Johanna Bossart: Where Science Meets Art
Local artist and future scientific illustrator, Johanna Bossart rarely travels anywhere without a paintbrush, paper, and her watercolors. It may not be the kit you’d expect a scientific illustrator to carry, but Johanna's forte isn’t the expected. Rather it’s wonderfully the opposite. This junior at Westminster describes her relationship with art as her “zen state”. She explains, “There was never one moment where I thought ‘ooh, I want to be an artist’...It’s just that my thoughts go away when I’m doing art”. On a sunny day, Johanna is likely to be spotted on Coffee Noir’s patio, enjoying the weather while creating an impromptu watercolor.
An example of one of Johanna’s scientific illustrations\
Having grown up naturally art-oriented, Johanna decided to pursue a career in art through a self-designed major. However, before her scientific illustration major, she was convinced art wouldn’t ever provide a profitable living. Rather, she studied pre-med, considering science was another passion of hers. Then, when a scientific illustrator came and spoke to her class, she realized she could combine both beloved interests. Johanna puts it this way; “Once I realized that these two things could converge in such a clean way, everything clicked. It just felt right. '' Currently, Johanna’s main focus is illustrating an upcoming Westminster textbook.
Johanna’s favorite piece that she has made
Apart from her career aspirations, scientific illustration isn’t the only outlet for this Utahn’s creativity. Her focused approach is different from that of the romantic artist. She notes, “I’ve always been drawn to observational art. I think a lot of artists like to put hidden meanings behind their art and work very abstract. That never made sense to me.” When surfing the artist’s Instagram, she showcases her wildly colorful yet realistic view of the world. While the bulk of the current watercolors are quite cute, they still depict the subject realistically despite being caricature. However, her more intricate pieces feel rather tangible and lifelike. By reframing from attaching emotional weight to a piece, Johanna gives her audience an opportunity to assign their own emotional meaning to her work.
While she’ll never fully stray from her watercolors, Johanna and her art are joining the digital age to be pragmatic with her career goals. Her art has evolved her entire life and will continue to evolve. If you want to keep up with the evolution and request commissions, check out Johanna’s Instagram @jobossart
