By Annie Brooks

If a literal spotlight were to fall on Bohumila Augustinova she would shine like one of her copper wire sculptural pieces. Her brilliant red hair and bold glasses command attention. Native Czech Republican, artist, buyer and manager for the Columbia Museum of Art Store, Bohumila is quite the individual. She has lived in Columbia for several years and has become so entwined in the arts community that she sees no reason or real desire to leave. As she sips her lavender hot chocolate from Drip she says, “My life is here.”

Bohumila has been crafty since the age of seven when she learned to sew. She would design costumes and masks. But she found her true medium on a visit to her home Czech Republic, while attending a workshop with her niece. There she was introduced to the sculptural technique of “tinkering”, and quickly excelled in this unique craft. It is a practice originally of utilitarian purposes, wherein the tinker would repair broken household wares. It was particularly useful for European nomads and gypsies as it was more practical for them to repair what they had rather than to buy new things. It has now been elevated to an art form, and Bohumila is taking it even higher.

She has made wire clothing, jewelry and masks, as well as non-functional pieces. She has spent upwards of 80 hours on some pieces, and it shows. The meticulous patience required of her work is apparent, especially in one gorgeous mandala bursting with intricately woven wires. Bohumila will call a piece finished when her vision is fulfilled, and it feels right. Wire is her material of choice, but she has ventured out and reaped the benefits of her creativity. In 2009, Bohumila won the Runaway Runway fashion show with a dress tailored using solely plastic shopping bags. She said she finds inspiration in everything. Anything she encounters in her daily life is subject to her musing, “How would that look in a wire?”

She is currently preparing for an exhibition in April of 2015 in collaboration with Grayson Goodman. For the show Bohumila hopes to make at least twelve pieces by her hand alone, and even more with Goodman. They will be less dimensional than her usual work; attaching her copper wire to panel that will be painted on by Goodman. She has no idea what exactly will come of their enterprise, but the objective is clear; to see how they can inspire and enhance each other’s work.

Right now Bohumila is preparing for the busy holiday season at the Columbia Museum of Art Store. There she works tirelessly, collecting one of kind items from around the world. She prizes how special their offerings are. She has gathered incredibly beautiful jewelry and glassware from around the United States, Germany, and France. “Jewelry,” she says, “is a means of self-expression, a way to show we are unique. We have the option of accessorizing, and it’s fun, so why not?”

Bohumila is animated while talking about the growing arts community in Columbia. Working at CMA she spends a lot of time on Main Street and sees how much it has grown. She says that because Columbia is relatively small, the artists spend more time collaborating rather than competing, and the variety within the arts keeps it interesting. In the future she desires to see more installation pieces throughout the city, like the sculpture outside of the CMA that children can climb and interact with.

It is citizens like Bohumila that contribute to the spice of Columbia. When asked if she could describe herself in three words she laughs and says, “No.”