Limited-edition and commemorative posters capture event's beauty and excitement

By Megg Mueller, reno.com, mmueller@TahoeRenoOnline.com
August 27, 2007

The vision of balloons soaring high above Reno is ours for a brief time each September, but thanks to the incredible artists who lend their talents to The Great Reno Balloon Race, the memories live on. This year's limited-edition and commemorative posters will preserve the beauty and excitement of this 26th race forever.

Each year, the limited-edition poster is created by one of the many artists at International Game Technology (IGT). Richard Cameron, a video graphics project lead, became aware of IGT's artist involvement last year as that poster was being created. A huge fan of the Balloon Race since he moved to Reno from Scotland, Cameron's first thought was "I fancy a go at that!" So he asked his boss for a chance, and the rest is this year's poster's good fortune.

Cameron relished the chance to design the poster. He went to art school to learn print design, and creating the poster gave him the chance to flex those artistic muscles once again.

He wanted his poster to have a bit of a retro feel, a desire clearly reflected in the old-world font he chose, and his decision to give the balloons a woodcut feel. He went through several background designs before settling on the Dawn Patrol theme. Going through photos he took of the event a couple years ago, Cameron came up with a final design that is bold and evocative, yet it is reminiscent of a time when ballooning was young; Around the World in 80 Days comes to mind. It's artwork that engages and pleases the viewer.

For Cameron, it was worth every moment he spent creating it.

"To say you've done The Great Reno Balloon Race poster ... well, it's kind of cool, isn't it?" Cameron asked with a smile.

The commemorative poster is the creation of Franz Szony, a local man who's looking to add something new to the venerable lineup. After 25 years, the Race's Board was looking to bring something a little different, something new and modern to the poster, and then they discovered Szony's work. As part of the local Dada Motel art project and a designer for the A.V.A. Ballet Theatre's recent production of Sleeping Beauty, Szony had been noticed and when approached to do this year's poster, he was "flattered that they asked me to do it," he recalled.

Szony's work is more than just photography; it's photographic art, carefully staged and costumed. The artist imbues his work with an old-world, circus-like feel with what he calls "almost crowded images, but it all harmonizes together."

"My original idea (for the poster) was to have a photograph where it looked like I was in another basket, but kind of in the same skyline, and we're actually racing the balloons.

When I originally talked to them about it, I wasn't sure if the balloons really race or not, but I thought it'd be funny if I made it look like they were really racing. ... a finish line in the sky, reigns like on a carriage. Maybe an Edwardian or early 1900s look. Something whimsical," he said.

Setting up the photograph took a lot of time and effort, from getting the right props and costumes, to hiring models. Creating that perfect image was difficult, but Szony was excited about it nonetheless.

"It's an amazing opportunity to do this anyway. When I went to school, the San Francisco Academy of Art, I was doing all this work but then you put it in the back of your closet, you know?

"It's wonderful to finally be noticed and have people want to see your work. I would be stupid to say no!" he said jokingly.

Both posters are available through Eagle Framing Outlet in the concession area during the Race and at its store, located at 765 S. Virginia Street in Reno. For more details on these posters and ones from years past, call (775) 827-6206.