Dayton artist unveils painting of living Nevada governors and elected officials

Renowned Dayton artist, Steven Saylor, has completed his painting “Nine Cheers for the Silver State,” featuring current governor Brian Sandoval, the two U.S. Senators from Nevada, and Mark Amodei, who represents the Northern Nevada congressional district.

The painting celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nevada statehood and will raise funds for the Comstock Foundation for History and Culture, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and promotion of the Comstock Historic District, a National Historic Landmark.

Saylor’s painting takes its title from a headline that appeared in the Gold Hill Daily News on October 31, 1864. His work also features past governors Paul Laxalt, Bob List, Dick Bryan, and Bob Miller as well as former First Ladies Dawn Gibbons and Dema Guinn, in honor of the Guinn and Gibbons administrations. Saylor has previously published prints of his popular painting as fundraisers for various causes. His earlier works include “Celebrity Train,” featuring notable country and western celebrities, and “Heavyweights,” which depicted six former governors who were alive at the time.

“Nine Cheers for the Silver State,” which Saylor began earlier this year, also depicts John Winfield, Corrado De Gasperis, and Ron James, directors of the Comstock Foundation. “I want to thank everyone who posed for the painting,” said Saylor. “I am pleased to support the preservation of this important National Historic Landmark.”

The painting is set in the well-appointed Cobb Mansion, the Virginia City home of Comstock Foundation board member Paul Yandre and his partner Jeff Teague. Saylor’s composition depicts the moment when news of statehood reached Virginia City in 1864. Governor Sandoval is signing a proclamation commemorating Nevada’s admission into the Union, and Mark Amodei is reading an 1864 issue of the Territorial Enterprise, which includes an article on statehood. Everyone is celebrating the news. “Befitting the occasion, champagne is plentiful,” added Saylor.

The Comstock Foundation will make 150 numbered prints of the painting available for purchase. Each copy will include a one ounce medallion celebrating the 150th anniversary of statehood, minted from pure Comstock silver from Comstock Mining’s operation. The cost of each print, including a Comstock silver medallion, is $1,150. For an additional $400, the print will be framed and will include a second medallion.

“We anticipate that the effort will raise over $100,000, which is needed to preserve at-risk resources of our National Landmark,” said Corrado De Gasperis, chairman of the board of the Comstock Foundation. “We are so pleased that Comstock Mining is providing pure (.9999) Comstock silver for the minting of the medallion that is being offered with the print. The coin represents the first, pure Comstock silver product being offered by the company and directly benefitting the Foundation, and we are seeing strong demand and deposits and orders for the prints.”

De Gasperis is also the CEO of Comstock Mining, Inc., which has dedicated a 1 percent royalty of its Storey County operation’s net smelter return (1% NSR) to the Comstock Foundation for the advancement of historic preservation and other aspects of cultural development within the historic district.

The Comstock Foundation for History and Culture is accepting pre-sale reservations on behalf of the Comstock Foundation. Reserving a numbered print requires a $150 deposit with credit card or check. It is possible to reserve a specific number in the series of 150 prints, but there have already been a number of reservations, so specific numbers may not be available. For further information go to www.ComstockFoundation.org or call Johnye Saylor, 775-742-0588, or Ron James, 775-443-7803.

The Comstock Foundation for History and Culture is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2013. The organization recently announced the acquisition of the Silver City’s Donovan Mill, which will require extensive restoration so that it can serve the public as a reminder of industry’s importance to Nevada. Donations to the Comstock Foundation for the restoration of the Mill or any other Foundation activities may be tax deductible. The Foundation’s mission is to encourage the preservation and promotion of historic and cultural resources within the Comstock Historic District. The District was granted National Historic Landmark status in 1961, and is one of the largest landmarks in the country. The Comstock Lode played a critical role in the history of mining between 1859 and 1942, producing an enormous amount of gold and silver and defining the cutting edge of mining technology during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

For information about the Comstock Foundation for History and Culture and its projects go to www.comstockfoundation.org or contact Ron James, executive director of the Comstock Foundation, at 775-443-7803.