Bernice Shaller was born in 1952, Washington, DC, and grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland. She has a BS Degree from the University of Maryland and a MA from George Washington University. She perfected her technical expertise over many years at the National Gallery of Art by researching and copying the old masters. Pulmonary disease resulted from a sensitivity to oil paint and solvents, and medical consultants advised her to stop painting. Instead, she developed a unique technique using egg tempera, updating a method used centuries ago. She often combines the egg tempera with gold leaf. One of her collectors commented, “Bernice is a life-long artist- - deeply intuitive and natural.Vibrant colors, glorious perspective and subtle perception are all hallmarks of her work. Her paintings radiate life. They bring me constant joy and peace.” Over five decades, Shaller evolved from painting traditional subjects to working from her imagination and heart. “When I paint, I am transformed…when finished, it’s like waking from a dream, she states. Shaller has participated in many group and one-person exhibitions and is represented in public and private collections in the United States and abroad. In 1995 she was inducted into the National Association of Women Artists, and a representation of her work (via slides) are housed in the US National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.