A Galaxy of Starfish

A group of starfish is called a galaxy or a constellation.

I love to paint them because of all the textures!

A few Starfish facts:

They have no brain or blood.

They can live up to 35 years! 

They are actually not a fish, they are related to sand dollars and sea urchins.

There are about 2000 different types of them. Most have 5 arms.

They can regenerate a limb, but it may take up to a year.

They have suction cups to hold on to food, but their stomach exits the body to digest 

and then goes back into the body. (Ew!)

I did not know a lot of those facts myself. 

I just love to paint them!

I once had a happenstance at Peter Anderson with a starfish painting. I was with my mother and she really enjoyed seeing me sell my works. The first afternoon of the show, we were particularly busy, with people in and out of the space and some sales. This young woman came in with her stroller and walked around quickly, then said as she was exiting. "I just got here, but I really like your work. I'll be back soon, I just got here and want to see the show." Great! I said. (I nodded to my mom, who just shook her head. That day had seen several "be backs", that had not come back.) 

We both just smiled and went on with our day.

About 15 minutes later, Stroller lady reappeared and quickly put several pieces on my table to purchase. At the time, I hand wrote receipts and had a knuckle buster so sales took a few minutes. I was writing the sale up, when another woman rushed in, looked around quickly and pointed to the starfish on the table and said "Is she buying that starfish?" Yes mam I replied. I finished with the first woman and the disappointed  lady was standing at the other side of my booth. I said "Can I help you?" She replied "I'm just guarding my paintings." "I said you can take them down." 

She said, "No I 'd rather you do it for me."

She selected two pieces and as I was writing them up, another young couple ran in and said, 

"Where's the Starfish?" I said about 15 minutes down the way.

"We came back to get the starfish." the couple said sadly. "It reminded us of our honeymoon"

I had packed up the other lady by then, and sent her on her way. The young couple went out, trying to get the next piece they had decided to purchased.

The booth got quiet.

I looked at my mother and she said, "Did that really just happen?"

"Yes mam!"

We both shook our heads then burst into peals of laughter.

So many memories of starfish.

I still have a starfish I got at about 7 years of age while living in the Philippines in the mid 1960's.

A Galaxy of Starfish, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 36

Day 46 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018