Aqua Agave Summer Heat

This is a representation of the Agave americana.  It goes out with a bang flowering near the end of its long life.  It is sometimes called the Century plant but usually lives for 10-30 years.  One can eat the flowers, leaves, stalks and the sap.  The stalks, when roasted, taste like sugarcane.  You may be familiar with agave syrup or nectar.  It is a vitamin and mineral filled sweetener instead of basic white sugar.  Using it in your coffee is divine, like a thin honey with a molasses flavor.  A tincture and tea from the leaf can help with arthritic joints.  The Native American Indians knew how to utilize this plant.  The Navajo in particular would bake the stalks and pound into an edible paste, store for winter and also squeeze juice to make a beverage.  The sharp leafed tips would make good sewing needles and basketry awls.   It produces shoots near the base so that after it dies it keeps itself going...like that agave syrup keeps me going all day!

I used pastel in this painting, on top of the watercolours.  The paper I use is very heavy, thick and has a high rough texture.  This plant has a real earthy vibe to it, so strong and stable with the stalk reaching up to the heavens.  I wanted to bring in a roughness to the painting and to also bring the vibrancy and life of the plant forward...I hope you enjoy!  It is one of our desert beauties here in the Hill Country of Texas!