Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Bond.
Hi Bob, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began my artistic career as far back as elementary school in Venice, California, where he illustrated and sold coloring books to fellow students in the 5th grade. Throughout secondary and high school he designed covers for graduating class programs, and went on to attend junior college where he majored in art. While attending college, Bob began a career in technical illustration, advancing to the highest position of Senior Technical Illustrator and worked for companies including ITT, Hughes Aircraft and the Boeing Company. Bob left that field to become Art Director for the shirt printing company: STS Graphics.
During the late sixties I began pinstriping as a hobby and worked part-time for Volkswagen dealerships gaining experience in the art. In 1970 he opened his studio in Van Nuys, California. My work has appeared on the covers and within many magazines: Hot Rod, Car Craft, Rod Ideas, Street Rodder, Custom Vans, Custom Rodder, Truckin, Mini Trucks, RV World, 1001 Truck and Van Ideas, Sign Business, Signs of the Times, AutoArt Magazine, Juxtapoz Magazine and was contributing editor/feature writer for AutoGraphics Magazine. He has been profiled in newspapers such as The Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, Kansas City Star, Lee’s Summit Journal, Independence Examiner, Lee Summit Post Tribune and The Kansas City’s Pitch Weekly.
For several years I was a feature writer for Sign Business Magazine with a column entitled “Pinlines” and has written How-to and informative articles for magazines such as Sign of the Times, several van publications in the seventies, European Sign Magazine, Airbrush Action, Airbrush Magazine,Autographics, AutoArt Magazine, Juxtapoz and Wide Open Magazine. I have lectured on the art of pinstriping and Airbrushing in Canada, Mexico City, throughout the USA and at the famous Petersen Automobile Museum in Los Angeles, California.
I have been commissioned by many notable celebrities to apply the finishing touch to their vehicles. Clientele List: George Barris, Billy Gibbons, Luke Bryan, Elvis Presley, Andy Griffith, Ricardo Montalban, Annette Funicello, Barbra Streisand, George Carlin, Derrick Thomas, Bob Hope, Robert Wagner, Vincent Price, Robert Urich, Valerie Bertinelli, David Copperfield, Bo & John Derrick, Burt Reynolds, Bing Crosby, Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Beach Boys, Lyle Wagner, Sammy Davis Jr., Doug Henning, Flip Wilson, Cher, Ringo Star, Liberace, Evil Knevil, Elton John and James Caan. He has also pinstriped cars for collectors like Jack Nethercutt (Merle Norman Cosmetics), Otis Chandler (L.A. Times) and Phil Hill (lndy race car Legend).
I have also applied the 23k gold leaf ornamental decorations on historical fire engines for many California cities, including Burbank, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale, Compton, San Francisco, Beverly Hills, lnglewood, Orange, Long Beach, San Marino, Napa Valley, West Covina, Newport Beach and the Cities of Sugar Creek,MO Independence,MO and for the Seagrave Company in Clintonville, Wisconsin.
Starting in 1985 I started doing lesson lecturer classes and then two day hands on workshops in his studio, teaching, pinstriping ,lettering, airbrushing, mini graphics and much more for over 27 years. In 1995 these workshops were videotaped and is available only here where you can get over seven hours of information on a modern flash drive see: bobbondart.com/workshops.html Also when Bob moved his family to Missouri one of the first things he did was organize an artist gathering known as a “panel jam“ at his house with sometimes as many as 90 artist all participating in having a blast jamming together for 3 days, which became a every year family reunion.
I have been commissioned by KABC TV in Los Angeles to airbrush and letter their entire fleet of over 30 Eyewitness News vehicles including satellite trucks and helicopter, which appeared in television commercials promoting their news programs.
I have received awards in auto decorating from the Auto Trim & Restyling News Contest and Airbrush Action magazines’ Airbrush Excellence Competition. His jobs have won countless awards at car shows throughout the country including five Grand National winners at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and KKOA’s Most outstanding Pinstriping.
In 1992 I organized the Association of Pinstripers entitled PINHEADS (Pinstripers International Network of Historic Exotic Artistic Design Stylist). He has most recently helped in organizing Charity Fund raiser “Panel Jams” throughout the country at most all World of Wheels and Autorama Car Shows where Artist from around the world have gathered together and raised over 3 MILLION dollars for various charities. For 10 years I organized The fundraising event During the Kansas City World of Wheels Car Show for the DreamFactory of KC. Funds raised have surpassed $65,000 and also set up people to do the same across the country and these events have raised over 3 million dollars for charities over the past several years.
I am an artist who has a wide range of talents and capabilities, which Include five years publishing a newsletter for a pinstripers association “PINHEADS GAZZETTES”, he was the force behind the introduction of AutoGraphics Magazine in 1995 and is currently Publisher/Editor of AutoArt International Magazine. As Editor of AutoArt Bob creates the layout and is knowledgeable in InDesign, QuarkXPress, Photoshop, CorelDraw and Word. As a sign/graphic artist Bob is highly experienced in the SignMate (Flexi) sign cutting programs. Ic
has worked with many companies over the years to develop their corporate image and has appeared in many companies advertisements, i.e. Roland Digital Group USA, 1Shot Paint Company, Graphic Accessory Products, Iwata/Medea Airbrush Company, Vector Art and BearAir Express.
I designed,developed and maintains both www.bobbondart.com and www.autoartmagazine.com.
My work appeared in the Kustom Kulture art exhibit at the Laguna Beach Art Museum which went on to tour across the United States. Quoted from the Laguna Art Museum’s Kustom Kulture catalog; “Consider the toilet seat pinstriped by Bob Bond: Could anyone listed in Who’?s Who in American Art even come close to equaling the economy of line, the sense of proportion, the implied movement and its lyrical perfection? Forget the conceptualized rhetoric of the minimal masters. This is work done for the sheer joy of it.” His artwork has also appeared in the Works Gallery’s Kustom Grafix Fine Art From the Underworld” show in Costa Mesa, California. And also the Von Dutch Tribute Gallery Showing in Hollywood, California.
IN 2003 my artwork appeared at the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, KS and within the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV. and most recently restoring the animals for the Kansa City’s Zoo merry go round, to view some of my art see;:www.bobbondart.com
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Self promotion was always a challenge the art has been a gift.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I paint just about anything the list is long see website. I specialize in a multi wide range of items, man cave toys and love restoring old safes and vaults recreating historical craftsmanship and meeting so many people over the past 56 + years. what has set me apart from others is I have always treated every customer as if he or she was a loving brother, sister mother or father. Beginning my business as a technical artist really helped with executing detail that customers have loved.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Art teachers in middle and high school . learned most all I do on my own and learned so much from the school of hard knocks. Admired many many artist from the past and studied their works.
Pricing:
- Price always depends on how much time they want me to spend on their projects. can work with customers budgets
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bobbondart.com
- Facebook: Bob Bond pinstriping artistry (contains many step-by-step photos of jobs to help keep the art form alive)
- Youtube: Bob Bond Art
