Artist Graeme Baxter Awarded Coveted Commission to Paint Triple Crown Winner “American Pharoah”
Rancho Mirage, CA (PRWEB) November 05, 2015 -- World-renowned Artist, Graeme Baxter celebrated yesterday at his Rancho Mirage home after receiving his most victorious accolade to date; a private commission by one of the world’s top horse trainers, Bob Baffert, to paint a Special Portrait of the 2015 Triple Crown Winner, American Pharoah - the first Triple Crown Winner since 1978. American Pharoah ended his racing career on October 31st with a record setting victory in the Breeders Cup at Keeneland Race Track in Lexington, KY. He is the first horse to win all four major races in one year, also known as the Grand Slam of racing.
Baxter began his equestrian oil studies after spending many years following his daughter’s dedication to competition riding. He decided to blend his love of painting with her love of horses, which opened up new opportunities and new commissions with his most recently completed work, a remarkable and personally endorsed Polo portrait of HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.
When asked for his comments on his most important commission to date, Baxter said, “I am truly blessed to have been given this talent and to follow this path in my life.” Baxter continued, “I have been faithfully recording Golf’s athletes as well as the history of the courses and now I’ve been granted this rare opportunity to record and commemorate one of the finest thoroughbred horses of all time.”
Born in Scotland in 1958, Graeme’s accolades include Official Artist to some of the World's most important golf tournaments, such as The Ryder Cup, The Open Championship, The Presidents Cup, The Kraft Nabisco Championship and ANA Inspiration as well as Artist to the PGA Tour and European Tour. With his work displayed in clubhouses at St. Andrews, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Dubai, Mission Hills and Pine Valley in China, Graeme possesses a unique ability to historically record golf landscapes and portraits that capture his passion for the game.
Bob Baffert has trained Four Winners of the Kentucky Derby, Six Winners of the Preakness, Two winners of the Belmont Stakes and two winners of the Kentucky Oaks. He is recognized as one of the very best thoroughbred trainers with an outstanding track record of developing winners. Baffert was inducted into Lone Star Park's Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2009, he was inducted to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.
Graeme Baxter has his home and studio at Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California where he lives with his wife Lorna, also an Artist, and his daughter Amelia.
JED WALLACE, Street Relations Inc., +1 (310) 403-0559, [email protected]
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