Liz Bernard

I have always had a keen interest in arts and crafts since an early age, but at school I was encouraged to study science and went on to do a degree in Biological Sciences at University. I went into teaching Biology and had a short break in my career at 40, when I attended Wimbledon Art School to do a Foundation year. I thoroughly enjoyed pursuing my creative side, but this was short-lived, as I returned to teaching for the remainder of my working life. As I always promised myself, when I turned 60, I began to study drawing and painting at Adult Education Centres and at the NEAC. I continue to experiment with different media and subjects and am excited by everything I try my hand at.
In 2011/2012 I had two paintings accepted for exhibition in London. One in the Pastel Society Exhibition at the Mall Galleries and one in the Royal Watercolour Society Exhibition at Bankside Gallery. During the same two years, I had a painting exhibited at Patchings and one highly commended.  In 2015  and 2016 I had a painting exhibited at Patchings Art Festival (being awarded a prize in 2016) and in both 2013 and 2014, had one painting highly commended. 

I also regularly exhibit at local galleries and shows, and participate in Surrey Artists Open Studios.

My recent work has been inspired by the changing seasons in the English countryside where I have tried to capture the atmosphere of the landscape.  I have followed the months of autumn with those characteristic colours and the fruits and berries marking the end of summer.   The snow and foggy mists which arrive in winter, with those dark atmospheric skies and leafless, skeletal trees.     I am looking forward to Spring and Summer with the bursts of colour and the clear light.   I love to get texture into my paintings which I think adds an extra dimension to each piece.
More recently I was inspired by an exhibition of Grayson Perry’s pots and have since been attending pottery classes at Adult Education Centres.  I love to use a combination of the wheel and hand building to make large pieces that I decorate with Sgraffito.