64
Jan. 1, 2009
HORSETRADER Real Estate
Horsetowns: East San Diego County
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A Mehl Lawson
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Perspective on …
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The Horsetrader visited recently with FRXUWHV\
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one of San Diego County’s most famous
horsemen, sculptor Mel Lawson, who
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has called Bonita home since he moved
there at age 27 to train horses at Dave
Phair’s ranch. We thought we would
share some of his insights:
■ ON EAST SAN DIEGO COUNTY:
“I love the East County area. I love
Descanso. I love Pine Valley. The good
thing about both of those towns, that
whole area out there, is that it’s so easy
to get in from town because you’ve got
freeways. You get off the freeway a few
miles and you’re right in the heart of
these itty-bitty towns.
The Lakeside area is new to me. I’ve
been in and out of the area over the
years, but I’ve only started riding at
Joan’s (Embrey) place the last six or
seven months. Lakeside is a horsetown.
You’re driving down the street and
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you’re passing horse vans, right and
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left. Everywhere you look, there are
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horses in people’s backyards, there are
little training operations, roping areas.
They’re everywhere. It’s just a
horsetown. Bonita’s got a lot of horses,
too, and it’s a wonderful little
horsetown. This is my horse area.”
THE ART OF
■ ON BECOMING AN ARTIST:
“I was very lucky when I got married
in 1969. My wife, Barbara, noticed right
off that I had this interest in art
because I would try to paint. I would
draw, or be working on one thing or MENTORING
another, and she was always my one
biggest fan and my biggest supporter. I
could not have done what I’ve done 0HKO/DZVRQORRNVWRWKHJHQHUDWLRQDKHDG
without her. She noticed the interest I
had and kind of encouraged me more
%\:$55(1:,/621 exceptional artist, a trail not tried by many, and one
and more. And I was willing to do it, so Horsetrader staff
mastered by fewer still.
one thing led to another. I couldn’t
have done it without my wife.” (Barbara
passed away in February 2006).
B
ONITA — The steps taken by Mehl Lawson to From his first bronze sculpture in 1977, his artistry
sculpt his esteemed career as a cowboy artist and passion for horses have led to international
have been simple. recognition. Since 1979, the National Reining
There are 11 of them, made of naked, Horse Association has awarded its top
■ ON CHOOSING TO BE A SCULPTOR:
unfinished concrete in a steep cascade down a Futurity champions a special trophy called,
“By 1979, I had gotten into art full-
bank from his home to a modest studio. simply, a “Lawson.” When the American
time and was emerging out of the horse
“Watch your step,” he tells me near the top. Quarter Horse Association sought a signature
business. I did my first sculpture in
His first-time guests tend to look beyond their monument of the classic Orrin Mixer horse for
1977. I realized at that point that if we
footing and at the studio below, in anticipation. the AQHA Hall Of Fame Museum in Amarillo,
were going to do art full-time, I would
“They’re old stairs, but they work well.” Texas, Lawson created “The Mixer” in 2006.
stand a better chance as a sculptor than
Since 1968, Lawson has made this Bonita
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His bronze, “High Desert Princess,” has stood
a painter. I had been a painter and was
property his home, lured here 40 years ago when he at the entrance of the National Cowgirl Hall Of Fame in
an OK painter at best.”
was training horses full-time. Dave Phair’s ranch down Fort Worth since 2001. All these are ambitious, one-and-
Please see PERSPECTIVE, Page 66
the road was a good spot to train. Ten years later, he a-half-times life-size works.
would transform from a fine horse trainer into an Please see LAWSON, Page 66
horsetrader.com
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