Frisky

Diane Mannion, FRISKY, 6x6"oil

      Man and friend playing at the beach near Stump Pass across from Palm Island.  The waves were the wake kicked up by boats heading out to the Gulf.  We kayaked out to this blissful spot along the intercoastal, took a short break and skirted along the beach on the way back.  Paddled right over a manatee!  Watched it's huge tail miss my kayak by inches as it glided away in the crystal, clear water.

      When we pulled our kayaks up where folks were sunbathing, they had no idea where we had come from.  John said loud enough for them to hear, "We'll stop here for lunch, then head back to Fort Myers."  (At least fifty miles farther than we had actually come from just around the bend.)  Bet we fooled a few tourists.

      This wasn't all just fun and games.  Artists have to spend lots of time doing research and absorbing visual memory data.  Tough life watching everything through artist's eyes.  How we suffer for our art!