Bernie has been a member of the Guildford Village Potters since 1985. After relocating to Perth from Queensland in 1975, she studied ceramics at Midland Technical College and later following a transfer to Northern Territory, studied at Darwin University and completed a Fine Arts Degree, with a major in ceramics. Her focus in ceramics has primarily been in functional ware, knowing pieces are being created and utilised as they were centuries ago by ancient culture. However sculptural work holds great interest for Bernie and her “I am Woman” pieces from a previous exhibition are still an inspiration for her sculptural ceramic layered busts as shown below.