Bernice Radcliffe emigrated to New Zealand from Holland. Bernice has been living in the far north for 30 years, she just loves it here, her "piece of paradise". Due to having to go through some trauma herself, she needed an outlet to steady her mind. Bernice bought the cheapest canvas and some paint and started painting. In her field of work she gets to be among a lot of people from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and traditions. Bernice sees a lot of pain, misunderstandings, anxiety, depression, mental health issues and grief. By painting abstract faces she tries to reflect their feelings, as best as she can, but also giving her an outlet to give them a voice. We tend to be so busy in our own lives and forget to stop and listen to others. When and if Bernice has time to get away, she likes to spend time in nature, (it’s gives her peace, which she desperately needs at times) The native wildlife and plants and the meaning behind them inspires Bernice to reflect this in many of her paintings. New Zealand is a "special, spiritual place to live, and it’s an honour and privilege to be here".