Bernadette   de Cesare        My work in pastel.               " I am a visionary artist, a visual storyteller where I am guided by my intuition.              My art gives me joyful surprises as well as artistic discomfort" Bernadette weaves symbolic imagery and mystical connections through out her work. They emerge from a form of daydreams, where she reaches into her home life, people, animals, landscapes and metaphysical studies. The results at times vary from simple to complex, richly colorful and/or completely in the world of abstraction. They reflect her ever-changing choices where, as she says, "the realm of the subconscious is part of the journey".She had mostly worked in oil and acrylic until about a decade ago when she discovered the soft pastel medium and fell in love with it. Working in pastel encourages the eye to hand connection that animates her work, and makes it easier to achieve the deeply layered colors and varied textures of her intuitive images. Born in Brooklyn N.Y., she grew up all around the New York City area. She lived in Northern New Jersey, Baltimore Maryland, L.A. California, Port Jefferson L.I., and spent many summers on Cape Cod. These experiences, along with extensive travels around the U.S., Mexico, and Europe have all contributed to the stories and images in her work. Bernadette graduated from the Parsons School of Design into the kaleidoscopic New York art world of the 1960's and 1970's supporting herself as a Fashion Illustrator and Graphic Designer as her own art developed. Her training and appreciation of photography from her father, in her early years, mentor/photographer George Hester and her teacher at Parsons, Diane Arbus, gave her a strong foundation in her creative endeavors. Bernadette is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, the oldest Pastel Society in the United States. She is a Signature member of the New Jersey Pastel Society, member of the Pastel Society of Maine and a new member of the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod. Bernadette has been juried in for three years, In the Enduring Brilliance Exhibition, held at the Grand Gallery in the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park NYC. Her work has been published several times and received awards in the Pastel Journal Magazine 100 Competition. Currently her work will be in 2020 Edition in the spring. She is also included in the book "Art Journey of Abstract Painting, A Celebration of Contemporary Art" by Jamie Markle.There have been numerous awards and recognitions over the years through many art organizations and pastel societies. Her works are in private collections and galleries in the New York and New Jersey areas. Here in Maine you can see her work in the; Green Lion Gallery in Bath, Stables in Damariscotta and the River Arts Gallery in Damariscotta. She moved to Maine in 2017 with her husband, artist Bob Morello to be close to their sons, as well as to Maine's creative possibilities. As she says…"I am enjoying finding my way around Maine's strong art community. It is a welcome challenge, and living in coastal Maine is truly amazing."                                            The more you create, more the channel stays open"            She welcomes the observer to connect to her paintings and share in her journey"                         Contact: https://www.bdecesare.com and Facebook. porttarot@aol.com   2019