Song of India

Diane Mannion, Song of India, 6x6" oil

      

      Found a scrawny little plant at a nursery on the damaged goods table after hurricane Charley swept through our area, August 13, 2004.  This plant, called the Song of India (love the name!) has survived many years under my neglectful care... one of the few I haven't managed to kill.  It's now huge and a thing of beauty!  This painting is of a cutting I'm starting for a friend.

         My new painting umbrella came today and I was all set to try it out in the backyard and paint the cutting.  It's mid-August Florida, high noon, and I couldn't see with sweat dripping in my eyes, so had to finish inside.  Will take the umbrella out early in the morning to test it when it's cooler.  

      I had the painting umbrella type that sticks into the ground which was really great unless you wanted to paint at the beach (wouldn't hold up in soft sand), or in an urban setting (couldn't plant it in concrete or asphalt).  I had unfortunately left it leaning on a palm tree where it disappeared when I went back for it later.  So my new one is the EasyL umbrella.  It attaches to my tripod leg so I can paint anywhere!   (And I'll attach it to myself so I won't leave it anywhere, either.)