Veronica Bolay

Bolay attended the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg in 1958–63, studying painting and costume design, as fine art was not considered a profitable career path.^[5] She then studied group therapy at Aachen University. In 1971 she moved to Ireland, and was part of a 1978 exhibition of women artists held in the Project Gallery in Dublin.^[6]

She was elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy in 2002 and to Aosdána in 2006.^[7]

Her work was in the field of abstract landscapes, working in oils and pastels, and often depicting the West of Ireland. The Irish Times wrote that "despite a bold colour sense [she] had an exceptionally light touch with both [oil and pastel], teasing out subtleties of light and atmosphere with expanses of radiant colour and darting lines. Even her quietest compositions are infused with a lively, crackling energy." Brian Fallon referred to her as an intimiste rather than a Romantic.^[8]

An exhibition of her work was shown at the Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle in 2022–23.^[9] Paul Durcan wrote two poems inspired by her work.^[10][11]

Bolay married the Berlin-born actor Peter Jankowsky (1939–2014);^[12] they had one child. They lived in Westport, County Mayo and Stillorgan for much of their lives.^[8]

She died in 2020.