Bernise Daher
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
I have been painting my entire life, undergoing study at the Julian Ashton Art School and working with various community based artists over the years to develop my skills. While I have occasionally sold works through local art galleries and exhibitions, the vast majority of my work has been private commissions or sold privately through my website, www.bernicedaher.com or through my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernice-Daher/125579027547455.
My work has also been auctioned to raise funds for local and national charities such as Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and the MS Society. Overall, my art has taken second place to full time work and raising a family, but I am now retired and seeking to gain more success as an artist.
Concentrating mainly on portraiture, I also print landscapes, seascapes, wildlife and still lifes. I started painting in oils but have focused mainly on pastels, drawing and a few acrylic works over the past 10 years. I have been working with local artists Brian Agnew, Bernard and Ros Devaux to develop a unique style with pastels and to fine tune life drawing and figure work over the past 5 years.
My passion though has always been portraiture and this has been central to the private commission work I have undertaken in the past.
I have exhibited locally at art shows at Forestville and the Royal Easter Show where my work has been displayed for the past 10 years. I have won first prize at the Forestville exhibition on two occasions, also gaining a people’s choice award and a scholarship to a weeklong course at Julian Ashton Art School.
ARTIST'S REASON FOR PARTICIPATING
"I truly enjoy contributing artwork to causes that are greater than just the artwork itself. The world around us provides every artist with a wealth of material to draw upon and it is inherent upon us as artists to draw attention to the beauty and need for everything in our environment to be protected, preserved and respected."
I will enter the "Down to Earth" work and I'll probably bring it down to the nursery next weekend. Thanks for allowing me to participate and I hope the whole event works out brilliantly for you and the cause.
JOKO
​
From Captivity to Rehabilitation
On October 23, 2014, International Animal Rescue’s (IAR) centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, welcomed a three-year-old male orangutan named Joko. His rescue was prompted by public reports and social media attention highlighting his plight in the Manis Mata district. Local police acted swiftly, and Joko was voluntarily surrendered by his owner, Mr. Amirudin, who was visibly distressed by the separation.​
Mr. Amirudin had purchased Joko for 1.5 million rupiah (approximately £75) from a relative, driven by affection and a desire to care for the young orangutan. A farmer with prior experience in orangutan conservation in Central Kalimantan, Mr. Amirudin fed Joko a diet of rice and cooked vegetables and bathed him daily. During the day, Joko was chained to the porch to prevent him from wandering into neighbors' homes, and at night, he slept alongside Mr. Amirudin.​
Disturbingly, neighbors would offer Joko cigarettes to smoke and rice whiskey to drink. He had suffered from multiple bouts of diarrhea, which were treated with medications obtained from local paramedics.​
Upon arrival at IAR’s rescue centre, Joko, still bearing the chain around his neck, underwent a comprehensive health assessment during his quarantine period. The dedicated team at IAR embarked on a rehabilitation journey with Joko, focusing on nurturing his natural behaviors and preparing him for a future back in the wild.​
