Dear Friend of the Valles Caldera:

Los Amigos is very privileged to offer you a rare opportunity to own a print by well-known Western artist Gary Morton, and help restore the Bond Cabin on the Valles Caldera National Preserve at the same time. Gary made an extremely generous offer to Los Amigos. He painted a picture of the historic Bond Cabin, where he and his family have been staying this summer while they ran the cattle program on the Preserve, and he let Los Amigos make 350 signed prints of the painting to sell to raise money to help restore the Cabin.

Gary Morton. Gary Morton sometimes likes to joke about breaking into the art business by saying, “I’ve been turned down by the best.” While that may have been true earlier in his career, now his work hangs in the most prestigious of locations. For instance, a four foot by eight foot oil entitled The Simple Pleasures of New Mexico was commissioned by the New Mexico State Legislature for inclusion in the permanent collection which hangs in the State Capitol Building in Santa Fe.

Gary began cowboying on different ranches as a teen and ultimately became wagon boss on the historic Bell Ranch in New Mexico. The life of cowboying makes Gary more than familiar with his subjects. “I don’t just paint for myself, but to honor the working cowboy.” Gary’s paintings are realistic, accurate and his attention to detail allows him to be honest to himself and the people he paints. Each piece is unique and a representation of real cowboys doing real ranch work.

The Bond Cabin. Everyone has seen the Bond Cabin as they ride or drive through the Headquarters Area at the north end of the entrance road into the Preserve. Situated in the middle of the Ranch Headquarters Historic District, with an inviting front porch and a gorgeous view of the Valle Grande, this cabin evokes a past era of domestic comfort amid the once-bustling activities of a busy ranch. The Bond Cabin was built in 1918 by Frank Bond, within a year of his purchase of the Baca Location No. 1 with his brother George Bond. It was built as a seasonal residence for Bond family members involved in the operation of the ranch. The other common name for the structure, Headquarters House, indicates the central function it served throughout the Bond era (1917 – 1962) and into the Dunigan era (1963 – 2000).

Along with the nearby Ranch Foreman’s Cabin, built at nearly the same time, the log construction and rustic style are important character-defining features of the building and contribute strongly to the overall feeling of the historic Headquarters Area. Despite decades of continuous use, the appearance and integrity of the Bond Cabin remains largely undiminished: many of the windows and doors are original and the two 1980s additions to the house have construction and visual styles similar to the original.

But it needs a new foundation, and there other problems, like drainage from the slope behind the cabin which is causing water damage.

To Help Restore the Bond Cabin. There will be a run of 350 signed and numbered 15” by 20” lithographs. Each will be $225, which includes shipping and handling.

The proceeds from the sale of the prints will be used for restoration work on the Bond Cabin, such as pouring a new foundation, eliminating the drainage problem, etc., in addition to administrative costs associated with the work. (All work must be approved by the Trust and be compatible with State Historic Preservation Office requirements.)

There are two ways to order your print. You may mail a check to Los Amigos de Valles Caldera using the form found below or you may pay online immediately using the "Buy Now" button also found below. [Note: Online payment will incur an additional processing fee of $7, making the total $232 per print.]

Free to Lifetime or Obsidian Guild Members. Prints will be given free to each new Lifetime or Obsidian Guild member. The Valles Caldera Obsidian Guild recognizes individuals who provide support for the Valles Caldera National

Preserve through planned gifts. Membership belongs to those who have made deferred gifts to Los Amigos de Valles Caldera through one or more of the following methods:

• provision in a will or revocable trust;
• retirement plan beneficiary designation; or
• life insurance policy beneficiary designation.

Life membership status is awarded to members who make a one-time, $1,000 undesignated gift to Los Amigos. For further information, please contact Larry Icerman, licerman@aol.com.

We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity, and we thank you for your continued interest in the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Sincerely,
Doug Fraser, Chairman
Board of Directors
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera

Pay by check: Click here and Print this PDF form

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Pay Online (additional $7 processing fee included)