Salamanca Market, June 3, 2023

There were less people at the market today. I imagine that there will be more next Saturday because Dark Mofo is kicking off June 8th. It’s the 10th anniversary of Dark Mofo.

My first customer today was a fellow stallholder. She bought a “Southern Flow” print for her friend that loves whales.

A couple from Canberra on their honeymoon purchased “Morning Melody”. He works for the commonwealth and she’s about to start working as a doctor.

A couple from WA, staying at a B&B in Hobart, had three of my prints hanging in their accommodation and searched for me. The purchased “Hanging Out”, “Afternoon Siesta” and “Enchanted Forest III” prints.

Here’s a photo of a photo of the framed prints at their accommodation.

A visitor from Sydney purchased a “The Three Amigos II” print for her cousin visiting from Scotland.

A family from Toowoomba, Qld, purchased prints for their daughters, one living in Brisbane and the other in Canberra. They bought “Devilish Siesta”, “Spiky Bunk Beds”, “Hammock Life”, “Bunk Beds”, “Hanging Out” and “Home Among the Gum Trees”.

Two travelling from Melbourne chose Tu-whit & Tu-whoo”, “Sitting on the Fence” and “Weightless” prints. Another two travelling together from Vermont, USA, both bought an “Enchanted Forest III” print each. Then, I had another two people travelling together from Germany and they bought an “Enchanted Forest III” and a “Maggie & Maggie” print.

A “Rising Above It” print is going to Vancouver Island, Canada. She’s been in Australia for 7 months and is returning home in less than two weeks. She lives a half an hour or so north of Nanaimo. She When she saw “Rising Above It” she immediately connected it with her mother and said her mother would love it.

Near the end of the day, I had a group from Tucson, USA, and they bought “Lazy Days” and “Enchanted Forest III”.

Enchanted Forest III

Enchanted Forest III was the most popular today. I completely sold out of them. Enchanted Forest III prints are available through my website https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/enchanted-forest-iii

Until next week, take care.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college- that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared back at me, incredulous, and said, “You mean they forget?”” – Howard Ikemoto

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Puppeteer

My drawing and painting for Week Two’s prompt word, “Puppet”, for #inktober52.

Puppeteer


I spent significant time and care drawing the fur in with an Artline pen. I usually just draw outlines and do my details in the painting part of the process. I accidentally deleted the drawing photo from my phone. Quite frustrating.

Wishing you an ‘unfrustrating’ week.

Cheers, from Patricia (PJ)

http://www.pjpaintings.com

Salamanca Market, May 27, 2023

It was a much warmer day today with the cloud cover over Hobart.

My first customer used to live in Tasmania but moved to Melbourne. She was here for work. She asked if I had prints of my original painting, titled “Balancing Act”, of a want-to-join-a-circus wombat practicing balancing on a ball. I asked her if she was here for a conference and she said no, she’s part of a circus. I wished I had asked her what her act was!! It’s not often you meet a circus performer! She purchased a “Maggie” print.

A Tasmanian bought two cushion covers (Salamanca Saturdays and Fairy wrens) for a friend who doesn’t want any gifts that need dusting or hanging. was from Brisbane.

This 40 x 40 cm cushion cover, made in Australia, with my painting printed on both sides is available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/cards
Fairy wrens cushion cover

A couple from the Central Coast, NSW, bought an Enchanted Forest III print. It’s their first time to Tassie.

Enchanted Forest III
Different sized prints are available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/enchanted-forest-iii

“Salamanca Saturdays” and “Lazy Days” tote bags were purchased for friends she made a long time ago on a cruise. One is going to Calgary and the other Vancouver, Canada.

A “Bunk Beds” print was bought for newly born Oscar. She visited the stall last week but didn’t want to buy it until her grandchild was born. She was on her way to cuddle her less than one week old grandson. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/wombats/products/copy-of-sleepy-head-series-bunk-beds-wombat-watercolour

A young couple from Sydney were captivated by the “Two to Tango” print and purchased it. They didn’t tango. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/musical/products/two-to-tango

Two to Tango

Another young couple, this time from Adelaide, SA, bought my original painting of two platypus, a “Spiky Bunk Beds” and “Afternoon Tea” print. She said she has afternoon tea with her sister fortnightly. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/afternoon-tea

Spiky Bunk Beds
Afternoon Tea

Then I think I met my first person from the Canary Islands, which is part of Spain. I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody from there before??! She purchased a “Visiting Friends” and “Piggyback” greeting cards.

Immediately afterwards, a Canadian Newfoundlander entered the stall. She extended her holiday, so she has spent 3 months in Australia, one month in Tasmania. She’s seen many similarities between the two, with both island states/province’s small populations, landscapes and more. I asked if she lived near the town that hosted all the passengers from the airplanes that diverted to Newfoundland during 9/11 but she lives about an hour’s drive from there. She’s returning home in a few days with “Iconic Aussies”.

Iconic Aussies

A young couple, that arrived from Singapore yesterday, bought a “Scarlet Robins” print. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/scarlet-robins

Scarlet Robins

Another young couple, whose Mum told them that she loves my emus, purchased a “Who says emus can’t fly?!” print for her birthday. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/who-says-emus-cant-fly

Who says emus can’t fly?!

Then I met two travelling friends from Argentina and Columbia, South America. They purchased “Supportive Nestworks” and “Hair Accessories”.

The wind really started picking up so it was great to be able to pack up before prints were getting blown off tables or worse.

Until next week, take care.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” – Karl Lagerfeld

A Builder

I’m starting Inktober52 (actually I have had a very hard time finding the prompt list for Inktober52). This challenge provides one drawing prompt word per week, for 52 weeks of the year. For week 1 the prompt word is “build”.

My emus are a caring lot, as evidenced by my Cheer ’em Up series that has captured some of their many “save-the-day” and “the emu comes to the rescue” acts. Here’s the link to view this heart-warming series: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/duck-crossing

Well, the emu has again risen to the challenge and built a bird house for a needy family.

I usually only draw a few outlines before I start painting but because this is a drawing with ink challenge, I drew the picture in detail before I started painting. It’s not my preferred method of working but I think it is good to mix things up.

ink drawing

I hope you are warm and toasty, wherever you call home.

Cheers, from Patricia (PJ)

http://www.pjpaintings.com

Salamanca Market, May 20, 2023

It was a cool start (4 degrees Celsius) but it warmed up and I even had sunshine in my stall for part of the day.

My first customer was from Brisbane. She purchased a “Bunk Beds” and “Silent Disco” print. The next visitor was from Denmark, Western Australia https://www.rainbowcoast.com.au/areas/denmark/denmark-town.htm.

Bunk Beds
a family of sleepy wombats
Fairy Penguins enjoying a Silent Disco

She purchased a “Tu-whit & Tu-whoo” print. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/tu-whit-tu-whoo

Tu-whit & Tu-whoo

A family from Blackman Bay, Tasmania, let their three children pick a print each. The boys chose “Bunk Beds” and “The Three Amigos II” and the daughter chose “Piggyback”. Another “Bunk Beds” print is heading to San Francisco, USA, after she attends a Rotary conference in Melbourne. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/wombats/products/copy-of-sleepy-head-series-bunk-beds-wombat-watercolour

A visitor from Melbourne asked if I had any prints of frogs or llamas. https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/mammals/llama/ She left with a “Kiss Me Please” print.

A couple from Newcastle, NSW, chose a “Tu-whit & Tu-whoo”, “Red Ute”, and “Hayride” print.

“Wombat Adventurer” was purchased for her one-and-a-half-year-old nephew living in Brisbane. His auntie thinks it will look really good in his bright and colourful bedroom.

A young couple from Cairns, Qld, bought two framed original paintings and a “Bunk Beds” print.

A visitor from Batemans Bay, NSW, https://www.australiantraveller.com/nsw/things-to-do-batemans-bay/, who has a boat named “Blue Emu”, and obviously loves emus, purchased “Hot Couple II” and “Family Outing”. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/family-outing

Hot Couple II
Family Outing

A “Salamanca Saturday” print will be adorning a home office in Toowoomba, Qld. The head office is in Canberra.

Salamanca Saturdays

A “Glamour Girls” print is going to Singapore.

Glamour Girls

Two cushion covers, “Salamanca Saturdays” and “Salamanca Fresh”, are going to Brisbane, Qld. Her and her husband moved there from Tasmania. Their children gave them framed photos of the Tasman Bridge and Hobart. The cushions will go in the same room.

This 40 x 40 cm cushion cover, made in Australia, with my painting printed on both sides is available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/cards
Salamanca Fresh

It was great to have the car packed before it started raining.

Until next week, take care.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“Why do you try to understand art? Do you try to understand the song of a bird?” – Pablo Picasso

Salamanca Market, May 13, 2023

It was a lovely, sunny day, so my toes stayed toasty-warm. There weren’t many people buying gifts, for Mother’s Day tomorrow, but there were plenty of grandparents buying for their grandchildren today!

My first customer was a couple from Melbourne that bought a “Friendship Refreshes the Soul” print. Next, were two women from Malaysia that went their way with their new “Lazy Days” tote bag.

A couple from Sydney, expecting their first baby, bought an original painting, titled “Wombat Adventurer” and a “Hanging Out” print for the baby’s room.

Original watercolour painting, titled, “Wombat Adventurer”

Another couple arrived and bought a “Lazy Days” print for their one-year-old Theodore. He gave me plenty of gorgeous smiles and waved bye as he was being wheeled away.

A Port Adelaide supporter, from Port Adelaide, South Australia, visiting Tassie to watch today’s AFL game at Blundstone Oval, against the Kangaroos, bought a “Bunk Beds” print. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/wombats/products/copy-of-sleepy-head-series-bunk-beds-wombat-watercolour

A family of sleepy wombats

Grandparents from Brisbane purchased “Supportive Nestworks” and “Dinner for Five???” for their one-year-old grandson. A few minutes later another set of grandparents bought “Goldilocks and the 20 Penguins” and “Dinner for Five???” prints for their granddaughter and their soon-to-arrive grandson, which they are calling ‘boyby’ right now.

Supportive Nestworks
Dinner for Five???

I met three young people visiting from Columbia, South America. They bought some greeting cards. I practised my French speaking to a nurse, who is French but currently working in New Caledonia. She’s taking a 3-week holiday in Australia. One week in Sydney and two weeks in Tasmania. She wasn’t too impressed with Sydney but loved the Blue Mountains and is loving Tasmania. She purchased two small prints.

A grandmother, who has seven granddaughters, bought nine A-5 sized prints for her granddaughters, son and herself. She chose “Family Outing” for her son.

“Family Outing” This quality print is available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/family-outing

While I was packing up, a man asked for a large sized “Bunk Beds” tote bag. He told me his wife was eyeing that one. Maybe this is a Mother’s Day gift??

Bunk Beds tote bag, available in three sizes

Until next week, take care.

Happy Mother’s Day, and if this is a difficult day for you, I hope it is as gentle as possible.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Thought for the day:

“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then, I want to move in with them.”- Phyllis Diller

Salamanca Market, May 6, 2023

Layering started today. With 3 degrees Celsius forecasted, I wore my thermals.

My first customer was a daughter and mother. The daughter was attending a 4-day rheumatology conference hosted at the Grande Chancellor Hotel in Hobart and suggested that her mother, from Townsville, join her, and explore Tasmania during her conferencing time. The mother purchased a “Salamanca Saturdays” tote bag. Another mother and daughter travelling together, purchased a “Fashion af-Flair” print. They were from Sydney, NSW.

A couple from Melbourne bought a “Double Date V” and a “Sitting on the Fence” print. Kookaburras are his favourite bird.

A husband bought a “Double Date III” cushion cover and a “Meet Me at the Gate” print for his wife’s upcoming birthday. Superb fairy wrens are her favourite bird.

An original small painting of a platypus, similar to this one, was purchased by a visitor from Victor Harbour, South Australia. https://visitvictorharbor.com/explore/victor-harbor/

A couple from Sydney purchased a “Bunk Beds” print. A student from France, who studied at the University of Tasmania, now an employee there, bought an “Enchanted Forest II” print to take back to Brittany, France.

A mother from Sydney bought a “The Three Amigos II” print for three-month-old, Teddy’s nursery. Another mother bought a print (Spanish Eyes (Red) for a much older son than Teddy, who started taking salsa dancing lessons with his girlfriend in Sydney.

A young man, from Launceston, who purchased a “Southern Flow” print for his girlfriend a few weeks ago, re-visited my stall. She framed it and he said it looks awesome. She moved to Launceston and rented a place for 6 months to live closer to him. Now he’s moved to Hobart to be closer to her. Initially, he thought he would rent but instead he bought a house in Kingston. No mean feat, I told him, which he agreed and accepted my hearty congratulations. He wanted to buy another whale for her and had troubles deciding, so he decisively decided to buy all three remaining A-3 sized whale prints: “Suspended”, “Sea Life” and “Weightless”.

“Southern Flow” Archival, quality prints are available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/whales
Suspended
Sea Life
Weightless

A visitor from London, UK, purchased several prints to take home with her: “Spanish Eyes (Red)”, “Two to Tango”, “What the Devil!?!”, “Beachside Chatter” and “Glamour Girls”.

Two visitors from Taiwan, after much deliberation, bought five greeting cards. Another visitor, from New Zealand, will be returning with a “Salamanca Fresh” tote bag and an “Afternoon Siesta” print.

Then I met a couple, with a very cute baby girl, who are getting married in St David’s Park, which is adjacent to Salamanca Market, in February 2024, https://www.hobartcity.com.au/Community/Parks-reserves-and-sporting-facilities/Find-a-park-or-sportsground/St-Davids-Park . They purchased an “Afternoon Siesta” print. She has a very clear idea of what she wants for her wedding dress. She wants gum leaves, gumnuts and flowers, like my “Fairy wrens” painting, embroidered on her wedding dress and then somebody to make it.

Even though it wasn’t warm today, I was glad that we had blue sky and sun for the entire day and that there were a lot of visitors at the market despite Agfest happening this weekend.  https://www.agfest.com.au/things-to-see-and-do

Until next week, take care and I hope that you are able to carve out some time to be creative.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.” – Neil Gaiman

Salamanca Market, April 29, 2023

It was a much cooler start today than previous weeks. We are definitely moving into winter. I wore my fingerless gloves and despite wearing my winter woollen socks, my toes remained cold throughout the day.

My first customer was from New Zealand. She’s a nurse and working eight weeks in Burnie, in the northern Tasmania. https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/places/north-west/burnie/ She purchased a “Hammock Life” print.

A couple visiting from Singapore purchased a “Hammock Life” print.

A couple from the Gold Coast bought ten greeting cards and my original painting titled, “Tickle My Toes”. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/wombats/products/tickle-my-toes

Tickle My Toes

A traveller from Paris, France, working in Melbourne’s metro office, bought a “Enchanted Forest II” and “Hanging Out” print. It was fun to have a short conversation in French.

Enchanted Forest II
Hanging Out

A couple from Sydney purchased “Sitting on the Fence” and another couple from Sydney, originally from Brazil, purchased a “Spiky Bunk Beds” and a “Bunk Beds” print for baby Sophia’s bedroom.

A couple from New Zealand, visiting their daughter in Melbourne, purchased a “Salamanca Saturdays” print. A young man, also from New Zealand, bought an “Afternoon Siesta” print for his sister last year. He told me that she loved it so much that she brought it to a framer the very next day! He wanted to buy another print to go with it and decided on “Hammock Life”. What a lovely brother! He bought his mother “Goldilocks and the 20 Penguins”.

Goldilocks and the 20 Penguins

A local man from Kingston, where Neil the Seal has turned up, bought a “Sea Life” print. https://pulsehobart.com.au/news/neil-the-seal-evicted-from-hobarts-kingston-beach/

Sea life

While I was packing up, one of the UK sisters I met last week, revisited my stall. She bought two prints: “Bunk Beds” and “Share House” and a card. Then she returned about 10 minutes later and bought a “Scarlet Robins” print and then she returned again and bought another “Scarlet Robins” print. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/scarlet-robins

The sisters are off to Melbourne on Monday and then to Cairns for two weeks. Then one is going back to the UK, and the other is going to stay and work. She would like to work in Hobart because she really likes it here.

Packing up was finished later than usual but there was no mad rush, so all good.

Until next week, take care and have fun being creative.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.” — Alberto Giacometti

Journey with Platypus

My platypus journey started with Inktober in 2017.

My very first platypus were done with only ink and water, using a reed and paintbrush. I used a mixture of Indian ink and Quink ink so that there would be some bleed.

after doing many ink-only platypus, I started adding paint

and then I started adding reeds and grasses…

followed by platypus looking at various things….

I drew this platypus for Inktober’s prompt word “cruel” – with the idea that it is cruel that platypus have to navigate a web of pollution.

then I started exploring platypus swimming again

… then a whimsical twist with the platypus, putting one in a hammock. I titled it Hammock Life. It looks happy. Hammock Life prints, cushion covers and tote bags are are available.

This is my latest painting of platypus. I finished it a few days ago. I added a bit of green to add interest and more of a watery feel to the painting. It was harder to do than it looks! lol

I’m sure this is not the end of my platypus journey and that there will be more.

Wishing you pleasant journeying from PJ Paintings

http://www.pjpaintings.com

Salamanca Market, April 22, 2023

It was the usual start early this morning: lifting crates, heaving the gazebo open, bustling around, chatting and the like to set up for the day.

My first customer purchased “The Three Amigos II”. She’s visiting from Victoria. I think this was her first time in Hobart. They usually stay in the north of the state because they own land in St Mary’s, a small town on the east coast of Tasmania https://www.eastcoasttasmania.com/discover/town/st-marys/ . They came to Tasmania on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.

“The Three Amigos II” Prints of these kookaburras are available at: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/the-three-amigos

A mother bought “Family Outing” for her daughter living in Toronto, Canada. Her son-in-law and daughter travel a lot with a stuffed emu accompanying them everywhere and it especially likes to photobomb their travel photos.  

“Family Outing” This quality print is available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/family-outing

A very excited visitor from One Tree Hill, South Australia, purchased “Storytime”. She’s starting a new job in a newly built, beautiful school library. The library’s windows look out on bush and she’s so happy and excited to have this new workplace. https://playfordspast.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/180

Story time
Quality prints of Story time are available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/story-time

A visitor from Germany purchased a print of her favourite bird, “Sitting on the Fence” and her Italian friend, who lives in Sydney, bought “Family Outing” to send to her nephew in Italy.

“Sitting on the Fence” prints are available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/sitting-on-the-fence

A father from The Philippines visiting his daughter living in Adelaide, both in Tassie for a holiday, bought a “Bonnie and Me!” and a “Salamanca Saturdays” print.

A visitor from York, UK, bought a wombat, echidna and a Tassie Devil souvenir. Three travelling together from Taiwan, purchased, “Sea Life”, “Tickle My Toes” and “Flowerpot”.

Another visitor, from Brisbane, bought a “Maggie” print. It’s her 13th time holidaying in Tasmania. She said it’s her second home. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/maggie-a-print-of-a-watercolour-painting-of-a-australian-magpie

A wife bought a cushion cover for her husband’s birthday. She bought a “Maggie” cushion cover for her Collingwood Magpie AFL husband. He just got a t-shirt with a magpie on the front of it. Her name is Maggie, short for Margaret. Sometimes in jest, he tells her how much he loves his Maggie….long pause… football team.

A Glamour Girls print is going to live in New York, USA  https://pjpaintings.com/collections/emus/products/glamour-girls-1 and a boy with a broken hand chose “The Bun” print to take home with him.

And then it was packing up time.

Until next week, take care and have fun being creative.

Warmest regards, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Quality prints of my art are available at www.pjpaintings.com

Art thought for the day:

“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” – Twyla Tharp