Bob Schaar
MAD '51
Renowned Artist
BALTIMORE, 04-29-05---Internationally recognized equine artist
Robert Schaar has created the official poster for the 130th Preakness Stakes®.
The poster, which depicts four horses powering to the finish line, will be on
sale for $25 at Pimlico’s gift shop and Preakness souvenir stands.
Schaar will sign the poster at the Homestretch Gift Stand on the second floor of
the grandstand on May 20 (1:00-3:00 p.m.) and May 21 (9:00-10:30 a.m.).
"The approach to the finish line is the most exciting part of a horserace,” said
Schaar. “With the horses in full stride, the jockeys in their colorful silks
striving for a win and the suspense as they cross the finish line, this is what
I had in mind when painting it.”
Raised in Arcadia, California near Santa Anita Park, where his father owned and
raced thoroughbreds, Schaar's knowledge and enjoyment of the sport is evident in
the scenes he captures on canvas.
"Thoroughbred racing has been a part of my life since I was a young boy,” added
Schaar. “It is an exciting, colorful sport and it has been a great pleasure to
create a painting for the Preakness, the second jewel in the Triple Crown."
Schaar has been a working as a full-time artist since the mid-1950’s. His
sporting art background includes: official artist of the 1992 U. S. Open Golf
Championship in Pebble Beach, official artist for the California Cup II and III at Santa Anita, poster artist for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, and
paintings for the University of Southern California National Championship teams in 2003 and 2004. During his illustrious career, he produced
art for the Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angels Raiders. His work is
in the permanent collections of the Kentucky Derby Museum.
If this beautiful lady looks familiar, it's because it's my wife Margie (Showers - MAD 1952) drawn by Bob Schaar from a photo taken in 1966
When I picked up the sketch at Bob's studio, I had a chance to chat with him for a while. What an accomplished person! I was so impressed that I decided to make Bob's bio the very first one on our page. (More Below Bio)
(More)
Bob's bio tells much of the story. However, Bob told me some anecdotes that don't appear in the bio. During the Vietnam War, Bob was commissioned by the U.S. air force as a staff artist (?). He was hired as a civil service GS15, which is the equivalent of full Colonel. In Viet Nam, he flew on a combat recon mission as crew of a two-seat F4!
Dick
09/27/2006