Graduated from University and on her own, Bernice became immersed in the energy of the time, riding that wave to The Farm in Tennessee, an intentional community dedicated to living the values of a new generation. In 1973, Bernice visited The Farm with a video production team from Yale University, where she had been awarded a Fellowship. So was so taken by the energy of the community that she left Yale and the Fellowship to become part of a new cultural revolution.
The community’s Book Publishing Company struck a chord with the publication of Spiritual Midwifery, by Ina May Gaskin and The Farms Midwives. The energy of childbirth as a physical and spiritual experience was captured by Bernice’s work as a hippie illustrator, unbound in the ability to express these delicate emotions. It was during this time that Bernice married her partner and husband, and gave birth to her two daughters with the help of the community’s midwives.
The first edition of Spiritual Midwifery featured numerous color photographs and illustrations, image which ultimately were too costly to continue in future printings. One of the most spectacular was an extra-wide fold-out painting by Bernice of a loving couple attended by three of The Farm’s midwives, depicting the moment their child was born. Angelic halos illustrate the sacredness of the work of the midwives. A squirrel outside the window is captivated by the energy of the moment.
The Farm’s Vegetarian Cookbook became a best seller and a staple for good nutritious food in hippie homes all across the country. It introduced, health, low cost, vegan recipes that were easy to make and tasted good. Bernice’s cover gave it broad appeal, with it’s warm home feel, and rustic still life elegance.
The Tree of Life, an interior ceiling of the iconic greyhound bus, affectionately known as “The Doggie,” used for trips of all kinds, including carrying Plenty volunteers back and forth to Guatemala.
From Bernice: “This is an interpretation of a mystical vision that teacher Stephen Gaskin had about preserving trees in a sacred grove . I embroidered it on the back of this jacket as a thank you gift for several friends who helped me through a personal crisis. One of them kept it in his closet wrapped and covered for decades, and gave it back to our family several years ago. I call that friendship!