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Paul Bond
Meet artist Paul Bond, born in Mexico, he now resides in San Clemente, CA. His art lives in the spaces between dreaming and reality. Drawing from the Latin American genre of Magic Realism where symbolic, surreal and fantastic elements blend with realistic atmospheres, they remove the veil on a world where everything is possible. Company Name: Paul Bond Fine Art
Preferred Medium: Oil on Panel or canvas
Favorite Tools? Any brand new brush.
What would you call your ‘style’? Magic Realism. While it’s the half-brother to Surrealism, my art is based more in realism genre with what I believe are more universally recognized symbolic and fantastic elements introduced. It’s less about my own deep subconscious in the way that traditional surrealism is. I’m attempting to recapture the allegorical dream state that all of us inhabit.
What are you currently working on? 5 commissioned paintings that are all based somewhat on previous themes.
What is a favorite piece of art you created and why? Shown are a few of my favorites. I guess I like each for different reasons. But the common denominator is that all the elements came together in them, like a really good song.
Who are your art heroes? John Singer-Sargent, Edward Hopper, Maxfield Parrish, Renee Magrite, Michael Parkes and Michael Whelan.
Professor Thadeus Steadman Lectures on the Moral Implications of Primal Urgings
What qualities make your art distinctively you? I think the fact that I’m able to make emotional connections with my viewers is what makes my work stand apart. I do this using a combination of universal symbolism and the writing which accompanies my art. I find the writings take the viewer to a deeper level than they wuold otherwise.
The Day Namotu’s Ship Came In
Where do you create? We recently purchased a house and I have built a studio adjacent to it. You would never know it was once a garage.
When do you create? I tend to work a fairly 9 to 5 workday. Although if I wasn’t married and working around my wife’s hours I would probably be painting through the night. I seem to have more energy and less distractions at night.
Do you sketch or keep an idea journal? I almost always sketch my painting ideas to get them down on paper before I forget. However, I don’t always end up with a finished sketch. I’m usually too anxious to start on the painting.
The Waterhouse
What do you do when you hit a creative block? I look at my sketches and reference photos from my own library and almost always find a seed of an idea there. I’ll also occasionally take time to caught up on other aspects of my business and just don’t think about it for a while. The ideas always come again so I have stopped worrying about it. Do you have any special techniques your would like to share? I paint in multiple layers, starting with a wash of umber on the canvas or panel, followed by a quick and blocky value study using just 2 colors and white, then begin layering the oils from back to front, rough to detailed, and often finished off with some layers of glazing. It’s a fairly basic old masters style that I learned from a Flemish artist. What do you listen to when you create? I always have music playing. It ranges from Brazilian to rock, jazz, reggae, R&B, chill, etc. I’ll also sometimes listen to an audio book. Usually one of the classics that I wouldn’t take the time to read. Last one was “Robinson Crusoe”. What other things do you like to do creatively? I write poetry that often accompanies my art. I surf, which I consider a creative pursuit equal to dance. I try to live my life in all the little things that I do as creatively and graciously as possible.
Approaching the Sacred
Tell us about any commercial art endeavors: I create limited edition prints of my art and have a line of greeting that I print and distribute myself. I’ve licensed some work to a publisher who is creating an annual calendar & journal. I like their client list and philosophy so decided to partner with them. I’m selective about who I work with in licensing and plan to keep it limited. To learn more about Paul and his art visit his website www.paulbondart.com and be sure to like him on Facebook.