BIOGRAPHY
Bohdan
was born in London in 1948 of Polish parents who came to
England as refugees at the end of the Second World War.
He moved to Ireland in 1974 initially settling in Co. Antrim.
He is self taught. Taking up watercolours in 1991 and joining
The Ulster University Art Group, exhibiting both at the
University and Galleries in Northern Ireland.
In 1994 a serious accident, in which his hand was severely
damaged curtailed his painting and he decided to move to
Co. Donegal. Where he lives with his partner Elizabeth and
their cat, dog's and horses. In 2002 an Invitation to exhibit
in the North West Artists exhibition in Sligo galvanised
him into painting again, now on a professional basis, participating
in many more exhibitions such asThe Glebe Gallery in Churchill.
Initially most of his work was landscape but now includes
figurative, botanical and still life. In his own words "If
an image moves me I paint it".
Many visitors to Ireland have been strongly impressed by
his work and have taken them home to all corners of the
world incl. Australia. New Zealand. South Africa and The
U.S.A. His work can currently be viewed in varous galleries
in Ireland.
He was elected to The Ulster Watercolour Society in 2005
and to the society's council in 2007. In 2007 he won The
Carnathan Galleries Award for "White Rocks, Co. Antrim."
In
Ferbruary 2009, by invitation, Bohdan exhibited in Montreal,
Canada where his work was very well received.
In
April 2009 he was elected to the Watercolour Society of
Ireland.
"In
order to paint, the image must inspire me both visually
and emotionally (to varying degrees). I become emotionally
involved with the work and continue to do so even after
the work is complete (?) so far only with watercolour do
I maintain this attachment. I manipulate colour (emotionally)
and light and shade (visually) to create vibrant images
to impact on viewers vision and emotion."