Jan Bonawentura Ostrowski was born in Częstochowa, but has been connected with Warsaw all his life. There he graduated from the sculpture department of the Academy of Fine Arts (diploma by Prof. Tadeusz Łódźana). He also studied painting at the Academia di Belle Arte "Brera" (diploma under Prof. Giorgio de Giorgia). He practises all fine arts - from painting over graphics to sculpture.
He started painting in the 1970s. He made his debut with a large individual exhibition at the 'ART' Gallery in Warsaw.
The artist had numerous exhibitions in Poland and abroad: Milan (1973, 1974), Helsinki, Copenhagen (1979), Warsaw (1979), Paris (1975, 1980, 1981), Saint Tropez (1980), Vancouver - collective exhibition (1983), Bonn (1986, 1987, 1988), Warsaw (1991, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001).