What:

Reno Artist Ron Spears will appear at the Greater Reno Stamp & Cover Show. He will be on-hand to help showcase the Nevada Statehood stamp and collectibles.

When:

The stamp show runs from Saturday 10 – 6 and Sunday 10 - 4

Spears will appear from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., on Saturday, July 26th . He will be available for autographs and photos. Stamps, prints and collectibles of the stamp image as well as his other work will be available.

Where:

Hall of Fame Museum, National Bowling Stadium, 300 N. Center St. Reno

Who:

Ron Spears, the celebrated Reno artist who created the image used for the Nevada Statehood Stamp

Background:

The Nevada Statehood Forever Stamp was released nationwide last month.

This stamp celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nevada, which became the 36th state Oct. 31, 1864Artist Ron Spears, a Nevada resident, created the stamp art, which depicts a close-up view of an area in Fire Canyon, part of Valley of Fire, Nevada’s oldest state park.

ABOUT THE NEVADA STATEHOOD STAMP:
The Nevada Statehood stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

The U.S. Postal Service® joins the celebration of Nevada’s 150th anniversary with a stamp showcasing one of the state’s many hauntingly beautiful landscapes.

The stamp art depicts a close-up view of an area in Fire Canyon, part of Valley of Fire, Nevada's oldest state park. The painting is an oil-on-Masonite panel. Captured by Reno Nevada artist Ron Spears at dawn, the sandstone formations glow in shades of brilliant reds and yellows — a result of various quantities of iron in the rock — highlighted by deep purple and blue shadows.

ABOUT RON SPEARS
Ron Spears created hundreds of illustrations for Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Harry Potter Card Game, Upper Deck, Blizzard Entertainment and others. He also illustrated book covers, magazine articles and the children’s book Dad Are You The Tooth Fairy?” written by actor Jason Alexander.

As a Lead Illustrator for International Game Technology, and an Art Director for Sierra On-Line, Ron has created countless illustrations for dozens of video games.

Ron is member of the New York Society of Illustrators and currently an Assistant Professor at Southern Utah University, in the art and Design Department.

YouTube, www.RonSpearsArt.com

ABOUT THE GREATER RENO STAMP & COVER SHOW:
The Greater Reno Stamp & Cover Show has been presented by the Nevada Stamp Study Society annually since 1976 and is Nevada’s only philatelic exhibition. Exhibitors present themed and historical compositions illustrated with postal history. The exhibits are critiqued for story, originality, scarcity/rarity of material, and presentation. In recognition of Nevada’s sesquicentennial, a special award will be presented for the "Best Nevada Themed" exhibit. A special sesquicentennial souvenir envelope with an USPS exhibit station pictorial cancellation will be offered. Dealers at the show will provide information on the value of collections and provide pointers on collecting. For more information on the club or show, please visit www.renostamp.org.

ABOUT NEVADA 150
Nevada’s Sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of Nevada’s admission to the Union, will provide opportunities for celebration and reflection as we come together statewide to commemorate our shared history and build a foundation of cultural appreciation for generations to come.  Nevada’s one of a kind and diverse history will be celebrated throughout the state for an entire year in order to promote pride in the shared heritage of all Nevadans.  Nevada’s Sesquicentennial celebration will commence on Nevada Day 2013 and conclude with an expanded Nevada Day celebration October, 2014. For more information, please visit www.nevada150.org.