Welcome to the brief history of EverBern.
The name EverBern is a combination of one of Zach's names
-paired with the shortened version of my grandmother's name, Bernice - why it's spelled Bern.
In August 2014, about a month before we married, Zach and I were hired to paint a public mural for a local non-profit, and we officially started EverBern.
A dear friend designed the original logo as a wedding gift. Looking back, it brings me joy to remember those days when we began our creative business.
We did many shows together around Milwaukee and Madison, made new friends in the art world, and our dates were often spent creating or thrifting.
It all started with our shared dream of being our own bosses, gaining creative freedom, collaborating with others, and offering opportunities to those with similar visions. This shared intention directed the focus of our new venture.
Our business focused on our original art, reselling vintage items, and upcycling with both vintage and art. And we were motivated and determined.
In 2020, things shifted, as did our creative goals.
Zach began fixing and refurbishing vintage gaming consoles while customizing them with his unique artistic style.
He was involved with a community both online and in person.
He was so knowledgeable and passionate about all of it.
My art began to focus even more on mixed media and on exploring as many materials and perspectives as possible, with waterscapes as the main content, and my series, Water Worldz, became the main focus of my visual art.
In late 2021 and into 2022, we started to revamp EverBern and our website and shop. We were coming out of a pandemic shutdown, recharged, and ready for a future full of promise with our new goals.
And then...2023.
In early 2023, Zach began to feel unwell, leading to several hospital visits.
On April 18, 2023, Zach was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer.
I then stepped away from teaching to be his full-time caregiver
-the hardest and most heartfelt and heartbreaking job I EVER had the honor of.
We and HE didn't give up on creativity. Zach quickly declined. His hearing and eyesight became ultra-sensitive, he was in a lot of pain despite what seemed like countless meds, and he was often exhausted.
He didn't want visitors. This was a hard message to accept and deliver.
I respected his wishes and continue to do right by Zach.
We knew where this was leading, and it simply felt so lonely.
We were in this portal together, finding comfort where we could despite the circumstances.
A portal that would inevitably lead him to one realm and me to another.
These diverging journeys influenced how we approached our final days together.
When he had a burst of energy, he’d paint or plan how to paint an NES Nintendo console.
We created a new EverBern logo; each of us took half.
He wrote Ever, and I wrote Bern.
His art was still featured in a local art show. With any energy he had, he still created.
On August 14, 2023, Zach passed away.
The world lost an amazing human and artist that day.
I lost my husband, my best friend, and my business partner.
Sadly, I also lost all ambition to move forward creatively, as it felt forced.
Many people encouraged me to create, saying how good it would be for me to paint.
I felt the opposite then. I'm an energy person - and I didn't want to put that very low energy into my art.
I wanted to throw it all away.
It felt burdensome to me.
Eventually, and thankfully, my energy shifted. I began to create again, despite still feeling lost and uncertain about how to move forward—especially without my creative partner for feedback or to share ideas with.
I always knew I'd keep EverBern for the legacy of what we once shared.
I have exciting plans for it, which I will share as they unfold.
We never wanted to get rid of the name, and because it now represents two amazing and angelic people, it holds nothing but
positive feelings for me.
Zach’s art and legacy still exist, while I can move forward with a new passion project that stemmed from this very circumstance.
Camp Portalistic.
EverBern will continue
-but in a new and different way, and the primary focus will be to
help and inspire other creatives.
The portals of our lives lead us to our current and hopefully better versions of ourselves.
My life with Zach and our goals remain layers in this creative, evolving tapestry.
I only hope to make him and others proud by staying creative, while connecting and encouraging others to do the same.
And that’s how Camp Portalistic came to be.
I didn’t seek it out - it found me.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
~Sharon
