We’ve entered the winter months in Tasmania: dark at 5 pm, rain and snow on the mountain.
Oh-oh, it’s starting to rain, but not to worry, lady bug friends are helping to keep wombat dry.
Flower Umbrella
“Flower Umbrella” original water colour painting is approximately 20 x 20 cm and was available for purchase at: www.pjpaintings.com/collections/original-paintings (sorry, it has just sold, to somebody who coincidently lives on the same street as me, in Tasmania!! It’s a small world).
Platypuses, along with echidnas, are the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. In warmer environments, such as Queensland, platypus are smaller, with Tasmanian platypuses often much bigger.
Platypuses close their eyes, ears and nose when underwater. The only sensory system they use when foraging for small water animals such as insect larvae, freshwater shrimps, and crayfish, is touch. They have touch receptors in their bills.
This platypus has walked and climbed into a cosy hammock and is enjoying some daydreaming time.
Hammock Life
I’ve made my painting, titled “Hammock Life” into Limited Edition prints, available at https://pjpaintings.com/collections/wombats/products/daydreaming-a-platypus-in-a-hammock They are printed on William Turner 310gsm print version textured water colour paper, which retains the look and feel of water colour paintings. No wonder I have so many people ask me if the print is an original painting!
This platypus has also walked and climbed into a cosy hammock and is enjoying some daydreaming time. It has a real flair for home décor as evidenced by its wonderfully decorated hammock!
Daydreaming
This painting, titled, “Daydreaming” is not available as a print but the original painting is for sale at Wooby Lane Gallery, Salamanca Place, Tasmania.
I hope that you are finding time to daydream and relax too.
Australia’s early settlers hunted emus for food and as a result the emus that were abundant in Tasmania and Australia’s east coast disappeared. Today, only one population remains in existence, aside from the thriving Australian inland emus, the coastal emu. The New South Wales (NSW) Government, in 2002, listed the coastal emus as an endangered population as its numbers were, and continues to be, in steep decline.
The coastal emu. Photography by Stephen Otton
The coastal emu is genetically distinct from the inland emu and an important seed disperser. It travels large distances and plays an important role in the regeneration of native species. Other species do a similar service but not to the same capacity. If the coastal emu is lost from the ecosystem it will reduce diversity and populations of species that depend on the plants, not to mention the loss of another emu species.
The range of the endangered coastal emu population. (Image credit: Coastal Emu Alliance). An estimated 50 Coastal Emus remain in crucial habitat areas of the Clarence and Richmond valleys.
A concerted effort is necessary to save an endangered species with numbers as low as the coastal emu. It is encouraged that sightings of coastal emus and/or nests are reported to The Coastal Emu Register. Identifying nesting sites can help target feral animal control at the local level. Tracking the seasonal movements of the emus, will help build an understanding of the survival rates of adults and chicks, and whether a captive breeding may be required to re-build the number of Coastal Emus found in the wild.
If you are out and about coastal emu spotting, for accuracy sake, please be aware that there are also adventuresome PJ Paintings emus running around.
Family Outing
Bonnie and Me!
Surfing Clifton Beach, Tasmania
Take care and thank you for visiting the unfurling artist. 🙂
Sometimes I paint something that no matter how hard I rack my brain, I can’t think of a title. I know you can go with the title “Untitled” but I’d rather not.
A good friend of mine, from the northern end of Tasmania, asked me if I could paint an ice skating emu so that she could get a print of the painting to give to her daughter, who LOVES ice skating. She regularly travels to Hobart for that very purpose – to ice skate.
This image is available now for purchase: shop now
Thinking of a title turned out to be more difficult than drawing and painting the picture. Has anyone else had this problem?? Some of the titles I came up with were:
Spin- ster
Going for a Spin
Ice Queen
Ice Princess
Unhappy with all of the above, I decided it was time to elicit some help from my Facebook friends. Ideas were proposed and I narrowed it down to “Emu Icecapades”. I think this is an awesome title for the painting.
Thank you friends for helping me name this painting!
The Yaraka Hotel in outback Queensland, Australia, has banned entry to Kevin and Carol emus, and as a consequence gained worldwide notoriety, as the story has gone viral. The world is in need of some light-hearted news during the COVID-19 pandemic and this story seems to be fulfilling some of this demand.
A local Animal Rescuer, Leanne Byrne, found an abandoned emu nest of eggs and raised the clutch of emus. Kevin’s and Carol’s brothers and sisters have moved on, but this pair remained and endeared themselves to the locals and visitors alike.
Leanne Byrne poses for a photo with one of her feathery babies.
A rift developed after Kevin and Carol learnt how to climb stairs to gain entry into the pub.
The inquisitive emus were captured on digital by pub customer and visiting tourist Sam Guzzardi.
The pair caused havoc by eating guests’ food and leaving messy, smelly deposits behind, which the pub owner wasn’t too thrilled about having to clean up each time it happened, and apparently emu toileting needs are frequent!
The emus are no longer allowed in the Yaraka Hotel after a spate of bad behaviour.(Supplied: Chris Gimblett)
In order to maintain a good working relationship, the owner of the pub set up emu barricades, citing ‘bad emu behaviour’ as making this a necessary action.
The hotel has erected barricades and put up signs urging tourists to keep the emus out.(Supplied: Chris Gimblett)
Kevin and Carol aren’t the only emus strutting there stuff around town. I’ve captured other emus in their strutting action too.
Bright & Breezy
Walking with Flair
A Fashion af-Flair
Take care everybody and be careful around misbehaving emus.
I was asked to paint three different emu scenes to be made into tiles for a laundry room for a house that is being built in Hobart, Tasmania. These are the three ideas I came up with.
We were lucky again today. We had a sunny and windless day. I replaced my 37 kilogram gazebo with a 24 kg one and it was so much easier to set up.
My first visitors to the stall were two from 120 delegates attending a conference in Hobart. They purchased “Bonnie & Me”, “Hayride”and “Outback Glamping” to present to some of the speakers.
I had a lot people from North America visit Pj Paintings today. One lady from California, USA, bought “Red Ute”. She thought her husband would get a kick out of the title.
Red Ute
A mother and daughter, from the same state, bought a set of Cheer ’em Up cards. Another mother and daughter but from Vermont, USA bought four prints to hang in her bathroom she said: “Family Outing”, “Hayride”, “Joyride” and I can’t remember the fourth.
A couple visiting from Parry Sound, three hours north of Toronto, Canada, living in the bush, purchased “All Ears” from the Cheer ‘em Up series.
“All Ears” his friend needs a listening ear and even though it’s hard work, and his beak is getting crumpled, he’s sticking to the task.
A couple from Trail, B.C., Canada, purchased “Double Date”. Another couple visiting from Prince George , B.C., Canada bought “Lazy Days”, “Spiky Bunk Beds”, “Devilish Siesta” and “What the Devil!?” for their four grandchildren. One of their children lives on Vancouver Island, in the same neighbourhood as x-royals Harry and Meghan. Their son has seen them going for walks in the neighbourhood and on trails around his house. He’s told his parents that the community is really good about respecting their privacy.
What the Devil!?
Girlfriends, visiting from the Gold Coast to attend a country wedding taking place today in Huonville, bought “Allemande Red” for the couple.
Allemande Red
A couple bought my “Flame Robin” and “Yellow Wattlebird” original paintings. They said that they are going to a Californian retro bungalow in Perth.
A young man, visiting from Japan, bought “Family Outing” and “What the Devil!?” as his Tasmanian souvenir.
The most popular prints today were the wombat prints from the Sleepy Head series, prints from the Cheer ‘em Up series and Hayride.
A thought to ponder: “If I close my eyes, I see things better than with my eyes open.” Henri Matisse This is true for me too – sometimes!
Wishing you a creatively happy upcoming week,
from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania
On Friday, Hobart got to 40 degrees Celsius. It was hard work packing the car in that heat. The night was hot and uncomfortable, despite some rain falling during the night. Saturday morning, the gazebo was set up in muggy heat but thankfully as the day progressed, a breeze helped to cool things down.
A couple from Launceston, Tasmania, who had “Who, Who, Who are You? II” searched me out to buy more.
Who, Who, Who are You? II
They arrived with their gorgeous 11 week old St Bernard puppy, named Lady Marmalade. They ended up buying five A-3 sized prints and an A-4 sized print of “Duck Crossing II”.
eleven week old Lady Marmalade
An x-Tasmanian, now living in Queensland, bought “Hair Accessories” and “Hanging Out”. When she was in Tasmania she took care of Tasmanian Devils and Wombats. In Queensland she looks after Flying Foxes, Kangaroos and Wallabies.
Hanging Out
A student, doing his final year of Occupational Therapy in Adelaide, bought a “Bunk Beds” print. A couple from Poland, who spoke very little English, purchased a “Hanging Out” print to take back to Europe with them.
Bunk beds
A group from Amsterdam purchased “Family Outing” and two young women from France, both bought a “Richmond Bridge, Tasmania” print. A couple from Toronto, Canada purchased a “Salamanca Saturdays” print and a tote bag with the “Hanging Out” image printed on both sides.
A “Lazy Days” zipper pouch and a “Hanging Out” tote bag is travelling to Taiwan. A “Taking a Dip” print is going to be a 30th anniversary gift.
Taking a Dip
An Orange-bellied parrot and a Flame Robin original painting were purchased. One will be making its home in United States, the other in Hobart.
The most popular prints today were the wombat prints from the Sleepy Head series.
A thought to ponder: “An artist is not paid for his labour but for his vision”. James Whistler.
Wishing you a creatively happy upcoming week,
from Pj Paintings, site #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania
Salamanca Market took place under calm skies and moderate temperatures today. There were a lot of international visitors at the PJ Paintings stall today. A German couple are taking a “Sleepy Head” print back to Berlin with them. They said that they like its face and that it looked so relaxed. A “Bunk beds” print’s new residential address is Milan, Italy, and “Who, Who, Who are You? II” and “Fairy Wrens” will be making their home in the Alps in France. Sounds so exotic!
Sleepy head
Two young ladies from Finland bought some A-5 sized prints and greeting cards and then returned later in the day to buy an “Afternoon Siesta” A-4 sized print.
Afternoon Siesta
A young man bought “Christmas Siesta” to take back to China. A gift for his brother, he said.
Christmas Siesta
A couple originally from South Africa, now living in Adelaide, bought four A-5 sized prints. A lady, from California, USA, bought two medium sized zip pouches, “Lazy Days” and “Afternoon Siesta”. She said that they are great gifts that will easily fit into her suitcase.
A “Lazy Days” pouch
A young Melbornian, who happened to tell a friend she was going to Salamanca Market while in Tasmania, was sent on a mission. Her friend, a Canadian, bought two wombat prints from me two weeks ago at Salamanca Market and she wished she had bought more. When she heard her fried was going to the market, she put in her request for more prints. So, they did FaceTime and she chose two more prints.
A young couple, from California, USA, visited the stall in the morning and returned in the afternoon to purchase an original painting of an orca.
Another original, titled “Holding Hands” also sold today, purchased by a local Hobartian.
Holding Hands
A lady from Melbourne purchased an A-3 sized print of “Salamanca Saturdays” and “Afternoon Siesta”. She said they are going straight on the wall.
Salamanca Saturdays
The most popular prints today were the wombat prints from the Sleepy Head series.
A thought to ponder: “Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” ― Oscar Wilde
Wishing everybody a Happy New Year,
from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania
The Unfurling Artist: journalising creative journeying 