Description

Twilight Delight
Christmas Cholla, Superstition Wilderness
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
Bloomed 5-13-25
Oil on Canvas 16 in. x 12 in., 2025 $1800
Framed

 Available at Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, Small Works Show December 5th

My favorite time of day in the Superstition Wilderness is twilight; especially in the spring, when the day’s last light filters through the sheer petals of colorful cactus blooms. This year, however, was very dry, and the usual harvest of blooms was sadly absent.

After several hours of sunset exploring I was heading back to the Jeep, fairly disappointed, when I noticed this Christmas cholla in full bloom. Apparently, it had waited for this particular day, at this particular time, to open gloriously. I have explored this trail extensively, and have probably walked by this unassuming spindly plant a hundred times and never noticed it. But on this day, Christmas came early, delighting my heart and inspiring the work of my hands.