Here is little story to help ease the grief of the passing of a dear friend and mentor.  Brian Curran was my master's advisor first, a dear friend later, and was, in a sense, a second father. I had seen him all over the world: in Pennsylvania, Florida, California, New York City, and all over Italy, where we frequently walked together when our research trips overlapped. He was my tireless champion, a brilliant mind with a biting wit, and an iconoclast.  His wife, Mary, told me that once his ALS had robbed him of the ability to walk, he sometimes dreamed that he still could, so I wrote this little poem for him at that time.  I was moved to put it into pictures this week as my mind lingered on his memory. 

"For Brian", Jessica Boehman. Mixed media (ink, acrylic ink, gouache, watercolor, and collage), with some art for Brian.  

My sister and I took a trip abroad to Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, and the Isle of Skye. We spent some time drawing to remember the trip better. Goal: start painting again so I can better capture the haunting colors of the landscapes I see. Here are the most successful of the drawings. All drawings below are in pencil.

This was our first drawing the day we landed in Ireland. A simple sketch to mark the old monastery and cemetery of Glendalough. 

That night, we were heavily jetlagged. Even though we had only had three hours of sleep, it felt like afternoon EST. So we drew. I drew my sister as she drew the window of the Old Coach House in Avoca, where Mick, the Innkeeper, won the award for Most Awesome Host. 

The next day we spent traveling to Scotland and learning to navigate the roads, and traveled to Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield. So no drawing. But the following day, we spent a few hours at Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness, befriending two men who were the keepers of the castle. It was freezing with a high wind coming off the loch, so we took a break with a bracing cup of tea and then toured the now-empty castle, free of throngs of tourists. 

The next day we traveled to Dunrobin Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Sutherland. The castle was imposing and lovely, and we took in an exciting falconry show, walked along the Moray Firth and then drew in the lovely gardens. The large leaves in the background are giant rhubarb.

On the 11th, we drove to Skye, which was lovely but harrowing. We received some devastating news that night, so the next morning, in the quiet and the sun, I drew to calm my mind and my spirit. This is the view from our AirBnB. The other direction pointed out to Loch Snizort. 

Eilean Donan castle, on our way back to Inverness from Skye. Our last day in Scotland. Wish we had more time and energy to draw more, but alas. 

Breaking ground on a new project, an expansion of a smaller project I made in Winter 2016. Here's my first sketch--a character design in a three-point turnaround.  "Mr. Potter"  Stay tuned!

I've been thinking about what it is to be a woman: then and now.  About how so often we are receptors for unwanted things, defined by others' eyes, thoughts, hands, and words.  
I found this drawing, half started, still line art, in my office. I had actually started her three years ago, but there she was, unfinished. I had imagined some sort of monster, perhaps a dragon or a kraken, devouring the lady. Was she Cleolinda, St. George's princess, or perhaps Andromeda, rescued by Perseus? Both of these women weren't heroes, but rather pawns: tied, bound, sacrificed, rescued, or saved by men.  But when I took the paper out to work on her again, the lightly-sketched lines identified someone else: Daphne, that tragic character from Greek myth. She was a nymph who fell on the wrong side of Cupid's game. Apollo, pierced by the gold-tipped arrow, desired Daphne, but Cupid, the God of Love, had already hardened her heart with a lead-tipped arrow, and her would-be, could-be love turned to fear, and so she ran from Apollo. She ran until she knew she'd be caught, and then she called upon her father, a river god, to save her. Her fear must have been real and terrifying: it was the God of the Sun who chased her. Did his love, and his proximity, burn her skin? Is that why she ran to her father and the water? Did she seek him out so she wouldn't burn? He obliged, but it was the end of Daphne. Caught between Apollo's desire and her father's rescue, Daphne was lost, turned into a laurel tree. Apollo tore the leaves from her body and wove them into his hair.

Jessica Marie Boehman, "Daphne" Copyright 2017. Graphite on Arches hot press paper. Please do not reproduce or repost without permission.

Shortly after New Year, I was contacted by Mt Duneed Estate in Australia. The Estate has a sizeable brewery and wanted to license an old drawing of mine, which was unavailable, to use on a short run lager for a festival. So instead, I came up with a new design for them to use. It was a quick project with a tight turnaround, but it was really fun to do, and it's even more fun having my illustration on an Australian microbrew. Cheers!

All images are exclusively owned by Mt. Duneed Estate. Do not reproduce.

Here is the beer before wrapping, after wrapped with the image, after shaping, and being filled! This tickles me pink. 

Recently, I received a commission to create an image of a giraffe playing a banjo in the style of my old musical animals.  The request touched my heart, as a daughter was asking for her mother's birthday: "A year or so ago I bought my mom a copy of your hippo with the violin. It is one of her most precious possessions. You see, she was in one of the first cohorts of Peace Corps volunteers and spent several years living in Kenya that were among the happiest of her life. Much later, at age 70, she decided she wanted to learn the fiddle, and has since become an incredible player and teacher. So the hippo with the fiddle/violin speaks to her life story in an unexpected and deep way. I would love to add to her African animal bluegrass band with a giraffe playing a banjo."  Well, here it is:

"Giraffe with Banjo," pencil,  2017 Jessica Boehman. Please do not reproduce without permission.

I was recently contacted to do some rebranding for a delightful farm and creamery in North Platte, Nebraska, called Farm Cottage Creamery.  There, Libby and her husband raise pigs and jersey cows and may be adding goats! She wanted an illustrated logo to give more personality and an English garden feel for her branding. When I found out that her mascot is a lovely Jersey heifer named Bambi, I knew she had to make it into the logo. Those eyes!  I had fun playing around with the logo, which she wanted to be able to fit on her Body Butters (semi-circular), and then on some stickers for packaging and a business card.  Enjoy!  

All images are owned and are the exclusive property of Farm Cottage Creamery, Nebraska. Please do not reproduce without their permission. 

Above: the main logo. Pencil, digital color. Copyright 2017 Jessica Boehman. 

Above: Stickers! A Bambi for All Seasons. I got a little silly with these. All in all, a really fun commission with a great client.

If you're looking for an illustrated logo, please use the contact button above and get in touch! Stay tuned for some more commission work.

This Christmas, I made this drawing for my big sister, who is longing for the green woods. Being a green girl myself, I added a little bit of my own longing in here, too. 

"Soul Place" 2016 Jessica Boehman. Colored pencil, pencil, gouache. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Yesterday was my birthday, so I planned a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Greek and Roman sculpture gallery with my students of Beginning Drawing. It was a wonderful day with perfect (but quickly-changing) light, and the students were happy, and we had a lovely time. Here is my drawing of the Bearded Herakles. I think I will need his strength and courage in the coming year. 

"Bearded Herakles" Pencil. 

Inktober came with the best of intentions. It passed me by only 1/3 completed.  But here are a few of my favorite ink and acrylic ink drawings from that period. I was playing with some different styles.

"Anne of Green Gables"

"Poldark"

"Mr. Arnolfini Finds a Reason to Smile" or, what happens when I am giving an art history exam and have time to doodle.

"1980"