Western art center of reception at Carson City Art Gallery

Mike Bond is known locally for his western art, which he creates using oil paints from his home in Sparks. Chosen as Carson City Art Gallery’s artist of the month, his work will be the main focus of a reception from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the gallery, 110 S. Curry Street.

Bond has been drawing and painting since his childhood in Iowa. While living in Southern California, he continued with his art working in pastels and acrylics. During frequent trips to the desert, he became fascinated with the local colors of the changing light and shadows. Thus began a series of inspirational paintings attempting to capture the solitude and contemplative mood of a place long considered by the Indians and others as sacred.

Bond continues to find inspiration in the desert landscape visiting the desert and sketching every few months. He now works in oil, painting landscapes, inspirational desert scenes, local Sierra and Lake Tahoe landscapes, and contemporary and historical western scenes of Nevada and California. His portfolio includes some portraits, both human and animal, and scenes from national parks of the West including Great Basin National Park in Nevada, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho, and Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Although he considers himself a self-taught artist, he took some beginning art classes with Harvey Ruben in the Los Angeles area concentrating on the basics of art composition, color, texture and gesture.

Bond displays his work at several galleries including North Tahoe Arts in Tahoe City, Truckee Art in Truckee and The Canvas Café in Virginia City.

In addition to its featured artist, the Carson City Art Gallery said it has an abundance of contemporary art by local artists in all mediums.

For information, contact the gallery at 775-313-8628, www.carsoncityart.com, or carsoncityart@yahoo.com, or stop by when it’s open, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.