Don Barclay’s Caricatures
story by Joe Kullman

Yee-haw! Scottsdale’s lifestyle during the 1950s and 1960s epitomized the town’s slogan, “The West’s Most Western Town.”

Folks – both residents and visitors — were casual, fun-loving, creative, friendly, civic-minded and embraced the best of the West. So it’s no surprise that when artist/actor Don Barclay arrived on the scene he quickly became one of the town’s most popular and colorful characters. His talent for capturing the essence of his subject’s persona in his caricatures made Barclay a sought-after dinner guest, civic club speaker and inspiration for aspiring student artists. He often donated his services at charity events, quick-sketching caricatures of attendees in return for a hefty donation or auction bid that benefitted the sponsoring organization. A regular at the popular Pink Pony, then located at Scottsdale Road and Main Street, Barclay sat in the cat-bird seat
as Scottsdale evolved from farm town to chic destination. His Scottsdale of the Fifties and Sixties was a mosaic of arts & crafts, sports, Arabian horses and entrepreneurs, enjoyed by tourists and
new and long-time residents. Although he left this world in 1975, his legacy lives on. Thanks, Don, for helping us remember those who walked among us, and for continuing to make us smile.

-by Joan Fudala,
community historian/author

Cattle Track Arts & Preservation 2018
Printed by Artisan Colour, Scottsdale, Arizona
Binding by KDC Bindery Services, Tempe, Arizona
49 pages Softcover

ISBN: 978-0-9777432-1-6