In July of 2015, Jerry has uploaded videos of his work put to music on YOU TUBE. He invites you to go on You Tube and search for Jerry Bokowski paintings.

Though he received formal training at the University of Arizona and various Junior Colleges, he claims that he learned the most from his grandmother, Charlotte Bokowski, and his grandfather Bill Willmarth. Charlotte taught him her unique style of CHARCOAL BRUSHING as she called it. She wrote a book entitled Light From The Shadows...he can still hear her voice offering tips while he paints. Bill Willmarth was a retired commercial artist. He also was an accomplished oil, watercolor and ceramic artist.

Jerrys grandmother Charlotte, became acquainted with Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia, in the early 1960s. She did one of her charcoal portraits of him that appeared in the local newspaper. She often took Jerry along to Teds studio. Jerry loved the rugged desert terrain and rustic Santa Fe architecture, and still remembers the smell of fresh oil paint in Teds studio. From Teds studio, Jerry could see Finger Rock of the Catalina Mountains. The natural beauty of this prominent peak in Tucson would inspire future paintings. He still has 3-D stereo color slides of his grandmother and Ted, talking art and life during one their visits to the Gallery in the Sun, over 50 years ago.

During the early 1970s, Jerry helped pay his way through college by painting portraits of people or their pets.

In 1976, Jerry started a business where his artistic talents would face a new challenge. He owned a custom painting and van conversion shop. Jerry said, In the mid seventies to late eighties there were a lot of airbrush art murals on the sides of vans and pickups, with colorful graphics as well. Vans quickly morphed into luxury travel machines. For 15 years, Jerry was called on to paint a huge variety of subjects from the San Xavier Mission, Star Wars scenes, the Orion Nebula, seascapes, sunsets, stage coaches, show dogs, animals, snow capped mountains and more. All this had to done with an airbrush using automotive paint with NO texture. All work was coated with clear acrylic urethane, polished to a mirror finish. Jerry received very positive feedback at car shows of the time.

He said, Its one thing to do a commission painting on canvas, but back then people were paying hard earned money for me to paint their expensive automobiles, vans, & pick-ups. Everyone drove away happy though and proud of their unique vehicle.

Style/Technique. When asked about his style and technique, Jerry responded:

I simply choose a subject that I have a passion and appreciation for, and apply acrylic paint to a blank canvas by means of an airbrush for my skies and a paintbrush for my mountains and deserts. The contrast of atomized paint for sky, clouds, atmosphere, and brush strokes for mountains, rocks, and vegetation, give my work a unique look. I hope to capture a viewers attention from across the room. The painting will then beckon one to come up close and personal In an age of High Definition movies and TV, the image will have a measure of focus and clarity from 3 feet away, but still look like a hand painted work of art. I love to paint real places here in the southwest, be it at the foot of a majestic crag or at the top of a summit overlooking a distant valley. I then add the dynamic of weather and season, be it summer storm or winter snow or fall colors or spring wild flowers.I have personally been to almost every location I paint either by car, bike or hike. Painting is one way I attempt to share my passion for the rugged beauty and diversity that is Arizona and Utah. For me, there is no greater compliment an artist can have, than to have someone willing to pay me for a piece that they want to make a part of their home...a place they can visit and enjoy time and time again without leaving their house.

Starting in November of 2014, Jerry is now uploading his photographs that represent his passion for the spectacular landscapes of the Great Southwest.

Jerry and his wife Janet have made their home and Art Studio in Vail, Arizona, about 20 miles from downtown Tucson. It is surrounded by the desert and mountains that he has been in love with for over 50 years. His originals can be seen by appointment. Please feel free to contact him if you are visiting near Tucson, Arizona.