Living the Cowboy Way

If you haven't been hugged by Carlos Hadaway, you haven't met the man. Easy with a wide smile and a strong embrace, this local artist knows no strangers. He is a man possessed by the joy of living and simply wants to share that outlook with others.

Dubbed the "Arizona Kid," Hadaway has enjoyed many incarnations as cartoonist, painter, cowboy, ranch hand and sometime movie star. He points to his renowned cowboy portraits with the same pride as photographs of him herding cattle.

But his most recent source of pride, second only to his wife, is the painting he was commissioned to complete for the 2000 Parada del Sol.

"Destiny is a funny thing," Hadaway enthuses. "The Parada del Sol has always been my favorite rodeo and being asked to do the painting for the millennium is like coming full circle."

Born with cataracts and blind by the age of 10, Hadaway learned the fine art of appreciation at a young age. In the face of poverty, dyslexia and failing vision, Hadaway felt blessed. His faith lay in the love of his family and the concern of community members who helped fund his six operations, which eventually restored his sight.

When the bandages finally came off, Hadaway celebrated his vision by cartooning. His most famous cartoon is that of a little friar with a halo and a bat--you may know it as the official logo of the San Diego Padres.

Later, during a stint with the Navy, Hadaway used his talent to entertain fellow shipmates with a comic strip -- one of which garnered a laugh and a letter from Admiral Arleigh Burke. But his true calling was still several months and hundreds of miles away.

A San Diego transplant, Hadaway came to the Valley to oversee the opening of Montgomery Wards at Christown Mall. Intrigued by the wide open spaces, he spent his off time driving through country backroads introducing himself to local ranchers.

In exchange for instruction on roping, herding and general cowboying, Hadaway immortalized the cowboys on canvas. "To this day, they still call me if they need an extra hand on the ranch," he says, reminding you that despite his Fountain Hills digs, this is no city slicker.

Hadaway has since come to represent the very essence of Arizona--as it was 100 years ago. He doesn't just re-enact the Old West, he lives it. His standard outfit (and not just for company) is a white button-down work shirt, a red handkerchief tied around his neck, Wranglers tucked into his boots, and a 10-gallon Stetson.

Whether going to the grocery store or marshalling a Rodeo Days Parade, Hadaway is a tintype photograph come to life.

"People wouldn't recognize me if I went out in a baseball cap and tennis shoes," he explains. "But this is just everyday wear. You should see me when I get all cowboyed out. I'm a peacock."

His home is no less spectacular. With a collection of mounted chaps, antique saddles, gold belt buckles and Marty Robbins' tunes piping out of the radio, his home is a museum looking for a place to happen.

"I have received all kinds of Arizona memorabilia because they know the 'Arizona Kid' will preserve it and take care of it," he explains. "But I would like it to be showcased where others can enjoy it."

His dream is to build a self-sufficient museum dedicated to the art and artifacts of Arizona. "I would charge a $5 admission fee, $2 of which would go to maintenance and the rest would go to the families of the cowboys whose mementos are in there."

Through such endeavors as this, Hadaway hopes to reciprocate the community kindnesses that have been bestowed upon him throughout his life. He has a particular soft spot for children's charities and never turns down the opportunity to provide a painting for sale or auction. "I am one of the luckiest guys you'll ever meet," he says, smiling. "I want to give some of that back."

A man with that much enthusiasm is hard to resist. Just ask his wife, Nancy. One hug shared at a San Diego art show told them both what they needed to know. "As soon as I hugged her, I knew something was different."

As they talked, kismet stepped in to seal the deal. He learned she possessed one of his limited edition prints, #2042, and she learned his home address in Flagstaff at the time was 2042.

Call it coincidence, luck or fate--Hadaway believes in all of it. He said it himself: Destiny is a funny thing. "I've been given the gift of sight twice," he explains, "an artistic ability and the most wonderful woman on earth."

(For additional information about Scottsdale Magazine, please visit their web site at www.scottsdalemag.com).

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