Category: Maker Monday

Maker Monday: Robert Clark, Artist

Published on by Jennifer Kelly

We all started on this journey with horse racing as fans. A particular face or race caught our eye, and, regardless of our age, we were smitten. Maybe it was a Marguerite Henry book; maybe it was a horse that your mom or dad was fond of. However old you might have been or where you were in your life, a blaze, a pair of ears, or even a flash before your eyes ignited your imagination. You keep the image of that horse close to you, sometimes in your heart, and, sometimes, you even get lucky enough to find a brilliant artist to capture them for you. That’s where our Maker Monday begins: with an artist who captures them for you. Meet Robert Clark, artist.

Artist’s Inspiration

Gun Runner

Starting young, Robert had his first one-man show at the young age of nineteen, always with a focus toward building on his natural talent with coursework and more. At the heart of his artwork has always been painting, using Arabians as his first equestrian studies and then transitioning into Thoroughbreds. He studied the greats of Thoroughbred artistry, Franklin Voss and Richard Stone Reeves, as he perfected his own skills capturing the great racehorses of our time. His work has been rewarded with chances to paint at the Eclipse Awards, the Breeder’s Cup, Keeneland, and more. Currently, Robert paints out of his gallery in Georgetown, Kentucky, with his eye always looking toward what’s next both as an artist and as a fan of horse racing.

Works of Greatness

Monomoy Girl

To look at Robert’s resume is to see that he has captured many of the great racehorses of our era, from American Pharoah to Authentic, Beholder to Zenyatta. Many of these are available as prints you can purchase for your home; he also has them collected into his book, A Brush with Greatness, that he co-wrote with famed historian Edward Bowen.

In addition to capturing champions, Bob also works on commissions, a chance for owners of any horse to preserve the memories of their beloved equine friends.

Lasting Memories

Street Sense

One of the joys of Robert’s work is the glorious color and emotion he paints into each one, a chance to relive these moments in perpetuity. I have been lucky to have calendars with his artwork on my office wall the last couple of years and I enjoy revealing a new face with each turn of the month. The realism is exquisite, each painting evoking that familiar rush of joy upon seeing their lovely faces. I look forward to hanging one of his prints in my office one day, just as soon as I can actually pick one!

So, on this Maker Monday, visit Robert Clark’s site, find a piece that you must have for your home, and bring home the magic of this artist. With work reminiscent of both Richard Stone Reeves and Franklin Voss, I guarantee that print will become a treasured part of your collection. Find Robert on Facebook and Twitter and at his online gallery.

Maker Monday: Amie Martinez

Published on by Jennifer Kelly

If you’re a New York Yankees fan, you can find just about anything with their iconic logo on it: shirts, shoes, bobbleheads, Christmas ornaments, facemasks, etc. Same with your favorite college or NFL team: gear for any fan, from babies to pets, is available to show off one’s affection for their team. For horse racing fans, access to such items has not always been consistent.

This Maker Monday, meet Amie Martinez, an artisan that was determined to change that.

Opportunity Knocks

As a lifelong horse racing fan, Amie noticed that she wasn’t able to find gear for her favorite horses as easily as others could buy a shirt for their favorite team. After watching Songbird’s stellar 2016 season, Amie wanted a Songbird ornament for her Christmas tree, but, when she couldn’t find one, she decided to make one herself. She shared her creation on Facebook and suddenly she had more than a hundred requests for ornaments! With that, Amie’s Horse Racing Gifts was born.

Customized Excellence

At the heart of Amie’s business is customization. That Songbird ornament was just the tip of the iceberg: in addition to that champion filly, she has made nearly twenty different ornaments for me and hundreds of others for her customers. And that’s just ONE of the items she’s offered.

If you watch America’s Day at the Races on Fox Sports, you’ve seen Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens broadcasting from his home, and, on the sofa next to him, you’ve seen some of Amie’s work: custom pillow cases. She’s made similar pieces for others in the sport and she can do the SAME thing for you.

Basically, if you can imagine it, she can make it. In addition to these two items, I’ve seen her customize coffee cups, water bottles, wine glasses, signs, door hangers, decals, shirts, face masks, and much, much more. Amie also sells monthly surprise treat boxes that often come with a variety of goodies.

On this #MakerMonday, I’m excited to share the goodness that Amie creates with you guys since both her love for the sport and her desire to share it with others has done so much for fans like me. I have a number of Amie’s items around my home and I’m glad to share her work with you guys. If you’re inspired, reach out to her and see what magic she can create for you. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

You can find Amie on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Maker Monday: Old Smoke Clothing Co.

Published on by Jennifer Kelly

One of my very favorite souvenirs from any sporting event is a t-shirt. I have shirts from the Triple Crown races I’ve attended, the racetracks I’ve visited, and more, enough to wear over a solid couple of weeks or so. Fans everywhere like to wear their joy for their favorite teams or horses, so much so that whole stores are devoted to the perfect jersey for a NFL football fan or the coolest hat to show off their love for their favorite NBA team. For horse racing fans to find that perfect shirt, they need to look no further than one name: Old Smoke. For #MakerMonday, here’s a look at this company’s wide variety of shirts and other gear for horse racing fans everywhere.

With a Little Help from My Friends

Kurt Rossner, Adrian Szamereta, and Kurt Hoover grew up in the Saratoga Springs area, so they were exposed to the track from their earliest years. From that grew an understanding of what fans of the sport like, especially when it comes to the gear they like to wear. They parlayed their love of the horses and the sport’s accompanying pastimes (tradition and pageantry with a side of betting and bourbon) into Old Smoke Clothing Co., based in Saratoga Springs.

Since 2018, they’ve been offering shirts, hats, outerwear, and more for fans everywhere. They’ve also partnered with America’s Best Racing, the Kentucky Derby, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and more to offer a variety of designs, some of which give back to the charities involved. Old Smoke also offers custom options for those who would like to have a shirt or a line of clothing for their organization.

What to Wear?

I guess you can call me partial to Old Smoke: in 2019, we partnered to create a Sir Barton t-shirt in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Triple Crown. But, before that, I was already an Old Smoke fan, so much so that I now have a dozen of their shirts. These are well-made shirts that are soft and hold up well to washing. The colors stay vibrant and the designs are both contemporary and classic, playing off of many of the horses and places that permeate racing, like the Graveyard of Champions shirt, which is next on my list of must-haves. Horses from Secretariat to Knicks Go get their tributes as well as familiar names like Mike Smith and the Daily Racing Form.

In addition, you can find beanies and ball caps as well as hoodies and households items (coffee mugs and posters). Old Smoke has something for every racing fan, literally. My husband and I both have shirts that love wearing, and one day soon I’m going to get him a ball cap too. (This one is my favorite.)

While you’re exploring Old Smoke’s offering, consider looking for their Chari-TEE of the month. If you purchase the chosen t-shirt during that month, part of the proceeds goes to that charity. For February, the Chari-TEE is the Old Smoke logo t-shirt; buy one to benefit Racing for Home, Inc. I can’t wait to see what next month’s choice will be!

Want to know more? Follow Old Smoke on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

So Many Shirts, So Little Time

If you’re an Old Smoke fan, share your favorite shirts with us in the comments! Let us know what shirts you think they should make next. I am personally hoping for a Gallant Fox or Omaha shirt to go alongside my Sir Barton shirt. I know 2021 will bring us more fantastic designs from these fellow racing fans.

If you know of an artisan making horse racing related items, message me and let me know so I can feature them in an upcoming Maker Monday.

And, if you want to see more of what this racing fan has in her closet, here is a slideshow of all of our shirts!

Maker Monday: Dawna Wood

Published on by Jennifer Kelly

Racing fans are like fans of any other sport: we like to wear our favorite team. From the blue and white check of Meadow Stable’s Secretariat to the gray and maroon of Sackatoga and Tiz the Law, you can find shirts, hats, and more for just about any horse that you might fancy. In Dawn Wood’s Etsy shop, Odds ‘N Hind Ends, you find a few unique items that allow you to show off the horses you fancy.

If you’re a Frosted fan, Wood has these adorable Frosted sticker and keychain set. I personally have one of these because I love Frosted and could not resist having his lovely gray visage in my office.

If you love Tiznow, dual Breeder’s Cup Classic winner, you can grab this adorable hat to show off your affection for this fantastic race horse and sire. Available in three colors to match all of your favorite outfits.

The shop features horses like Tiznow, Tiz the Law, and Curlin, whose lovely blazed face graces this pin. Celebrate this Preakness and Breeder’s Cup Classic winner by wearing him on your favorite shirt or lanyard and show off your flair for classic thoroughbreds! You can also find Curlin as a sticker along with Zenyatta, A.P. Indy, and Tiz the Law.

Odds ‘N Hind Ends also has Triple Crown winner socks, a Tiz the Law shirt, and more. I hope you will check out this maker, our first Maker Monday feature. You can find Dawna and her Etsy shop on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Do you know an artisan, photographer, or other maker that would be a great fit for #MakerMonday? Let me know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at @foxesofbelair.