Meet Henry Bosak | Realism painter and illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Henry Bosak and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Henry, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I born in raised in eastern Nebraska in a very small town. My work ethic is from that upbringing. You work hard and do the best job you can and I still have that philosophy today. I was also taught that you should treat others like you would want them to treat you. These things have taught me over time that you will never get it perfect but it is definitely something to strive for.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I consider myself a realism artist. I try to paint my subject matter as realistic as I can. Not photo realistic but close. I am self taught at painting, a lot of canvases over the years! I do consider myself a professional artist and I take my work seriously. My goal is to do my painting full time and I believe that day will come. I started out painting, trying to copy other artist styles and I soon came to realise that you will not go anywhere by being someone else. I found my style over time and know that it doesn’t come overnight. I keep my palette simple. I use the three primary colors and white only. On occasion I will use a specific color if I can’t mix it but generally I stick to that palette. I prime all of my canvases in a neutral acrylic ‘house paint’. I grid out the canvas and then hand draw my subject on the canvas. When I paint, I start in the upper left corner and ‘finish paint’ down and right until I reach the bottom.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, my wife and I recently moved to Gilbert in the east valley and with Covid, we haven’t had the opportunity to check out the area as much as we would have liked. But when things return to ‘normal’ we would love to be able to take friends to downtown Gilbert. We live within walking distance and there is a lot of great restaurants, shops and bars that we would love to frequent. There is a small coffee shop “Bergies Coffee Roast House” that has a very fun and funky feel that we love to visit on weekends. They have a wonderful outdoor area that just has such a laid back feel.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who I want to say thank you for who I am and where I am today. First off that would be my wife Tracy, who loves me and believes in me and my work. My parents, Al and Evelyn, who gave me the encouragement to pursue my artistic talent. My high school art teacher, Marilyn Dannelly, who opened up my eyes to art of all types. Then there is Bonnie Lewis who gave me my big break and offered to show my art in her gallery and has mentored me since that day. Sean and Carrie Beth McGarry, who own {9}The Gallery in Phoenix, who have shown and promoted my work.
Website: henrybosak.com
Instagram: #bosakfineart
Linkedin: henrybosak
Facebook: henry bosak