Rick Bond (1946 –)

British Columbia-born Rick Bond grew up on James Island in the Strait of Georgia, just off the coast of Vancouver Island. He received a degree in pharmacy at the University of British Columbia, but that career path was forever changed by a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where the idea of creating art became real for him. He initially pursued his art while continuing to work as a pharmacist, but the offer of formal representation in a gallery confirmed that he should pursue the path of a full-time artist.

Bond’s formal arts education involved the Emily Carr Outreach program, the Okanagan University College, Pearson College, the Federation of Canadian Artists, and multiple professional workshops. Rick credits fellow Canadian artists Allesandra Bitelli and Brian M. Atyeo with giving him the encouragement to take chances and forge his own identity as a painter.

Bond’s career was partially built through his acceptance into many juried shows in which his work won numerous awards. He joined the Federation of Canadian Artists and achieved AFCA Signature Status in 1999, which he considers one of his greatest artistic accomplishments.

Over the past twenty years, Bond has exhibited his work in public and private galleries in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Montréal, and Toronto, giving him national visibility on the Canadian art scene. This has involved numerous exhibitions with the Okanagan Artists League and the Federation of Canadian artists. Notable corporate commissions include works produced for Coca Cola, The Nordic World Cup, Royal Sun Alliance, and W5. His work has been requested for national calendars, greeting cards, and advertising campaigns across Canada.

The subjects of choice for Rick include urban and rural landscapes, as well as peoplescapes, from his Canadian and foreign travels. Trips to Italy, Australia, South East Asia, and beyond have helped him evolve as a painter, and also reminded him of the beauty of the Canadian landscape and his great fortune, as a painter, to live here.