awn Calo wanted a horse literally for as long as she can remember! However, being a child of the 'burbs, she was about as far from getting a horse as a kid could get. So instead, she used and abused Breyers as her outlet to fill the empty horse space inside. Her parents finally let her take riding lessons, and she grew to favor stadium and cross country jumping, but is also well versed in dressage, and Western events including Western equitation, barrels, poles and a little reining too. Dawn has never actually owned a horse, but instead has leased and ridden other people's horses--owning a horse is her next dream. In the meantime, her Collie-Keeshond-German Shepard, "Timber," is her animal companion.

Hobby-wise, most folks probably recognize Dawn as the former Editor/Publisher of The Model Horse Gazette, which was turned over to The Hobby Horse News a couple of years ago. The Gazette introduced her to just about everything she's learned about customizing; working closely with staff writers and hobby icons, Lori Daniels and Jamie Coughlin, was a great asset to her hobby education. Dawn also started attending live shows to help market her publication; there she began to see how customized competition was growing all around the hobby. Dawn commented that with the birth of The Model Horse Gallery and the internet, she was able to study the work of favorite artists such as Linda York, Donna Chaney and Fara Shimbo on a regular basis. Until then, she'd gather reference pix by photographing them at live shows, or holding photo shows and making color copies of her favorites. It took years to gather a handful of pix--when the Model Horse Gallery came along, she had more reference photos to study than she knew what to do with!!

Dawn's customizing tendencies focus on Paints--as in the pinto version! It seems like no matter what she starts out to do, she ends up with a Paint unless she specifically concentrates on something else! However, she's been adding new colors to her artist pallet, such as roans, appaloosa patterns, and the unusual and wonderful colors from the world of long ears and exotics.

Although she's only been customizing for a couple years, Dawn feels she's getting a little better with each subsequent piece. She's hoping sculpting in the near future, if she can find the time!

If you'd like to get in touch with Dawn, her email and snail mail addresses are below. Also, her website can be reached by clicking on her studio name.

Dawn Marie Calo
Spirit Woods Studios

The Calo Gallery

Arabians

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• Norikers
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• Other Drafts

Gaited Breeds

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Thoroughbreds & Warmbloods

Other Breeds

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Photo credits:

Top: SP Voodue Boy, red roan blanketed Appaloosa mule john customized from the Chaney mini mule resin; created in 1997
Middle: SP Supersticious Spirit, rose grey sabino Clydesdale mare customized from the Breyer Traditional Clydesdale Mare
Bottom: SP Dream About Me, sorrel tovero Mustang mare customized from the Breyer Traditional Indian Pony

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