Born: Brisbane,1/12/48
Education: B.A. (ACS) Griffith 1993.
Design and Silversmithing, John Cass College, London 1971-2
Trade Certificate Kangaroo Point Tech 1970.

The first solo exhibition was held at the Accent Gallery Perth Western Australia in August 2002 and although commissions outweighed sales, was considered a great success. Bernard is kept busy with commissions and regularly sends work to an agent in London for resale and has made sales into North America through the Web. Negotiation are under way with galleries in Sydney and Melbourne.

Enamelists are few in number, because the medium is demanding and unforgiving. Plique-a-Jour enamelling being the technique that is the least seen and practised by very few. This technique, which resembles miniature stained glass and is reminiscent of its Art Nouveau influences, reminds one of the past glories of skilled metalsmiths and jewellers. The intricate metalwork skeletons require knowledge and skill in fashioning fine filigree forms, which are then complimented by breathtakingly coloured enamels. The rich colour of the transparent enamels is wondrous, as the observer turns a piece in the light the colours are seen in different shades appearing to bring the design alive. This technique does not simply imitate its past masters'. The twenty first century emphasis of today's work is made possible by technical advances in the enamels and the vision of today's artists and crafts persons.

Bernard has always been enthralled by the Art Nouveau period and with it getting its inspiration from themes from nature. His work features Dragonflies Bugs and Butterflies. He believes that people should have a little colour in their lives. We see too much drab same colour jewellery in jewellery shops. Look in most jewellery shop windows and you will see yellow gold and diamonds. This is extended to the fashion industry. How many times have you seen a group of young women about to embark on a night out, all dressed in black. White, we are told is the most popular car colour and people paint the inside of their houses a putty colour. No he is not just an ageing Hippie he just believes that with all the colour choices available in gem stones it is very limiting to confine your self to diamonds and gold. Diamonds look better and show their brilliance more when combined with a coloured stone. When you add coloured enamel to this equation the choices are just limited by the imagination.

Bernard began his fascination with eclectic design when as a youngster of twelve he began making jewellery and jugs from old copper boilers. At the completion of his secondary schooling Bernard entered a four-year apprenticeship with the leading Brisbane Jeweller Wallace Bishops Factory in Brisbane. This proved to be a fortunate move as he excelled in his chosen profession. One of Bernard's duties as an apprentice was to enamel assorted badges with vitreous enamel and it was here, that he developed a fascination for the process, which is predominant in his art. At the completion of his apprenticeship Bernard headed for Europe. During his time in London Bernard worked for the celebrated Andrew Grimer, on of Europe's leading contemporary jewellers. Leaving there he moved to the famous jewellery manufacturing area of Hatton Garden to work for Len Wilson and Co where he was given free rein to design and manufacture any piece of jewellery that he could imagine. The designs were sold at Len Wilson's Baker Street store, throughout Europe and the United Arab Emirates.

On returning to Australia, Bernard established his own business in Brisbane doing speciality manufacturing, design work, and selling estate and antique jewellery. During one of his frequent visits to the UK to purchase stock for the store he had the good fortune to meet an old craftsman. He had learned his craft from his late father who was a craftsman at one of the manufacturing jewellers doing work for Lalique in the late 1800's in Europe. This association helped Bernard develop a unique perspective, which encompassed the grandeur of that cultural period of jewellery design, not to mention the tips on manufacturing and repairing jewellery from that period that he learned.

Although the retail business in Brisbane was a successful business for many years. Bernard became dissatisfied with just commercial success and yearned for the creative freedom afforded to him in his formative years in London. In 1999 the business was sold and Bernard moved to Albany, Western Australia, to concentrate on developing and designing jewellery that reflects the style that he has acquired and refined, through his travels, his study and his experience with fellow artists.