Bio
Bernice U. is a self-taught contemporary artist from Nigeria, now residing in London, Ontario, Canada. Despite limited early encouragement, her creative spirit thrived, transforming everyday materials into art. This passion persisted throughout her journalism degree and brief career as an on-air personality, yet she soon realized that the corporate world wasn’t her true calling.
Relocating to Canada opened new creative avenues, allowing her to blend her Nigerian heritage and experiences as a Black woman into her art. Her work explores the natural “curves” of life—its joys, struggles, growth, and connections. She celebrates womanhood, faith, and Black identity through textured forms and vibrant colours, capturing the beauty of everyday moments. Bernice’s art reaches out to others who connect with her story, fostering understanding and connection along the way.
Artist Statement
Bernice's art merges painting and sculpture, transforming traditional canvases into vibrant, three-dimensional experiences. Using bold colors and textural elements like plaster, clay, acrylic paint, and resin, she brings depth and movement to her work.
Her pieces, often depicting strong women, honor cultural heritage and identity, blending traditional and modern influences in themes of strength, beauty, and resilience. Through this fusion, her art invites viewers to experience the “curves” of life—its complexity, beauty, and hidden strength.
Each work becomes a tapestry of stories, inspired by personal experiences and the resilience of everyday life. Her compositions invite a journey through universal themes of womanhood, faith, and Black identity, resonating deeply with those who share her story or seek to understand it.
Bernice’s art is a testament to the power of creativity to inspire, connect, and reveal beauty in life’s most unexpected moments.
It’s an insatiable drive, an all-consuming passion that fills my thoughts and fuels my dreams. I can’t imagine being anything other than an unapologetic artist.
Sharing my art is a personal journey of rediscovering and revealing my own magic after years of keeping it hidden. My hope is to inspire anyone who encounters my work to let their own light shine, sparking a ripple that encourages others to do the same.