The saying, âChust fer nice,â or âjust for nice,â is a phrase used in Pennsylvania Dutch-accented English to describe something that is pretty, but not necessarily useful. It was how Berks Countyâs folk artist Milton Jacob Hill described the colorful geometric star patterns he painted in southeastern Pennsylvania. He colorfully inscribed them on local barns and later onto disks that allowed his âbarn starsâ to be enjoyed by people across the U.S., whether or not they owned a barn.
Hill is the subject of a new book, âPainter of the Stars: The Life and Work of Milton J. Hill (1887-1972),â published by the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University. A collaboration between Hillâs grandson, Lee S. Heffner, and Patrick J. Donmoyer, director of the center, the book includes historic photos of Hill and his family, as well as full-color pictures showing many of his barn star designs.