 Upon his return to California, Bierk was admitted to Humboldt State University where he earned a bachelor of arts 1969, and a master of fine arts in 1970.Bierk's sister-in-law lived in Toronto, Canada, and in 1971 he immigrated there with his young family.During the year that he lived in Toronto, Bierk immersed himself in the local cultural scene, which he described, "...I familiarized myself with the gallery scene...which struck me as vibrant, pioneering, and exploratory."