“Art Display at the Arabian Horse Festival”

Day 320 of my art retrospective

The artist at left, 1981; Donna’s art display at the 1982 Arabian Horse Festival

In a rare moment of organization and convenience for my future self, some time ago I helpfully wrote the date on the backs of these photos. That’s me on the left, of course, playing my hippie artist role as I dealt with a full day of shade-free sun exposure, in November 1981. The photo of my simple art display was taken a year later.

Both at the big Arabian Horse Festival, produced by the Sunshine State Arabian Club, at Tropical Park in southwest Miami. Opened in 1931, until 1972 it had been a Thoroughbred racetrack. Then it was turned into a full-time county park, except with stables. Equestrian events were held throughout the year, but especially in the cooler seasons. At any rate, that’s where I could be found on horsy occasions throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

It’s likely this show in 1982 was my last one, because in February of 1983, my first daughter was born. Two days of sitting in the sun with no shade, getting covered with dust was hardly something either of us would find pleasant. I just couldn’t put a baby through that.

On the right side of the photo I see I’d propped up the show’s catalog. I’d illustrated the cover for the Sunshine State Arabian Club, in exchange for being able to set up at the show and hopefully get some portrait commissions. We did this several times.

Some of these paintings were loaned to me by my past clients. The Golden Retriever in the center was called “Tara at Work.” The story behind her portrait is worth sharing. Yesterday I wrote about Intrepid, Tom Kazo’s talented and super cool Golden Retriever. Well, Trep was Tara’s father, out of Tom’s female, Trusty. Tara was owned by Tom’s dear friend, the excellent veterinarian Paul Lamborn, Jr. Dr. Lamborn was good enough to work out a barter agreement for vet services for our Afghan hound in exchange for pet portraits.

I recall visiting his practice in order to photograph Tara and going back for a sitting as well. I also recall as I waited in a treatment room how the good doctor “unblocked” a male cat with a urinary issue. That’s a smell never forgotten.

Speaking of cats, notice I had several hanging on my display. To the left is Ted, the Himalayan. There are two cat face paintings that allowed me to focus on their amazing eyes. Oh, and the big tiger. I can’t recall where I obtained photos of my model, or what became of the painting.

On the extreme right, sadly cut off by the photographer is the pastel painting of the lioness Tom briefly owned. He was licensed to remove lions and other large predators from the homes of people who foolishly thought a cub would make a cute pet. Why these people never understood babies of lions, tigers, and bears grow up to have big pointy teeth, I will never know. Anyway, she was named Malesuka. By the way, I have not a clue as to the correct spelling.

I took her photos on the very first day I visited Tom’s Hell On Paws dog training kennel on that fateful, life-changing day in June 1977. I wrote about it in my memoir, Tom Kazo and Me: Love, Strength, Miracles, available on Amazon.

Unfortunately, I cannot recall the names of the two horses whose portraits are on exhibition. Which is a shame, because their owners were kind enough and trusting enough to loan them to me for the Arab show.

Ah, the good old daze!