Today is #MarketFriday initiated by @dswigle (Denise! That is me!) I know, I am finally early,sort of, but I am in transit from vacation to real life. So, post earlier than normal or on time. It's that kind of week.

I hope you will join us as we share the different markets. It has been such a pleasure to see markets from all over the world. Who doesn't love to see what they are selling? There is always a curiosity attached to foreign ingredients, different produce or any product sold. So, yes! I would love to see yours! So don't forget to take photos wherever you happen to be shopping - whether it be the grocery, art galleries, wherever money is exchanged for a service or for merchandise. Don't forget to use the community tag #hive-196308 or hashtag #MarketFriday and @dswigle. I know, so many are confused by how/when to use these tags. If you use a community tag, it must be posted first. (the hive tag)

Please leave the link to your post here so it can easily be found by others. They will all be in one place. Where else can you take such a quick trip around the globe? Thank you! ❤

So, I am just getting back from vacation and already looking forward to the weekend. You know I can't stay away! I miss you! Plus, someone let steem slip while I was gone! We need to hoist it up again!

Last market, I had a post about the ship I was on, showing off some of the different things they have on board. One of the things that I enjoy going to is their art gallery. Not so much to buy, but I love to look! A variety of artists are shown off and several art auctions are held, usually on sea days when they have a captive audience. A sea day is a day where you sail, but do not stop at any port, so you are on board all day. I find it very relaxing to just lay by the pool and drink something with a little paper umbrella, but, that is just me.

So, grab a bid card, find a chair and let's peruse this auction, to see what we can see. Signal the waiter with your hand and he will bring us some champagne. We can't bid properly without a little bit of bubbly, right? Let's take a walk through to check out what they will be showing today.

I spied a Marko Markovich. He is an America born in California and his parents moved back to their native Croatia while he was still a young boy. He is a self-taught artist and I love how he captures the light in his paintings. I have personally watched him paint at one of the Galleries he deals with. It is quite captivating to watch an artist at work.

Ah! She is surrounded by a few Itzchak Tarkay. He is an Isreali artist and I do love some of his works. He is always a good seller at these events, probably because he has died within the last five or six years. We all know he won't be painting anymore, so everyone wants a piece of him. What they don't realize is that these are not oils, but lithographs that are embellished and that they will be pumping those out as fast as the printing machine can.

You can't replace his watercolors.

Slava Ilyayev paints with a palette knife. I was mesmerized by this ability. He never uses a brush. This scene here is probably what he is best known for. Central Park in the fall with a couple walking. You will see all different versions of it, but they are always very showy if you like the heavy-handed palette painting. :)

Various artists are shown here, the one in particular who catches my eye is an up and coming (as far as this gallery is concerned) is the one of the blue horse - because, like a unicorn, who doesn't want a blue horse??

Autumn de Forest will be 18 this year but has been painting for years. This child prodigy is blossoming right before my very eyes.

Autumn de Forest is an American painter from Las Vegas, Nevada. The Discovery Channel referred to her as “an artistic genius” when she was eight years old. Members of the art community and other media outlets, such as the Huffington Post and Forbes, have referred to de Forest as a prodigy. See here.

To the left of the blue horse is one of my favorite rock stars of the art world, Michael Godard. If you have ever met him, you can see why. The man is larger than life and I adore him. You can recognize his work by his signature olive that is in everything he paints.

The flag and the Indian Headdress belong to Tim Yanke, who I have come to love, although most of his work is sold through this gallery.

David Le Batard AKA LEBO is a popular Cuban born artist who lives in Miami. I want to say that he started out painting graffiti in the streets of Miami, and migrated towards whimsical, almost cartoon-like art. I will have to say that although these pieces may seem light-hearted and fun, they always have a story behind them and it usually is very deep.

His style has been described as Postmodern Cartoon Expressionism. The man is so very zen.

With the small space allotted to them on the ship, they cram in as many as possible.

There is so much to look at and you are given tags to put on the pictures so they will pull them first to auction them off. The champagne is still flowing. Watch your intake. You don't need to lose your inhibitions when it comes to bidding.

There is just an endless supply of art. Never enough for me.

Just keep it coming!

Joan Miró was from Barcelona. Britanicca.com described him as such: Catalan painter who combined abstract art with Surrealist fantasy. His mature style evolved from the tension between his fanciful, poetic impulse and his vision of the harshness of modern life. He worked extensively in lithography.

Well, the look-see is over and we make out way back to our seats and wait as the auctioneer slams his gavel down to start the bidding.

And we are off!

Always a flower to color your world.

While these auctions are a fun way to spend time while on the ship, it should be pointed out that art is one of those things that make a poor investment, so always make sure that you love what you are buying. It could make a good investment, but, you should never count on it.

Let the sun shine in on your life, so the joy may touch your soul.As always, keep on singing that song!! And just like that, this post is done. Thank you for stopping by and saying hello, leaving your words behind... and just so you know, although much sun and shine were used up today, I can guarantee that there is still a little left in my heart. Have a most fabulous day ahead!

Thank you for visiting my post 💖 Because of you, I come back to post, again and again. Keep it classy, people. Kindness counts. Wherever you go, whatever you do.

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they set my aunts house on fire
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to ‘okay’ my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?

i’ve been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water.

later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered,
"where does it hurt?"
it answered,

"everywhere"
"everywhere"
"everywhere"

warsan shire

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