Noted international artist, Bogomir Bogdanovic, of Perham, Maine, and formerly of Warwick, New York, died March 25, 2011 at the age of 87.  His son, Milan Bogdanovic, and his daughter-in-law, Tina Bogdanovic, also both of Perham, survive him.  His sister Bosiljka and her husband, Alexander Zdravkovic and a nephew, Ninoslav and his wife, Suzana Zdravkovic, also survive him.  His wife Joan, and his daughter, Milanka, predeceased him.

Born in Senje, in the former Yugoslavia, in 1923, Mr. Bogdanovic studied Art and Architecture at Belgrade University. His studies were interrupted by World War II when he became a Chetnik, a guerilla fighting first against the German invaders and then against Marshall Tito’s communist forces. It was during this time that his unit was credited with saving the lives of numerous American Pilots downed during the bombing of the Axis-held oil fields in the Ploesti region. He immigrated to New York in 1957, at the age of 34. While making a living as an illustrator for a manufacturing company, he painted the seasonal beauty of New York City in oil, pastel and watercolor. His heart’s desire, however, was to capture the picturesque countryside of upstate New York where he discovered the quaint town of Warwick. Warwick satisfied his need to be close to both the New York City artist’s market and the serene subject matter he loved to paint. Mr. Bogdanovic remained in Warwick for over 50 years where he was known to one and all as “Bogo” or “Bogey”.

Mr. Bogdanovic’s work consists of varied subjects, primarily of breathtaking landscapes dotted with brightly-clad people pursuing their daily activities. He was especially proud of his award winning canvases of New York’s Central Park and rural scenes in and about Warwick and neighboring Sussex County, New Jersey. “I paint everything,” he used to say, “but not abstractions”. He preferred his art to be recognizable; “it’s an amazing experience to watch a painting reveal itself, be it on paper or canvas.” He very much enjoyed painting on location and rarely used photographs unless he had taken them himself. For several decades, he was a familiar sight, smoking his cigar and mixing his paints along the local highways and byways. Despite occasionally bad weather, he was known to endure many long hours in snow and ice waiting to capture his subject in just the “right light”.

Mr. Bogdanovic often compared his profession to being a hunter, searching for revelations of beauty worth capturing in his own inimitable style. It is doubtless his keen “hunter’s eye” combined with a superb technique that has resulted in his accumulating many awards and honors throughout his long career.  His beautiful portrayals of New York City and upstate New York have homes at President Sukarno’s Palace in Indonesia as well as the New York Times building and City Hall in New York City.  Mr. Bogdanovic’s numerous awards include the Charles Dana Gold Medal from Pennsylvania Academy, Franklin Mint Gold Medal, Audubon Artists Gold Medal and American Watercolor Society Silver Medal.  His honors included:  Elected Member, Jury, and Judge and Director of the American Watercolor Society, Knickerbocker Artists, Audubon Artists, Allied Artists of America, Honorary member, Southwestern Watercolor Society, Honorary Member, Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who International.  He was also an Official Artist for the United States Navy.

For many years, Mr. Bogdanovic was an avid hunter and fisherman and pursued these avocations, often with his son, throughout the Northeast. Having experienced first-hand the infiltration of Yugoslavia by communists and then the repressive nature of life there, he was at all times an outspoken champion of democracy and of his adopted homeland.

Visitation will be on Friday, April 1st, , from 5:00-8:00pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY 10990.  Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00am on Saturday at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 2250 Goshen Turnpike, Middletown, NY,  followed by interment in Warwick Cemetery.