Rick Bond
Rick Bond is considered a contemporary impressionist painter. Based in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, he creates larger-than-life landscapes and genre scenes in a dynamic style.
Rick Bond - Contemporary Impressionist
Date and place of birth
Rick Bond was born in the middle of a blizzard one morning in 1946, in Victoria, British Columbia. He grew up in the Gulf Islands on the West Coast. Today, he lives a stone’s throw from Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan Valley.
Background and career
With a degree in pharmacy from the University of British Columbia, Rick Bond pursued an active professional practice and a very busy career until a chance event altered the course of his life: while visiting an art gallery in Vancouver, he was overwhelmed by a need to create. From this calling emerged his desire to become an accomplished artist. This crazy dream worked its magic, took tangible form and became a reality.
While he juggled the careers of painter and pharmacist for a while, he soon focused all his energy on his art and his efforts began to produce results. His works captivated those who viewed them and he was offered his first formal gallery show in 1988. His dream had come true and he has continued to develop his art ever since.
As a well established Canadian artist, Rick Bond now lives and paints full time near Vernon, British Columbia. His artistic background is based on studies at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Okanagan College and Pearson University, as well as participation in several workshops conducted by professional artists who are members of the Federation of Canadian Artists.
His work and art
The artist explored various media, experimenting in oils and working with watercolour, ultimately deciding to paint in acrylic on canvas.
Considered a contemporary impressionist painter, Rick Bond creates landscapes larger than life and scenes from everyday life in a dynamic, relaxed style. This visionary artist works in simple, uncluttered terms. His brushstrokes are powerful and his palette daring.
To feed his imagination, Rick begins each canvas by painting abstract shapes. Once the canvas is dry, he sketches the outlines of the foreground. Then, remaining focused on the overall balance of the canvas, he quickly and energetically highlights the negative spaces. Finally, he refines these by playing with the composition values to draw out his subject’s main centre of interest.
His work is enriched by the experience of extensive travels. He draws inspiration from his expeditions abroad or within Canada to create urban and rural landscapes. His trips to Italy, Australia, Asia and elsewhere have advanced his work as a painter. Each time he returns home, he is charmed by the beauty of Canada’s landscapes, happy to work and live as an artist in this wonderful country.
Rick Bond is represented by the Au P'tit Bonheur Art Gallery since March 2014, exclusively for Quebec.
