Part 2: Meet My Diverse Crew Of Models - Time For Street Commander!

Kari Crawford
Apr 28, 2017
3 min read

Commander (aka Street Commander) and I met each other back in May of 2008 (photo below) - it was love at first sight. Quite honestly, he is my soul mate that I am thankful to have in my life every single day.

As a formerly abused off-the-track rescue, he was viewed by others as untrusting and unpredictable. However, the day we met there was an undeniable connection. Although we have had our trials and tribulations trying to figure each other out, we have become each others best friend. The lessons we have taught each other are irreplaceable and he has truly given me a meaning to my life. With that, it's almost impossible to not want to take photos of him (and us together) on a regular basis. There is nothing like the pure beauty of a horse - even when they are acting, or rearing, up! ;)

But there is even more to this story between him and I. If you don't already know, I have been through two brain surgeries due to a diagnosis of a cancerous brain tumor. It was discovered in November of 2010 by being sent in for a MRI due to my unusual symptoms. However, I undoubtedly believe that Commander had self diagnosed me before the doctors did. Prior to the rest of us finding out, he use to so calm and cautiously put his soft nose right up to where the tumor was (on the left side of my head) and just take deep breaths in and out as though he was doing an equine MRI! I can't forget those moments because it was quite out of his ordinary behavior at that time. Not only that, but after the tumor was removed, he never did it again.

The photo below was taken just a couple days before I was officially diagnosed.

After my first surgery is when I decided to get back into painting for a good way to express my feelings and emotions that I couldn't seem to find the words for. The first one I did was a replica of that photo, using paper from magazines to create Commander and I and then painted the background. That photo to this day produces a lot of thoughts and feelings about what I have been through in the last few years with him by my side.

My connection to him seems to be noticed by many, including all the doctors I see at University Hospital. Not only does my surgeon always ask me how he is doing (before even asking my husband the same), but when the hospital was wanting to do a commercial for UH and my surgeon, they decided to ask me to do one with Commander. I give Commander a lot of credit for putting up with that because he is use to our time being primarily just the two of us, one person with one camera. That day there had to be a good twenty plus people with giant professional camcorders and cameras every which way. It took a few minutes, but the I believe the trust we have developed with one another allowed him to calm down knowing that I would never lead him to harm. (Video below)