Melbourne Visit

We’re off to Melbourne.

Drawn from the Hobart, Tasmania terminal, while waiting for our plane.

After arriving on Friday, we wandered around and settled for a bite to eat in one of the laneways in the city. This was our view from our eating spot.

View from our eating spot in Meyers Lane, Melbourne

initial drawing, Meyers Lane

Meyers Lane’s view

The next day started by a visit to the South Melbourne Market and then exploring St Kilda, including this cool community garden.

cool sculptures in various gardeners’ patches

I love worms too 🙂

I love buttons for art and decorating. 🙂

The visit to St. Kilda ended with sketching a duplex that caught my eye on Park Street. I love the roofline decorative tiles so many of the older houses have in this area. On Park Street itself, there were quite a few raised garden beds in front of houses.

initial sketch

sketch with paint, Park Street, St. Kilda

Sunday morning, we viewed the amazing Picasso exhibition https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/the-picasso-century/

One of the first exhibition picture on display is Picasso’s second-ever etching titled “Le Repas Frugal”, 1904.

Two of Picasso’s paintings of his first wife, Olga Khokhlova. Despite the Spanish flavour of the 1917 painting, Olga is from Russia, a ballet dancer, with Ukrainian origins. I find it interesting that she is depicted with quite big hands and feet in the first painting. From 1919 to 1929, Olga received over 500 letters from her mother and sister, whom she didn’t see.

“The Reader” 1920 oil on canvas

Olga in Armchair by Pablo Picasso, 1917

“Portrait of a woman” by Pablo Picasso, 1938, oil on canvas Maar and Picasso became lovers and intellectual confidants. Maar was the inspiration for many portraits, including this 1938 canvas

Picasso’s “The Kiss”
1921 oil on canvas

“Weeping woman” oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso, 1937

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973
“Massacre in Korea”
1951 oil on plywood
Picasso painted this work in reaction to the Korean War. Nothing in this painting specifically ties to Korea, not the landscape or people. Picasso said that when he thinks of war he does not think of a particular trait, only that of monstrosity. I agree and think this should be applied to all wars, including the current war being waged on Ukraine.

“The Bay of Cannes” 1958 oil on canvas

These are only a fraction of the paintings on display. After the exhibition, we found a spot to sketch the renowned Flinders Station. I was settling nicely into the zone, then the rain disturbed my happy space.

My weekend in Melbourne finished with the fairy tale magic of Cinderella.

Trust that your week is is travelling along magically.

cheers, Patricia

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The Edge of the World

After staying overnight at Arthur’s River, on Tasmania’s northwest coast, and before making my way to Corinna, I was almost blown off the “Edge of the World”!!

beaches littered with logs at The Edge of the World, Tasmania

The Edge of the World is a wild and bleak place with relentless, grey-blue, angry waves, as evidenced by large amounts, and large-in-size, debris littering the beaches. It is beautiful to stand, feel and see the power and ruggedness of the ocean and its shores absorbing the constant mercilessness of it.

The view at The Edge of the Word, Gardiner Point, Tasmania

The ocean from this point to Argentina is the longest uninterrupted stretch of ocean on Earth. Inscribed on a stone plinth at the Edge is a poem written by tourism pioneer Brian Inder (Dec 1930- Aug 2019) describing the feeling of standing at this spot, being in awe of the surroundings, and reflecting that we are all little more than a speck in the spectrum of time.

Brian Inder is a well-admired in the Tasmanian northwest tourism industry, best known for founding Tasmazia & the Village of Lower Crackpot. https://www.tasmazia.com.au/ He was also pivotal in establishing Mural Fest, The Edge of the World and Mount Roland cableway.

The calmer side of the beach

This region is known as the Arthur-Pieman Conservation area. It was home to four Aboriginal clans: Peerapper, Monegin, Taskinener and Peternidic. We do not know how many people lived here before Europeans arrived. Within just 40 years, most tribal Aborigines died of European diseases while others were killed or exiled to Flinders Island.

The largest middens are in the northwest of Tasmania. Aboriginal shell middens are distinctive mounds that contain a rich history of past Aboriginal hunting, gathering and food processing activities. Discarded shells and bone, botanical remains, ash and charcoal tell the story that the Aboriginal feasted on different type of shellfish and seabirds. The women gathered shellfish and food plants, dived for abalone, lobster and were experts at hunting seals. They dug themselves hiding spots in the cobble beaches, where they hid and waited until they saw the opportunity to pounce on an unsuspecting seal and clubbed it to death. In the early 1800s, some European sealers and whalers took Aboriginal women to help them catch seals. Some of today’s Tasmanian Aborigines have descended from these women’s relations with the sealers and whalers.

At the viewing platform there are informative information plaques

There were many little birds darting around in the bushes along the path back to the car park.

A male Superb fairy-wren

Resting place for displaced logs at the Edge of the World, Tasmania

Thank you for visiting.

Trowutta What?!

This is the response you get from most people when you mention Trowutta Arch, even to Tasmanians who have lived on the north-west coast all their lives. It is mysteriously overlooked despite being a geological wonder.

The Trowutta Arch is a rare naturally occurring arch that was created by the collapse of a cave resulting in two sinkholes either side of the arch formation. One sinkhole filled in with soil and was eventually covered by trees and ferns, while the other filled with water.

Trowutta Arch

The water is a bright green, almost fluorescent. The colours and atmosphere make it feel quite surreal. The water-filled sinkhole is geomorphologically classified as a cenote – a steep walled water-filled sinkhole. The Trowutta Arch is considered one of the world’s best examples of a cenote. It is more than 20 metres deep and is an important habitat for invertebrates.

water filled sink hole – Trowutta Arch

Trowutta Arch is about 25 kilometres inland from Smithton in Tasmania’s far north west.  It’s a short, easy walk through spectacular rain forest to get to the arch. Along the way to the arch, I found the mirror image of the ferns’ dead and live fronds, visually very cool.

hour glass ferns

I love fern fronds. A few years ago, I went for a walk and took photos of lots of fronds. When I got home, I discovered that I took over 50 photos of fronds! I tried to use some restraint this time.

unfurling fronds

If you are visiting the north-west of Tasmania, it is well worth seeking out this gem.

a fern frond with the path to the arch in the background

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that the upcoming week serves you up many joyful moments.

My Favourite Painting

I did an indoor-urban sketch of a corner of my lounge room. In this corner, some of my favourite things are displayed but they are difficult to see.  So, I would like to introduce them to you and tell their stories, starting with the painting sitting on the coffee table.

Painting sitting on my coffee table

I bought this painting when I was visiting my son when he worked for three years in Ethiopia. I asked his driver if he could take me to to an art supply store.  He told me there wasn’t any in Addis Ababa and he took me to what may have been the only art gallery in the capital city. In the entrance, photos of past American presidents visiting the gallery greet you, giving the immediate impression that the gallery is highly esteemed and has a good reputation.

This painting moved me and I immediately connected with it. I think the composition is brave. I’m not sure what it is, on the side background but I think that is a courageous way to deal with that space. The lady’s face looks so strong and confident, yet there is a tear balancing on a lower eyelid. Her face holds my attention and I find it difficult to take my eyes away from hers. I like the colour scheme of black, blue and red too.

I decided I had to buy it otherwise it will be a lifelong regret. When I was paying for it, I asked if I could have some information about the artist. She replied that she didn’t know who the artist was. She was the lady in the photos standing beside US President Clinton and Obama, so I was rather surprised that she didn’t know who the artist of a painting she was selling was. I asked if she could find out and email me because I’d really like to know. I never did find out. I also, asked if they had bubble wrap because it was going back to Australia and to my horror it came back wrapped in newspaper. There are some marks on the painting from the newspaper but I don’t mind because it just adds to the authenticity of the African experience and I love it.

I loved my time in Ethiopia and i love my souvenir painting.

Thank you for letting me share it with you.

Red, Yellow and Blue

In Sintra, not far from Lisbon, there is a magical, fairy tale-like palace, the Pena Palace.  They must have had so much fun building this outlandish, fantastical and ornate palace.  It is a must see but I strongly, strongly, strongly advise that you get there as soon as it opens.  Our tour group arrived at 9 am and we were basically able to walk straight in but on our way out, we were aghast to see the queue and there were hundreds more joining the queue for the two hour wait, in addition to another queue lower down, to buy a ticket to enter the grounds to join the two-hour queue to get into the palace.

Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

After visiting the Pena Palace, we stopped at Cascais before heading to Europe’s westernmost point, Cabo da Roca. At Cascais, I drew this bright red building. I had to get back on the bus before I could paint it, so it was painted at the hotel.

The Loja Das Meias

Photo taken from where I was standing to draw the Loja Das Meias

While waiting at the Santa Apolonia Station in Lisbon, to catch a train to Coimbra, Portugal, this bright blue building caught my eye.  So I drew it and was able to partly paint the picture before I had to board the train (I can’t understand why the train didn’t want to wait for me to finish my painting??! ).

I like the yellow colour next to the bright blue.  I’ve painted a red, yellow and blue building in Portugal.  I wonder which colour is next?!

Thanks for visiting and take care.

Stop-over in Dubai

My urban sketching journey has commenced with a stop-over in Dubai along the way. Flying Emirates, which incidentally gives quite generous leg room in economy seating, and arriving in Dubai after a 14-hour flight at 5 am, there was a wait in the Flora Hotel reception area before the room was available.

I drew some of the indoor view as the outside view from the reception area was quite industrial…

Reception are at the Flora Hotel, Dubai – black & white

… and then as time passed, I thought that I might as well try to add paint to my drawing…

Reception area at the Flora Hotel, Dubai in colour

… and then more time passed, and I ordered a Moroccan Tea. It came in a funky, ornate, shiny, silver teapot with a teapot cozy covering the handle. It was a refreshing and delicious mixture of camomile and peppermint tea.

The room still wasn’t ready, so a blockie of exploration was undertaken. Here’s some of the things I took note of.

ornate window covers

cleaning lace decoration on a building near the Flora Hotel

It’s almost time to go to the airport to fly to the next destination.

Thanks for stopping by…

The Road to Deloraine

Salamanca Market was cancelled as Saturday involved delivering an original painting and prints to Art as Mania Gallery in Deloraine, Tasmania in preparation for the upcoming annual Square Dancing Convention.  To avoid the ridiculous amount of roadworks on the Midlands Highway, the backroad through Bothwell was used.  Bothwell has a very cool café.  Despite only intending to spend money on a coffee and a date scone, I left with a table cloth, a throw rug and a pair of fingerless gloves!

Here are some photos of the door art of the Bothwell Café.

Bothwell Café.

I tried to do some urban sketching in Deloraine.  I attempted to draw the Deloraine Hotel but it was way too complicated for the short amount of time I had, so I gave up on it and crossed the street and then tried to draw the quaint library.

I was much happier with my 7 minutes of drawing the Deloraine Library.

I had to put the drawing aside to meet friends for coffee, drop off my art at the gallery and then visit the very nifty town of Latrobe.

A Deloraine Native Hen

Deloraine sculptures on the banks of the Meander River

This house is near to where I stayed in Deloraine overnight.  I thought it was abandoned, but no, there was smoke coming out of the chimney.

Lunch was had at a cool art café called The Crowded coffee Lounge in Latrobe.  It is spacious, adorned with stunning pastel framed artworks, has cool furniture with one table having a puzzle in progress and another with a stack of board games. Many art classes are delivered from this venue.

Photos taken of the back of the café. I really liked Latrobe and I want to return to further explore it.

For now, it is the road back to Hobart, Tasmania and back to work. 😦

Thanks for visiting.  May your travels be gentle and kind for you.

PjPaintings at Salamanca Market July 28, 2018

I briefly saw the blood moon, the longest lunar eclipse of the 21^st century, on my drive to the market this morning.  It looked quite small from where I was seeing it.  I had planned to take a photo of it but didn’t because I thought it would look rather insignificant taking it just with my phone.

It was a warm and clear blue sky day at the market today.  Quite a few stall holders were away enjoying a holiday, and so were many visitors, enjoying a Tasmanian holiday, including a few people from Launceston, the north of the state. A mother, visiting from Brisbane, bought a whale print of ‘Weightless’ to take back and give to her twelve year old daughter.

Weightless

‘Beachside Chatter’ was purchased as a gift for a niece.  ‘Helping Hands’ is going to a mother, and a dog sitter this weekend, who lives in Melbourne. She has a bird feeder and Superb-fairy wrens regularly visit her back garden.

Beachside Chatter

Helping Hands

A ‘Salamanca Saturdays’ tote bag was bought for a well-travelled sister, who lives in Sydney. Salamanca Market is her favourite market.

Salamanca Saturdays Tote Bag (made in Australia)

A lady from North Carolina, USA bought the Tasmanian series: ‘Retail Therapy, Salamanca’, ‘Salamanca Fresh’ and ‘Richmond Bridge, Tasmania’.  A retired teacher, from South Australia, purchased an original painting of a Yellow-tailed black cockatoo and a couple owl prints.

A couple from NSW purchased a few platypus paintings to hang up in a cottage on their property. They asked for them to be framed.  They said that their adult son loves platypus and they laughingly said that they will write on the backs of the framed pictures that they are for him when they die.

The whale prints and original platypus paintings were the most popular this weekend.

A thought to ponder:  “Tell your own story, and you will be interesting”, Louise Bourgeois 

Wishing you a creatively happy week, from the Pjpaintings stall #30 at Salamanca Market.

Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Sydney & Vancouver Airports

… and the journey commences … with lining up at the Hobart airport in Tasmania with tall netball players, from Wales, and breakfast near a bunch of Australian men’s water polo players, both on their way to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Players from Australia’s water polo team breakfasting

I liked this café’s visual and educational display of herbs at the Sydney airport, while waiting for your coffee, you can increase your herb-knowledge.

I didn’t have much time to sketch at the Sydney airport but I decided that the lines in this scene created enough interest to try to quickly draw.

There was a lot of turbulence on the flight. Each time the drinks cart was two or three rows away, hot drinks was cancelled due to turbulence. A cup of tea finally arrived 10 hours into the flight!

I used two different lavatories on the plane and found it intriguing that both had ashtrays, considering that smoking was banned on all Air Canada flights in 1990!  Were we really on a 28, or more, year old plane??! Nostalgia? Recycled? Maybe it’s a policy to re-use parts to reduce throwing things into landfill. Very worthy of applause, if this is the case.

Art is as unique as an individual’s fingerprint.  Countries have a unique art fingerprint too. When you pass through the Vancouver airport, there’s no mistaking that you’ve entered Canada because of the wonderful art on display everywhere.

Artwork in the arrivals area in the Vancouver airport

Totem poles outside the terminal

Art is so special, on so many levels.

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Allen’s Rivulet Track

There’s no better way to start a new year than a walk in nature.  It’s calming and soothing.  I started the new year with a walk in Allen’s Rivulet, Tasmania, Australia.

On the way to the track, I came across this comical character.

The track takes you through Tasmanian bush, passed a large hollow living tree, to a rivulet and back onto the street.

One of the views from inside the tree

The middle large tree trunk in the photo has the hollow base

Allen’s Rivulet Track’s hollow tree

It reminded me of the most famous and photographed tree in Vancouver, Canada, the Hollow Tree in Stanley Park, which I have played in many times as a child.

Stanley Park’s Hollow Tree

It is arguably the most famous tourist attraction in Vancouver for over 100 years.  There are many historical photos of this tree.

A 1917 photo of the Duke of Devenshire and dignitaries

 

Unlike Allen’s Rivulet’s hollow tree, which is a living tree, the Stanley Park one is a 600 to 800 year old Western Red Cedar tree that died, but left a huge hollow stump.  In 2006, there was a severe windstorm that caused significant damage to many trees, including the famous Hollow Tree, causing it to lean precariously.  The Vancouver Parks Board considered taking it down but there was a massive public outcry resulting in some ingenuity to save the tree.

The brace installed to help keep the stump stable and upright

I spotted this most unique little nest too!

A Grey fantail in its nest

The nest is really small, the size of a tiny cup and it had the mum bird, a Grey fantail, sitting in it.  Most of her body is outside the nest because the nest is so small.  A bird book describes the nest as looking “like a wine glass without a base – a tiny cup of plant fibres liberally bound with cobweb.”

Thanks for stopping by. I wish one and all an awesome upcoming new year!