new painting Tomorrow I'm shipping this painting, Vertical #14, to Wilde Meyer Gallery in Arizona, for a January show of abstract artists (to be held at their Tucson location.)

It's one of my shorter Verticals, 66"x12"...sometimes they say what they have to say with fewer panels. This one has a deep red upper panel and some brighter cadmium red lines showing through several layers of earthier colors on the lower panel. I will have 6-9 paintings in the exhibit--not sure which ones exactly, but I've been doing my best to send out enough for them to choose from.

My husband and I tossed around the idea of going out for the opening reception on the 10th--Tucson in January is a very attractive idea, whatever the excuse. It was entertaining to imagine jetting out for a few days, soaking up the sun and warmth, hiking in the desert. We lived in the Phoenix area for three years when I was in grad school at ASU and love the rugged, saguaro-strewn landscape. And of course it would be great to see the exhibit and meet the other artists.

But after a rather grueling weekend trip earlier this month, when I flew with my mother to Arkansas on a family matter, the realities of air travel set in. Among other trials, there was an unexplained three hour delay departing Fayetteville, and we ended up on a totally different flight that arrived too late to catch our scheduled shuttle from Minneapolis to home. Sometimes you get lucky, but so often it is not a fun, easy thing to fly. Especially when you're only gone a few days and there is barely time to enjoy the destination before you're back in the airport. So for now, no trip West...January in Wisconsin is great, really!  ¶ 7:58 AM