When Terie Leicht and her husband Tim Day graduated with art degrees, they didn't expect to end up as a rubber chemist (Day) and a commercial banker (Leicht). But the pair has been driven back into the art world with Red Car Gallery, which has replaced Gallery H2O at 907 S. 1st St. in Walker's Point.

"Like so many people who reach middle age -- 47 and 48 in our case -- and ask themselves the tough questions like, 'Is this all there is?' or 'If I died tommorow would I die doing what I really wanted to do?', we both felt we were coming up short and decided we would do something about it," says Leicht, whose enthusiam for her new business is infectious. "Thus the birth of the 'Red Car Gallery.' The concept of a red sports car has always been synonamous with, and symbolic of, midlife crises and so, I am sitting in my little red sports car!"

Despite their day jobs, the Leichts have never abandoned art completely and produce and collect work over the years. Red Car has brought them back to the art world quickly. The gallery opened in April during the spring Gallery Night and had more than 750 people visit their gallery on its debut night to see a show that focused on a trio of UWM graduate students: figurative painters Juan Juarez, Melissa Wilkinson and Joe Morzuch.

"Both Tim and I feel the Milwaukee art community is underrated," Leicht says. "We have been all over the country in museums and galleries -- and the world for that matter -- and people here do not realize the talent we have in Milwaukee. UWM, MIAD, Mt. Mary College, Alverno -- they are all turning out amazing artists, but somehow we just don't hear about them. Timing is everything and with the increased number of urban living options we believe it is imperative that the arts community become integral part of this urban development. Our goal is to make that happen. Part of our mission is to introduce and support emerging and early life cycle artists, regardless of their genre."

With its speedy success Red Car Gallery may be able to help. Certainly local artists believe it can. Just ask Leicht, who has been approached by many hopefuls trying to secure a show at the Walker's Point venue. The shows keep coming and Red Car will continue to focus on Milwaukee's own artists and collectors. The latter is the focus of the next show, which opens on July 25, in conjunction with summer Gallery Night.

"We will feature selections from the private collection of nationally known folk art collectors, John and Diane Balsley," says Leicht. "The Balsleys are another perfect example of people from Milwaukee who are better known nationally than they are locally. Our future shows include a sculpture/installation show scheduled for October, a group show of painters in December and we'll introduce a wonderful painter, (who is) new to the area, in April 2004."

Red Car Gallery is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays, noon-6 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and by appointment. You can reach them at (414) 645-8680 or at theredcargallery@sbcglobal.net. MARN is currently helping the Leichts put together a Web site, too.