Travel memories- Ireland dawns by J. Bohoy

From a trip to Ireland, too long ago:

It's dawn.

Aqua mist reveals:

the hills; the castle; the velvet greens.

the moss, the mounds; a mirrored lake.

A silent Irish beauty.

1974, Acrylic, 26x26

Artist's collection.

 

 In an Irish cottage:

A rich little place.

Blossoms on walls envelop the room.

With treasures of paintings, furniture, and lace.

Touring the cottage- no one's around.

She looks in the mirror- not to be found.

1974, Acrylic 36 x 39

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Travel memories- Portugal-Bohoy

In yesterday’s Boston Sunday Globe newsaper I was interviewed for their VIP travel section entitled “A VIP reader talks about all things travel.” Read it here: https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=0e007f99-8051-456f-bcb4-738dc692a7d2

In honor of travel (and that time of year when we think of traveling) I will be featuring my travel paintings– starting with Portugal:

Travel. Tired. Trip into bed.

Trays of bread, butter, sweets and coffee wait outside the door in the early morn. Obrigado

Pastel of Villa Real, Portugal, 2008

Original NFS [email for available print]

In Nazare a Fisherman's widow dressed in all black strolls the beach with the background of the unforgiving azure blue sea.

Pastel, 2008 [email for available available]

"Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life." –painting collage by Johanna Bohoy

"Be happy for this moment. 
This moment is your life." 

Omar Khayyam

Have a memorable holiday and a happy New Year.

Mixed media painting collage

   I accidentally found this YouTube video of a child reading my children's book "The Nothing Zoo" and it is so cute that I have to share it. 

Adorable. 

And here are some other illustrations from the book. 

Note: I did this many years ago and had followup books on the environment, but at that time publishers weren't interested in saving our planet. So.... they sit in a drawer. A sad commentary on the industry. If anyone is interested in backing my books, let me know.

  

Last Hug

Last Hug.
Before the sun will set.
Before the stars do cease.
Before you go to endless sleep.
A moment of perfect peace.
♥

[Our dear friend Viv was experiencing great pain, nausea and sickness from cancer. But when her grandson hugged her a smile spread across her face, and it all disappeared for one moment of true happiness. Larry captured the photo, and I painted it.
She passed the following week].

Pastel, 16 x 20

April rains

Down comes the rain.
Up go umbrellas.
From above we see:
A box of Trix,
or a carton of crayons,
or a field of flowers.
Yes–- April showers.

Pastel, 5x7, NFS

Prism on moon nite

Prism from the window reflecting on my painting "Moon Night" on the wall.

Birds in egg. Pollution, extinction.

I did this art in college as I was concerned about pollution, extinction, and the environment back then. 

I also did my senior thesis project on the very subject. 

Amazing that so many years later (too many to reveal), we are still worried about the environment-- pollution, extinction, warming, melting... 

and it still continues to alter our earth.

22x17, pencil, collage, and emboss. 

70s

BNN Portrait Exhibit, Boston, Bohoy

My self portrait will be in the juried:

"Portraits and the Stories Behind Them"  

at the Boston Neighborhood Network, 

BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery

June and July, 2017

Exhibit curated by Janice Williams, Art Studio 99. 

See the paintings:https://youtu.be/h26dcyU0pHg

See all the portraits and the stories behind them at:

http://www.artstudio99.com/currentcuratedexhibit.html

Outakes from my interview with BNN TV.

Holiday Reflections

"Life is a reflection of how you look at it." Our holiday card from 2003 is so hauntingly relevant that we are repeating it this year.  Let us hope we can all come together in 2017. Digital painting, 2003, NFS

My quilt

From my exhibit- "Many years; Many faces"  Category: Me

I started this art sometime, many years ago– 

a self portrait

with a quilt covering of things in the world that were part of me; some unwillingly.

The plan was to keep adding to my quilt of life over the years. Recently I discovered it in a drawer –many years later.

So, I added some more things; very aware that there are large gaps of missing time.

To be continued...

“My quilt”  ?-2016, 12.5 x 17, Ink & watercolor, NFS

Mom and her dog

From my exhibit- 

"Many years; Many faces"

Category: Women- Mom

Mom Loves Choochie.

You can see it in her eyes; 

the sweet smile.

She loves her dog. 

More than anything.

Her friend, her child, her world. ~ 

 80s, Pencil, NFS

Many years; Many faces- Bohoy painting exhibit

You are cordially invited to view my exhibit: 
"Many years; Many faces" 
Paintings that capture many men, women, children and pets who have been a part of my life throughout the years. 
Beverly Farms Library, 24 Vine St, Beverly Farms, MA, (978) 921-6066
Through the month of September, 2016.

(This is a sequel to my recent exhibit “Many years; Many places; Travels from my hand” which featured the many places I had traveled throughout the years)

Reach for Peace.

Peace.
Let's all reach for it.

Pastel, 8x10, NFS

The beach is back

The snow and ice have melted to sea. 
A pastel of peach warms the sand; the water; the sky. 
Not a sound is heard- but for a seagull above. 
Our beach is back.

West Beach, Beverly Farms, MA

Watercolor, 30 x 11, 1994

Box of Hearts

In February I wear a heart everyday. My collection is nestled in empty velvet chocolate boxes and each represents people or things that I love. See grid.
1. Steuben glass heart- It all started as a teen when I bought a glass heart made by Corning Glass. A teardrop was suspended within- how could I resist? The original was three times the size but it was stolen and replaced by this one. 
2. Ballet pink sparkly heart- for my love of ballet, music & dance. I wear it to ballet class.
3. Swarovski red crystal heart- from my loved husband.
4. Tiffany silver heart- from loved stepdaughter Robin.
5. Purple heart- for all of life's wars I've bravely fought.
6. Vintage pink stone & pearl heart - from my loved sister.
7. Black Jet Mourning heart- for all those lost that I loved.
8. Swirl black & white heart- for my swirl of loved friends & family.
9. Copper engraved heart- my favorite metal- for my health.
10. Green Malachite heart- for my love of nature.
11. Painted sunflower heart- from loved stepdaughter Kim.
12. Sea shell heart- a gift from the sea.
13. Leopard heart- for my loved animals.
14. Antique Art Nouveau heart- for my love of antiques & the arts.
15. Porcelain Rose heart- for my love of roses & flowers.

16. Amber heart- from my honeymoon in Dominican Republic.
17. Italian Murano heart- for my love of travel, esp Italy.
18. Aquamarine glass heart- for my favorite color.
19. White cut out lace heart- for my love of lace and all things hand made. Full circle back to Corning Glass who made the heart.

And I have more. 

Pastel, 9 x 11.5, NFS

Our cat Pumpkin, pastels, Bohoy

Pastels, 8x10 NFS.

Alvin Ailey Wade in the Water, Bohoy pastel

The first time I saw Alvin Ailey's "Revelations-Take me to the Water" I never put it out of my mind. Undulating, athletic bodies, white on white on white: ruffled dresses, a billowing 'cloud', a parasol on high; all on floating silk ribbons of 'river,' dancing to the pulsating spiritual "Wade in the Water."  

This year for my birthday I needed to return to the water and see it again.  

I won't wash it out of my mind.

Pastel, 16x20, unframed, $495. 

Boy with cat

Jack.

And his cat.

The Prince.

A fluff of white.

In hands so tight.

Who's purring who?

Pastel, 8x10, NFS 

[Portraits of people and pets available. Contact me.]

Borgia the Cat

Watercolor, 13x15,
NFS- Artist's Collection