Johanna Boccardo with one of her pieces. Photo courtesy of the artist
“I want to create a space for daydreaming.”
Artwork Archive's Featured Artist Johanna Boccardo is a Miami-based Venezuelan artist with an ample creative career that includes editorial illustration, product design, fine arts as well as urban street art.
Through the masterful use of different media, Johanna navigates the realms of media and color, where she intricately weaves color and abstract concepts into tangible expressions. She explores the application and interaction of color sequences to develop abstract ideas and provoke thought, reaching beyond literal meanings.
In her work on paper, Johanna uses advanced color theory to deepen the effects of emotionally charged chromatic results, often by using complex layers of geometry, color, and texture.
As part of Johanna’s exploration using color media, she developed a new form of street art called Tapebombing. This involves adorning colored tapes to mundane objects that may otherwise go unnoticed in everyday life, transforming overlooked items into ephemeral art pieces
This technique, which debuted in Miami's Design District and Wynwood Arts District, highlights the transient beauty of art and its profound impact on urban spaces.
Artwork Archive had the chance to chat with Johanna Boccardo about her favorite part of her creative process, advice she has for other artists, and how Artwork Archive makes her art career more manageable!
You can see more of her work on Discovery and learn more about her art practice below:
Johanna Boccardo, Beach Blanket 1, 43 x 63 in
Do you have a favorite or most satisfying part of your process? If so, can you share a bit about it?
Starting a new piece is always my favorite part—the sensation that anything is possible between the dream and the final, crystallized version that will come.
I always stack new pieces in between those I’m fully committed to. It keeps my creative rhythm fresh.
I also love destroying the pieces I don’t like.
What initially drew you to the exploration of color sequences and color theory in your artwork?
It’s in my nature. I experience the world 99% through my eyes, and what I see transforms into sensations of temperature, texture, taste, and sound.
The way light bounces off surfaces makes my skin come alive.
Could you explain more about your unique style of Tapebombing? What was the development process and what inspired this form of street art?
I started creating pop-up, temporary color installations in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami just before gentrification took its toll.
I became enamored with its simple, secondary structures and urban elements, like fences and racks, because they were not being noticed amidst the bustle.
The objective of my tape-bombing was to highlight everything that went unnoticed by simple eyes. That’s what I’m interested in: anything that’s invisible to other people. I guess it was my own personal homage to the neighborhood´s roots and history.
Johanna Boccardo, 'Color Study in Orange Peel', 40 x 60 in
Can you elaborate on the concept of ephemerality in your work and why it’s important to you?
As time passes, I've noticed that I'm spending more time and energy exploring the liminal spaces of ideas—the invisible, uncrystallized versions of ideas.
The fact that some things don't get done does not equate to their nonexistence in my eyes.
Temporary work fueled my passion for creating things that would never belong to anyone.
What impact do you hope your work will have on those who view it?
I want to create a space for daydreaming.
What does success as an artist mean to you?
To me, success means being able to create every single day and materialize the things you can only see in dreams. It also means finding each one of my pieces the home they belong in.
Johanna Boccardo, Color Study in Shades of Blue, 40 x 60 in
What are you listening to lately? While you’re in the studio, do you have any go-to playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, songs, or even TV shows that you like to listen to? If yes, how do they influence the atmosphere of your creative space?
Depending on my mood, I bounce between podcasts and music.
Lately, it’s been a lot of minimal techno to fuel my futuristic, Hermetic paintings. Alongside that, I've also been delving into a lot of lectures on hermetic philosophy and the occult arts.
Why did you decide to use Artwork Archive to inventory your artwork and manage your art career?
In Artwork Archive, I found the perfect platform to keep the perfect order of all of my creations—so I can keep creating.
It holds my entire inventory and lets me keep it up to date. It's also gratifying when I register a sale on each piece I've entered.
Artwork Archive is my chosen platform due to its versatility and user-friendly format.
Artwork Archive Tip:
Artwork Archive not only helps you manage your artwork and track/register sales, but also streamlines your business, organizes your portfolio, and provides resources to expand your art career. Create your free account and give it a try for yourself.
What advice would you give an artist who’s just starting out in their professional career?
Learn to wear two hats: your artist hat, and your businessperson hat.
If you’re not business oriented find someone who’ll do it for you, or start learning by taking courses, reading books, and asking around. It’s possible!
Johanna Boccardo is pictured carrying one of her pieces. Photo courtesy of the artist
Johanna Boccardo uses Artwork Archive to organize her artwork, track her client sales, and a whole lot more.
You can make an online portfolio, catalog your artwork, and generate reports like inventory reports, tear sheets, and invoices in seconds with Artwork Archive. Take a look at Artwork Archive's free trial and start growing your art business.
