Friday night -- Florence is on my mind

One view from La Terraza (our apartment)
It was a warm day for
December, and we could imagine
that in summer the flowers
would be spilling over flower boxes,
everywhere, but it was still magnificent.

Hard to believe that it was 10 years ago.

Thank you Florence.

Here's the great thing about international art shows.  You meet
amazing people -- absolutely wonderful people and they change
your life.  It's true.  I am thinking about Florence, because I met
such super people at both the 2009, and the 2015 Florence
Biennale.  Those people changed me.  The first time I showed
there it was December, and mighty cold. But it didn't matter.

The kindness and support, and friendships that extend across
the ocean and over time through Facebook, and Instagram and
the blog world are overwhelming.  These are people who are
both outstanding artists in their field, and superbly warm
to the people who share that fascination with making something
creative.

There is a downside.  No it isn't the expense -- which is considerable,
but worth it from a life experience point of view if there's any way
you can figure it out.  Not it isn't the travel time, or all the
arrangements you have to make to ship your art, and have people
take care of your house and animals while you're gone.
It is that you don't get long to spend with these great people,
and when it is over you feel that loss.  Quite severely.

Luckily we all do our best to at least heart messages on Instagram
if we can't actually comment.  And we continue to care.  And that
is huge.  And some of us keep in touch via letters and the phone. All in all
that is amazing.

Have a loving the people in your line of work day.