. " I even made two axolotl headpieces," he recalled with a grin.
As Luke ' s skills grew, so did his tools of the trade. Initially, he relied on kids ' glue but eventually mastered the hot glue gun. " When my mom taught me how to sew by hand, I quickly learned how to use a sewing machine to make my projects look more professional," he explained.
One of Luke ' s biggest inspirations came from an unexpected source: Chuck E. Cheese. " I loved seeing the life-sized animatronics performing on stage," he said. When he learned the company was retiring its iconic animatronics for a dance floor, he was determined to create his own version of Chuck E. Cheese.
Luke ' s impressive creativity hasn’ t gone unnoticed. In 2023, he was featured on KRON TV LIVE IN THE BAY A-May-Zing Kids for his remarkable three-dimensional work. Hundreds of people visited his“ One Kid Exhibit” that ran from Late November 2024 through January of this year at CMAP Studios in Gilroy. On January 18 over 200 people attended the exhibit’ s closing reception. Luke is the subject of a short DYI art special and a mini-documentary film currently in production at CMAP Studios. Produced by CMAP TV, both the special and film will be released later this year.
" I ' m always creating," Luke beamed. " It ' s so much fun to see my ideas come to life. I ' m just glad I can share them with everyone!" With a confident yet humble demeanor, Luke speaks with the authority of a seasoned artist well beyond his years. Moments later, he is moving through life with all the wonder and innocence of an unassuming ten-year-old. With his unstoppable imagination and dedication to learning new skills, Luke Berta is undoubtedly a young artist to watch.
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