Creativity, Purpose, and Peace

Hardcover and 242 pages, including 29 full-bleed images of my artwork on photo paper–all printed locally in Berkeley.

Finalist for Best Overall Design in Non-Fiction in the 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

 

When I started to make art again while working full-time, I had no idea what adventures it would bring

At first glance, this is a story of a tech employee who quits her job to make art and finds herself along the way, but this book is about something more...

The search for something more took me from the suburbs of Chicago to Stanford and Oxford, and all the way to Wall Street and Silicon Valley–some of the most elite institutions in the world. The search for something more also took me to the bare wooden floors of yoga studios, the white walls of art studios, and even to an anarchist bookstore and the city dump.

As I reconnected with different aspects of my identity, my body, my creativity, and more, I found what was at the core of what I was looking for all along: a true feeling of self-acceptance.

Between each chapter, you'll find a piece of art I made along the way and the pieces of wisdom that inspired each.

In their words

 

“I am in the process of creating my purpose, so I really connected with Bernadette's process and felt inspired. This book gave me permission to create my own “something more.” Seeing how Bernadette's unique path isn’t a straight line makes her approach more accessible to anyone. She makes it clear that taking a leap, doing the work, and following your “something more” works.”

— Tommy Kuntze, Independent Designer

“I love this book. Beautiful, raw, and true. Thank you for putting your love out in the world for us to see and hold and feel. What a gift."

— Elle Luna, Artist and Author of The Crossroads of Should and Must

“Great book to hold and read. The book’s design, artwork, and quotes are beautiful–I even highlighted quotes I liked. The story resonated with different facets of my own journey as an immigrant, and sparked conversations about how we're all so similar even though we come from different countries, navigating our own paths amidst cultural expectations.”

— Reza Behforooz, VP of Engineering at Google

Listen in

I'd love to share with you the author Q&A led by Majo Molfino, women's leadership coach and host of podcast Heroine.fm. The event was held on February 8, 2017 at the tea room of The Center SF with over 60 people in attendance.