The Lost Painting Trip

On the day before my long anticipated trip to Taos NM, which I had planned for over a year, I sat in front of my completely packed suitcase, and faced my husband having some worrisome and uncomfortable health problems, and stating that he would not be joining me on this painting trip. Suggesting that I should go anyway, he was positive that we could not go together. After some tearful time in another room, alone, sorting things out on my own terms, I knew that if this situation called for tests and possible hospitalization, I needed to be here to do whatever might be necessary.

And that is the end of my story about my sojourn in Taos, New Mexico. Having invited several other capable artists to go there with me on a painting adventure, I called them all, explaining my circumstances. They flew out the following morning, and through their e-mails and I-pod photos, I know that they had a superior time there.  Thanks to them, I got to experience it vicariously with periodic reports from them in the great oudoors. I'm glad I planned it, as I know it was an education for each of them in which they stretched their abilities and faced the challenges of painting on location. Can't wait to see their paintings. They return tomorrow.

Meanwhile, after feeling sorry for myself, I determined that I would also paint that area of the country, but from some of my beautiful photos of some of the places they would be enjoying. I've completed one large canvas (above), and have another one a smaller one that is already in the painting stages. There is still another large canvas waiting for me to get it out of my system.

The good news is that my husband, after being doctored and lab tested, is doing somewhat better, and his life is beginning to return to almost normal. The other good news is that I would not have been able to paint anything as large as I am working on painting Plein air, as it's too cumbersome, and time would not allow. I've had to cancel such a trip in the past, when my dad lived near here, and I was basically the caregiver, with no one else to turn to. He was hospitalized the night before a painting trip to Wisconsin, and I made my calls to the other painters at 10 pm the night before our trip. They had good stories to tell on their return. It was heartbreaking for me, but life goes on... So I've been steeped in "real life" experiences and concessions by now. It's not new to me, but it's still a bitter pill to swallow at the time.

I just finished unpacking the last items from my suitcase yesterday. Somehow I couldn't motivate myself to do it before then, and I did it in bits and pieces all week. Above you will see the first of my long week's paintings.