PjPaintings at Salamanca Market September 29, 2018

It was Grand Final Day today.  It’s a big deal here in Australia.  The final Australian Football League (AFL) game for 2018, this year Collingwood versus the West Coast Eagles, from Perth, Western Australia fought it out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) stadium.  The West Coast Eagles prevailed.

Despite the big game, there were a lot of people at the market and a lot of people liking framed prints today.  All the bubble wrapping certainly kept me busy.  I ran out of bubble wrap, so I was cutting open padded large envelopes to put around frames. Some were heading to Bendigo, Cairns, Brisbane and Victoria.

Under My Red Umbrella

I had a chat in French with a young lady visiting from France.  She purchased ‘Under My Red Umbrella’.  A student, studying Zoology at the University of Tasmania (Utas), bought a card and two stickers.  A lady visiting from Melbourne purchased four stickers, an A-5 sized print of ‘The Three Amigos’ and ‘Who, Who, Who are You?II’ and some greeting cards. Two ‘Off to the Races’ pouches were purchased for two granddaughters.

Off to the Races!

My favourite Galah of the five or so Galahs I painted during the week was purchased. The group were speaking another language. I’m not sure where the Galah will be making its home.

A Galah

The final print of the day purchased was ‘Duck Crossing’ for their daughter named Chelsea.

Duck Crossing

The ‘Poppy Fields’ was the most popular print this weekend.

A thought to ponder:  “The works must be conceived with fire in the soul but executed with clinical coolness.” Joan Miro

Thanks for stopping by.  Wishing you a creative and happy week,

from the Pjpaintings stall #30 at Salamanca Market.

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Silly Galah!

Galah

I’m not sure why the Galah, also known as the rose-breasted cockatoo, is on the receiving end of this saying.  Apparently, it’s an “Old Australian” word: a derogatory term that means a ‘loud-mouthed idiot’, specifically appointed to the galah because it makes a distinctive, noisy call.  I don’t know about you, but to my ear, all cockatoos are raucous, noisy birds and none of them possess a melodic birdsong.

“You silly galah!” is now usually used affectionately when somebody does something daft.  It is also a saying used for gaudy dress apparently because of the bird’s distinctive bright pink.  To make a proper galah on oneself is to make a complete fool of oneself.  I’m not sure why Galahs have been considered more foolish than other cockatoos. These cockatoos’ behaviour raises some questions.

Not a good idea to wake a sleeping cat 

Nevertheless, this week I went on a Galah painting spree.

A chirpy-looking Galah

A serious Galah with serious head plumage

The word galah comes from Yuwaalaraay and related Aboriginal languages of northern New South Wales. It is one of the most abundant and widespread cockatoo species. They are plentiful here in Tasmania.  I most often see them on the ground, eating grass and insects.

My favourite 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope the rest of your week goes well.

Cheers, from Pj Paintings

PjPaintings at Salamanca Market September 22, 2018

On Thursday, when I was teaching my adult academic writing class, my day job, I started sneezing and a full-blown cold quickly came upon me.  I had to go get a box of tissues and try to get through the rest of the day teaching in between sneezes and blowing my nose.

I didn’t feel too bad this morning, so off to the market I went.  Well, I struggled through the day and wished I had stayed snuggled up in my comfy, cozy, warm bed!

Spanish Eyes (Yellow)

I met quite of few visitors from America today: a lady from California, who has been dreaming of visiting Australia ever since she was a little girl.  She bought ‘Spanish Eyes (Yellow)’.  Two different groups from Oregon.  A man, who described himself as a nomad, purchased two extra small prints of ‘Who, Who, Who are You? II’ and ‘Salamanca Saturdays’. A couple from New Jersey bought ‘Glamour Girls’ and ‘Family Outing’ to make the return trip back to USA. Another happy stall visitor is taking her ‘Who, Who, Who are You?II’ print back to Hong Kong.

Who, Who, Who are You? II

A grandfather, originally from Croatia, with his two adult granddaughters visited the pjpaintings stall.  Apparently, he has an extensive elephant collection.  He was quite enraptured with ‘Thunder’ so his granddaughters bought it for him.  One of the granddaughters is an artist and loves all things creative, especially working with clay and sewing.

Thunder!

I met a few tourists that have taken advantage of the new direct Perth to Hobart flights, including a mother, who broke her wrist ice-skating in Tasmania, on day two of their holidays!  Parents of 20 month old Banjo, who, I was told, is obsessed with kookaburras and owls, were thrilled to have found ‘The Three Amigos’ and ‘Barn Owls’.

The Three Amigos

A couple, who bought ‘Duck Crossing’ last year for their baby, Lucille, told me that they can’t wait to give it to her for her upcoming birthday.

Duck Crossing

Lastly, I met a young lady, originally from Germany, an exchange project manager, working in Sydney.  She’s returning to Germany in November.  She bought a small ‘The Three Amigos’ pouch.

The print titled ‘Barn Owls’ was the most popular print this weekend.

A thought to ponder:  “Art is the cultural bedrock of a civilization and its worth is beyond measure.” ~Richard McKinley

Thanks for stopping by.  Wishing you a creative and happy week,

from the Pjpaintings stall #30 at Salamanca Market.

PjPaintings at Salamanca Market September 8, 2018

My fingertips were cold setting up the gazebo while a noisy and raucous group of Yellow crested cockatoos circled overhead. The sky was bright blue and then the sunshine arrived and it felt beautiful.

A couple from Brisbane bought a ‘Two to Tango’ print as an engagement present for “a couple that has everything”. They were really pleased to find something unique and that they think the couple will love.

A lady from Brisbane purchased ‘Lost Worlds’. It was her first time visiting Tassie and her first piece of art from Tasmania. She said that she tries to buy a piece of art from the places that she travels to.

Lost Worlds

A couple from Hong Kong purchased ‘Sea Life’. A tourist from Minnesota, USA, will be adorning her desk with a 4”x6” ‘Who, Who, Who are You?’ print. A young couple bought an A-4 sized print of ‘Who, Who, Who are You? II’ to post to her sister living in the UK.

Who, Who, Who are You?II

A man, who has purchased a hotel on Macquarie Street in Hobart, Tasmania, bought several framed prints to brighten some of the rooms. A daughter, from Melbourne, bought a ‘Double Date III’ tote bag and pouch for her mother’s 70th birthday. Her mother loves Superb-fairy wrens.

Double Date III

A young couple from Sydney, back from doing the Overland Track, where they were lucky enough to avoid rain and see snow, purchased a ‘Scarlet Robins’ print. An Ohio, USA, student purchased an extra small ‘Suspended’ print. She’s attending university in Sydney.

A couple from Perth will be taking back with them a ‘Poppy Fields’ print. They love Cary Lewincamp and have all of his CDs including the one with the cover that I illustrated.

Grandparents that bought a White Faced Scops Owls print for their very unwell newborn granddaughter 3 years ago re-visited the stall. She was born with her intestines on the outside. She locked eyes with the owls and smiled. That was little Olivia’s first smile. It brought tears to the grandmother’s eyes just telling me the story again. She had emailed me with the moving story, which was so nice to read. Three years on and Olivia is doing great they said.

White Faced Scops Owls that brought a smile to Olivia’s face

The whale and the Tango prints (Two to Tango and Taking a Dip) were the most popular this weekend.

A thought to ponder: “A picture is a poem without words” – Horace

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you a creative and happy week,
from the Pjpaintings stall #30 at Salamanca Market.

PjPaintings at Salamanca Market September 1, 2018

There was just enough wind and rain to keep me on my toes throughout the day.

I had another visit from my Devonport dental surgery, who is lining the walls with pjpaintings pictures to help calm the nerves of those biding time in the waiting room.  Where magazines may not succeed in bringing a smile onto a face, a pjpainting may.

A couple bought a ‘Scarlet Robin’ print to post to his sister living in France.

Scarlet Robins

I had a young man from Scottsdale, Tasmania visit the stall.  I asked him where he did his year 11 and 12.  Traditionally, high schools in Tasmania go to Year 10 and then you attend a college in the city to do years 11 and 12, but he was able to do the two senior years at Scottsdale High School, thanks to a state government extension trial to help more rural Tasmanian students complete year 12. He’s now doing Health Science at the University of Tasmania in Launceston.  He does some drawing too.  A perfect fit when describing procedures, he can also illustrate them to help patients better understand what is happening.  He is taking back with him a ‘Who, Who, Who are You? II’ print.

Who, Who, Who are You? II

A couple from Launceston, who bought ‘Thunder’ last year, is adding ‘Who, Who, Who are You? II’ and ‘The Three Amigos’ to their collection on pjpaintings.

The Three Amigos

I had proud grandparents of 14 month old, Lily, from Brisbane, visit the stall today. Last year they bought a ‘Who, Who, Who are You? II’ print for her.  It’s hanging up in her bedroom and she loves it.  She can almost say emu and when her parents or grandparents count the owls, she bows her head after each owl is counted.  Lily is now going to be welcoming ‘Duck Crossing’ to her bedroom wall.

Duck Crossing

I finished this little original last night and it sold before 9 am!

A Galah

‘Family Outing’ was the most popular print this weekend.

A thought to ponder:  “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent van Gogh

Wishing everyone a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.