Father picked up paintings, say, in different places (5)
I believe the answer is:
apart
'in different places' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'father picked up paintings say' is the wordplay.
'father' becomes 'pa' (pa can mean dad or father).
'picked up' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'paintings say' becomes 'art'.
'pa' backwards is 'ap'.
'ap'+'art'='APART'
(Other definitions for apart that I've seen before include "Separated or at a distance" , "In pieces; separate" , "No longer living together" , "out on a limb?" , "divorced" .)