Salamanca Market, December 17, 2022

The air was crisp and still as the setting up process commenced at 6 am.

On Thursday, when I was doing some restocking at Brooke Street Pier, from behind me somebody said that they loved this artist and it turned out to be the couple from Sydney, who commissioned me to paint their wedding invitation!!  

Stunning bride (the painting doesn’t do the dress and shoes justice either. They are gorgeous)

They had their wedding, in Sydney, NSW, on the weekend and had just arrived in Tasmania for their honeymoon. It was so uncanny, unbelievable, and wonderful that we were both at the same place, at the same time. It was lovely to meet them and to meet again at Salamanca Market. At the market, they bought an original Sydney scene painting (to add to their significant PJ Paintings collection) and two “Beachside Chatter” tote bags. Their enthusiasm is humbling.

I don’t seem to have a photo of the completely finished painting of the emu adventure in Sydney

Beachside Chatter tote bag

Early in the morning, a mother and young son, purchased “Friendship Refreshes the Soul” and “Suspended”. The young boy was looking forward to seeing Tasmanian Devils on Monday.

Friendship Refreshes the Soul

Suspended

A young man, from Melbourne, back from doing the South Coast Track, from Melaleuca to Cockle Creek, 7 days walking with a backpack and camping. https://www.southcoasttrack.com.au/ He said he was tired. I’m not surprised. It sounds exhausting. He bought a “Sitting on the Fence” print.

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

A father and daughter, from Montreal, Canada, starting their return trip back to Canada tomorrow after spending 2 weeks in Australia, purchased a “Spiky Bunk Beds” print.

Spiky Bunk Beds

A couple from Young, NSW, famous for their cherries, bought a “Dinner for Five???” print. https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/young-nsw

Dinner for Five???

A Melbourne couple bought the “Wombat Festivities” original painting and a “Tu-whit & Tu-whoo” print.

Original painting titled “Wombat Festivities” was SOLD today

Tu-whit & Tu-whoo

A family, the dad originally from Tasmania, but now they are living in Portland, Oregon, USA, purchased a “Bunk Beds” print to hang in their toddler’s bedroom.

Bunk Beds

A couple from Harvey Bay purchased a “Bunk Beds” and “Afternoon Siesta” print.

Afternoon Siesta

Art thought for the day:

To my mind a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful and pretty. There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is, without creating still more of them. ― Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Wishing you a joyful, rejuvenating, and safe festive season,

from Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

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

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Salamanca Market September 11, 2021

The morning started with beautiful blue skies but because rain was forecasted, I put the gazebo’s three walls up and awning. It’s surprising how much time this takes. I suppose because I need a stool to reach, which means getting up and down from the stool, and constantly moving it along to attach the wall and awning to the next section. Anyways, business started happening before I had completed my setting up, which is good, considering tourist traffic is significantly down.

A local young man bought “Hair Accessories” for his partner that loves black cockatoos. They are regular visitors where they live, as they are at my house, on the Eastern Shore of Hobart. Next a couple from Hobart visited and she bought two zipper pouches, one for a gift and the other for herself, along with a large “Salamanca Saturdays” tote bag. Another Hobartian purchased a small “Hanging Out” tote bag for her young niece and a grandmother bought an “Afternoon Siesta” greeting card for her 5 year old granddaughter, Fifi, living in France. Christmas cards, destined for various locations around the world: Norway, USA, and the UK, to name a few, were purchased today too.

Salamanca Saturdays tote bag available at: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/bags/products/salamanca-saturdays-tote-bag

A “Lazy Days” tote bag was purchased for a friend that is besotted with wombats. This friend stayed at a hotel that had an adopted wombat that wandered in and out of the hotel and this is where her passion was really fuelled.

Lazy Days tote bag (washable and Australian made) https://pjpaintings.com/collections/bags/products/tote-bag-lazy-days-1

There were heaps of people from Queensland at the market. The border opened and many have taken advantage of it. Another “Lazy Days” tote bag was purchased. A young couple from Brisbane purchased a set of prints: “Hammock Life,” “Afternoon Siesta” and “Devilish Siesta”. Their yard backs onto a bush reserve and these prints fit in with their animal/nature theme of their house’s décor.

A worker from the Royal Hobart Hospital, thankful that she doesn’t have to wear a mask today because she wears it each day at work (but that will be changing next week, we’ve been told that we must wear masks) purchased a framed Christmas Siesta.

Christmas Siesta https://pjpaintings.com/collections/christmas/products/christmas-christmas-siesta

My thoughts are with all those affected by the 11/9 attack.

Take care, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade

Why it IS a big deal!

In other parts of the world, snow probably isn’t a big deal but here in Australia it is and it makes front page news. There are many who have never seen snow. We have Queenslanders (pre-COVID) visit Tasmania for that very reason, to see snow for the first time in their lives.

I’ve been told that there used to be snow on kunanyi/Mt Wellington for months at a time during the winter.

kunanyi, Tasmania, August 7, 2020

Nowadays, snow is only there for a few days before it all melts away and disappears, just like the Tasmanian emus, which were hunted to extinction about 150 years ago. But, I have recently discovered that my emus are not the only honorary Tasmanian snow-loving emus around! Chook Chook, an adopted mainland emu, a Tasmanian resident, living in Kaoota, is also a snow-loving, honorary Tasmanian emu.

Snow-emu

This print is titled “Snowbirds” and is also a greeting card. Both are available online, at http://www.pjpaintings.com

Chook Chook is 19 years old! Their life expectancy is 20 years and he is still going strong. Chook Chook was advertised in the Tasmanian Mercury when he was a chick for $10. The wet or snow doesn’t worry Chook Chook at all. When the garden hose comes out, he comes running to be sprayed. Emus are actually good swimmers and seek out water to cool themselves in the hot outback of Australia.

Tasmanian resident – Chook Chook

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe.

P.S. Prints and original paintings are available at http://www.pjpaintings.com

view of kunanyi taken in Sandy Bay, Hobart, August 7, 2020

 

Salamanca Market Feb 15, 2020

I got up in the dark but by the time I got to the market it was light and thankfully calm. The wind is now howling and gusty.

My first couple that visited the stall was from Belgium, Florence (also my cousin’s name) and Antonin. As per my usual tradition, I asked if they would mind having their photo taken with me. They agreed. I’m so disappointed that unbeknownst to me, there was no storage left, so I don’t have a photo of them! Florence was my height, fine bone and dark hair. I think the younger me and her would have often been asked if we were sisters. They bought a “Lazy Days” print.

Lazy Days

A lively group of four women debated and eventually selected an A-3 sized print of “Afternoon Siesta” for their retiring colleague. They work in a government lab in New Town, Tasmania.

Afternoon Siesta

A framed black & white print of  a wombat that I drew is going for a long journey to Ontario, Canada.

A “Fairy wrens”, “Christmas Siesta” and “Afternoon Siesta” print are heading to Poland.

This wombat has given its hammock a rather Christmas festive appeal. Prints of my original painting are available at: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/christmas/products/christmas-christmas-siesta

An “Afternoon Siesta” print is going to Winchester, UK. A “Hanging Out” print is going to New Zealand

The most popular prints today were the wombat prints from the Sleepy Head series.

A thought to ponder: “To be an artist, you need to exist in a world of silence” Louise Bourgeois. My day job is teaching, so this doesn’t apply to me but I accept that this is Louise’s perspective about what she feels she needs to make art. I would think that if I did live in a world of silence, I probably would create more art until I found myself way too isolated and craving noise!!

Wishing you a creatively happy upcoming week,

from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania

P.S. Tote bags, pouches & prints are available at www.pjpaintings.com

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Salamanca Market Jan 25, 2020

Thankfully I managed to fall asleep among the waves of cheering washing over the house, the cannons and loud speaker of the Hurricane’s and the Thunder’s Big Bash game at Blundstone Oval. It was nice to hear that the Hurricanes won the game!

Salamanca Market once again took place under calm skies and moderate temperatures. The tote bags and zipper pouches went well today. Also, the original paintings: a meeting of “platypus and turtle” was purchased by a couple from Wales,

Turtle and Platypus Meeting

a young man from Melbourne bought “Holding Hands”,

Holding Hands (emu -style)

a young lady from Taiwan bought my “colour coordinated emu” (somebody told my emus that they should colour coordinate their clothes. Heaven help us!)

and a young man from London purchased the “emu and butterfly” painting.

A mother bought a “Glamour Girls” print for her daughter that has a salon. She also wanted a print of emus doing a manicure for her other daughter.  She’s a nail technician. Another “Glamour Girls” print will be travelling north of Inverness, Scotland, where this former Hobartian has been living for 30 years now.

Glamour Girls

A French couple bought “Hoo, Hoo, Hoo Merry Christmas!”. It’s for the son of his best friend that lives in New Zealand, which they are on their way to visit. “Christmas Siesta” and “Bunk Beds” prints are travelling to China. I was told I have a very cute imagination and asked to pose for a photo.

 

This wombat has given its hammock a rather Christmas festive appeal. Prints of my original painting are available at: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/christmas/products/christmas-christmas-siesta

A “Double Date III” tote bag is going to Hong Kong. “Spiky Bunk Beds” and “Lazy Days” (which debuted today) are making the long journey to Edmonton, Canada. They are a gift for their daughter who has just moved out.

“Lazy Days” prints debuted at today’s market

A lady from Germany purchased “Duck Crossing II”, as a present for herself she told me.  It is from my “Cheer ’em Up” series, where I thought of heart warming scenes where the emu saves the day! “Duck Crossing II” debuted today too. 100 A-4 sized “Duck Crossing” prints from a 100 limited edition print run SOLD out, so I painted a replacement.

The first “Duck Crossing” painting. The A-4 sized prints have sold out but there are still prints of the other sizes available at http://www.pjpaintings.com

The new painting “Duck Crossing II”. I painted it brighter, different duckling poses, including one sliding down from the emu legs.

The most popular prints today were the wombat prints from the Sleepy Head series.

A thought to ponder: “Bring your humanity to your art. Bring your art to humanity”. Maxime Lagacé. (I like this! :-))

Wishing everybody a Happy New Year,

from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania

P.S. Tote bags, pouches & prints are available at www.pjpaintings.com

 

Salamanca Market Jan 18, 2020

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

P.S. Tote bags, pouches & prints are available at http://www.pjpaintings.com

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everybody a joyful, relaxing and peaceful festive season. Thank you for  accompanying me on my art journey. I wish you an awesome upcoming New Year, for every day of 2020!

Title of this painting is: Christmas Siesta

Merry Christmas, from Patricia at PJ Paintings

Salamanca Market Dec 21, 2019

Today’s market was hosted under sunny, blue skies. It was a hectic day with prints, framed artwork and tote bags trotting off to various places around the globe.

 

A lady from New Zealand bought a “Helping Hands” print. She paints birds too but didn’t have her business card with her. I wanted to see her art too.

Helping Hands

 

A couple from Somerset, Tasmania, bought two original paintings titled: “Holding Hands” and “Mesmerised”.

A lady bought my urban sketch that I did while parked on the main street in Kempton of a house and “Big Hill”. It’s going to Mackay, Queensland.

An original painting of a Yellow-tailed black cockatoo was purchased by a young couple living in Dromedary, Tasmania.

a yellow-tailed black cockatoo

 

The original painting titled “Breakable” sold today too.

 

A family from French Polynesia, purchased some greeting cards and an A-4 sized print of “Hoo, Hoo, Hoo Merry Christmas!” They’re originally from France and have been working and living in French Polynesia for three years. It was fun conversing in French with them.

Hoo, Hoo, Hoo Merry Christmas!

 

A young Annabelle, from Chicago, USA, purchased with her own money an A-5 sized print titled “Sea Life”. A Byron Bay couple bought an A-4 sized print of “Family Outing” for their young son. A “Hanging Out” print is going to Spain with a couple who spoke very little English.

Hanging Out

“Emu Boogie” and “Rising Above It” is going back to New York, USA, where they live. I told them that New York is on my bucket list. They said that they didn’t think it was as nice as Tasmania.

 

A young family purchased a framed print of Who, Who, Who are You? III to hang up in her office in Port Macquarie, NSW. She is a General Practitioner (GP). It should help to cheer up some patients.

Who, who, Who are You? III

 

The most popular prints today were the ones that featured images from the Sleepy head series. The wombats were very popular today, along with the owls and whales.

 

A thought to ponder: “Art and love are the same thing: It’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you.” ― Chuck Klosterman

 

Wishing everybody a very happy festive season, however you are celebrating it this year. May it be memorable and warm your hearts,

from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania

Pjpaintings prints and tote bags are available at http://www.pjpaintings.com

Salamanca Market Dec 14, 2019

Early this morning, the alarm rang out loudly and rudely, with the relentless noise persuading me to reluctantly horizontally roll myself out of bed. I then peered through the curtains. The wind was howling and I couldn’t see the other side of the river. It looked like a winter’s day when it should be looking like a blue-sky, sunny day, seeing as we are in summer. Thankfully there was no wind when I arrived at Salamanca Place but there was rain.

It was another busy day with tote bags, original paintings and absolutely heaps of A-5 sized prints trotting off to various locations. At the very end of the day, while I was packing up, Gabriella from Mexico bought A-5 sized prints “Nap time” and “What the Devil!?” and a young couple from Germany purchased “Spiky Bunk beds” and “Hanging Out”. I explained the play on words (meaning) of ‘what the devil’. She hadn’t heard of it so the rather clever title was being lost on her. I had another German couple buy five A-5 prints to take with them: “Glamour Girls”, “Devilish Siesta”, “Christmas Siesta”, “Scarlet Robins” and “All Ears”.

A couple visiting from Edmonton, Canada purchased A-5 sized prints: “Hayride” and “Who says emus can’t fly!?”.

A lady visiting from the Shetland Islands, above Scotland, will be travelling back home with a “Spiky Bunk Beds” print.

Spiky Bunk Beds

 

A young man, consulting with his mother, settled on buying “All Ears” for a 17 year old girl that plays the clarinet. The decision was whittled down to either “All Ears” or “39 keys of Life” and “All Ears” came out as the winner.

A mother and daughter bought “Christmas Siesta” and “Hanging Out” prints. They are from Alaska, USA. The daughter is studying at a university in Perth, WA. They were happy to be here escaping today’s forecasted 50 degree Celsius temperature. The mother was saying it was 41 degrees before they left and that was difficult enough to cope with.

This wombat has given its hammock a rather Christmas festive appeal. Prints of my original painting are available at: https://pjpaintings.com/collections/christmas/products/christmas-christmas-siesta

Hanging Out

A young Melburnian family are taking back “Hanging Out” and “Spiky Bunk Beds” prints. They are originally from New Brunswick, Canada. He’s a biologist and got a job in Melbourne, so the whole family are living there right now.

A few original paintings sold today too. A painting of Cyclamen flowers is destined for Singapore, “Treasure” is going to Alabama, USA, “Misfit” is also going to the USA and “Tasty” and “Sling” is staying in Hobart. (I forgot to take a photo of the finished “Tasty” and “Treasure” pictures). The lady, who bought “Tasty” and “Sling”, also bought five different tote bags to take with her to Romania to give as gifts. She will be visiting her mother, extended family and friends there.

I hope that a framed A-3 sized “Afternoon Siesta” print will have a safe journey to California, USA. He’s hoping that they will let him take it as carry-on.

Afternoon Siesta

The most popular prints today were the ones that featured images from the Sleepy head series. The wombats and echidnas in hammocks absolutely blitzed it today.

A thought to ponder: “Art matters because your imagination can change the world.” Neil Gaiman.

Wishing you an awesome and creative upcoming week,

from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania

P.S. Tote bags & pouches are available at http://www.pjpaintings.com

Day light robbery

Today at Salamanca Market was a mixed bag, weather-wise and event wise. A sudden downpour of rain damaged three frames and caused chaos for me to trying to secure and quickly move things undercover. Then I had a visit from the police, a shoplifter had been reported, and she had items from several stall holders, including two PJ Paintings prints. I didn’t know or see her take anything. Later in the day two more prints were stolen. They weren’t returned. It’s near impossible to be doing credit card transactions, bagging or wrapping frames, and watching hands handling prints. The spirit of giving is unanimous with Christmas but I suppose that it also gives rise to the spirit of stealing. It’s disappointing because as a stall holder you want to be able relax, enjoy meeting and conversing with people. I like giving eye contact, not having to watch what people behind the ones you’re serving, are doing.

Has anyone else had artwork stolen? How did you feel about it?

I sold some “Tassie Christmas” greeting cards to a couple visiting from Germany.

Tassie Christmas

A “Bunk beds” and “Afternoon Siesta” print is being posted to two little Australian girls living in the UK.

Bunk Beds

The original “Christmas Siesta” painting was purchased and will be journeying to California, USA.

Christmas Siesta

Her friend bought two prints that are also U.S. bound, “Hanging Out” and “Spiky bunk beds.”

Hanging Out

Two young ladies from Germany, living and studying at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, bought a “Bunk beds” print. A young couple visiting from Melbourne bought “Hair Accessories” and “The Bun”. A framed “The Bun” had sold earlier in the day too.

A lady from Bendigo bought my small original painting of a Galah. It is going to hang in her toilet room beside a picture of nasturtiums, I was told.

Galah

A three year old boy is going to receive a small framed “Family Outing” for his birthday. She was going to buy him a T-shirt but when she saw the framed print, she changed her mind.

Family Outing IV

I didn’t quite escape a late burst of rain with a short peppering of hail at the end of the day when I was half way through packing up. I was glad to get home, have a cup of tea with my feet up after bringing everything in and hanging things to dry in various places all around the inside of the house.

The most popular prints today were the wombats from the Sleepy head series.

A thought to ponder: “Our primary function is to create an emotion and our secondary function is to sustain that emotions”. Alfred Hitchcock

Wishing you an awesome and creative upcoming week,
from Pj Paintings, stall #30 at Salamanca Market, Tasmania
P.S. Tote bags & pouches are available at www.pjpaintings.com