Happy Spring

 

Spring tulips

Three versions in acrylic on

watercolour paper
© Barbara Muir 
(I'm revising one of these for our
show The Colour of Light)

Boy do we need Spring! Just the word makes people happy.  It
was a grey, rainy, snowy day today, and people were walking 
around in their down coats looking like Spring (happiness) had
just arrived. It is 2 degrees Celsius now (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

And some people were wearing their winter coats with shorts.
That is pushing it

It's a good time to immerse yourself in nature.  The birds are 
singing, the trees here in Toronto have not produced leaves, but
they are so ready. I feel particularly lucky to be up to my 

eyes in painting.  There are lots of reports at the moment 
about the destructive nature of social media.  That has
never been my experience.  For me it is friendship, learning,
kindness and opportunity.

But the news is there and it is grim.  We can hope that
sanity will come back to the world soon.  We can do 
all we can to help that happen, and we can create work
filled with joy, to give people a break.

Have a loving your life day!

Inspiration from past blogs on the International Day of Happiness

 

Eighteen years ago on February 17, I started this blog.

Tonight I'm including a painting from the archives 

-- A woman and her cats. I painted

this in September of that year, 2008.

I was lucky to teach Positive Psychology for 10 years.  I learned so
much about how to be happy. One thing that makes me happy is
creating work that collectors love. The painting above was certainly
one of them, and a great source of enjoyment for me.

Here are some words from a former blog that are helpful 
as I paint for a show opening April 3 from 2 - 5 at the
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. in Toronto, Canada.

I loved the richness and pattern on the silk collar of the
subject's blouse.  It was a beauty. Such a pleasure to paint.
And of course I loved the cats. Here's what I said in 2012:

"So what have I learned?  Sometimes in life we
think we're going nowhere.  That's what's so
wonderful about the blog world.  You can see
how far you've come, all the things you've learned
and in my case the great excitement that's come into
my life since I began this happy process.  My blog
was born during a hard time in my life, with relatives in
poor health, and my son going to Korea. The blog
and the people who read it became a source of
delight and strength for me.  When I painted this
portrait I had no idea what was going to happen in
the next months, when my blog would be discovered
by Howard Wolinsky, the Chicago journalist, and
subsequently by Oprah.

Steven was saying today, "your thoughts create
your future," one of the key philosophies of
Louise Hay.  And sometimes your future is
created by thoughts other people have that
are beyond your wildest dreams."

Have a thinking-yourself-into-a-joyous-future day.

Canadians and weather

 

Spring in the yard
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 

I like this painting from early on in the blog, of a wonderful 
model -- my friend's daughter -- Claudia. The year I painted
it the weather was even more erratic than this year.  A couple
of weeks ago we had weather so warm, that there were 
literally some joggers (men) wearing just shorts and their 
track shoes.  Then the next day we had a huge snowfall, and
strangers on the street were asking each other, "what's going
on?"

Of course the answer was "Canada man!" This is March.
Today the weather is what Canadians would call warm 
(6 Celsius, 42.8 Fahrenheit). Tonight it will be cold again,
and there is snow in the forecast for the next couple of 
days. 

We need to enjoy the variety. Because bonafide spring
weather won't be here for a couple of weeks.

Have a loving your life day!

Keep on editing, then be happy!

 

An inside look at journal pages
I created when I taught an art journal
course. This is a collage of a mix
of images, coloured stars
sign maker's gold, marker and
watercolour crayon
(The message reads, "It's funny
this preoccupation with angels
because I don't believe in angels
except in the way of, "Be an
angel will you darling and
bring me a cup of coffee
please.") 

I got a kick out of finding this piece about teaching art journaling 
to an art group.  The advice I shared is particularly helpful to
me right now. I have been working on paintings for our April
show today, and am happy to share what I said in my former post
with you.  There are so many art journal writers.  One of my favourites

is Austin Kleon, who has written many books on the subject of
creativity.  And the young woman who helps me with my tech
and studio issues is an amazing art journal maker, but hasn't gone public. 

Here's what I said in the former blog:

"As a college professor I've taught writing and presentation.  The
 key in both cases is somewhat the same as in painting
-- edit, edit, edit.

In writing try something, if it doesn't work, delete and
write it in a different way. In art try something, if it doesn't
work, rub it out, or paint it over. Try something else. Part
of it works, part doesn't?  More editing on a visual plain. 

Back and forth.  And fingers crossed -- eventually you get
it right. If anything making art is harder than writing, which
would surprise people."

Have a loving your life day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Steven and I dancing with

glow sticks in our

 kitchen St. Patrick's Day party

I love this photo from years ago of me and Steven dancing in
the kitchen with glow sticks we bought for the St. Patrick's Day
festivities we have whenever possible with our family.

Today we had dinner with each other, and our son Sam was on the
phone.  We drank a little bit of green champagne. As different
as it was celebrating alone, we had so much fun talking to Sam
as he wished us the luck of the Irish.

I love how this photo is like abstract art.  We put  up a garland of
large Shamrocks last night, and the kitchen looks very festive.

If you like celebrating St, Patrick's Day, I hope you had a great time.

Here's a quote from a former blog:

"No I am not Irish, but way back some of my ancestors
fled France for Ireland, and then Ireland for Canada.
So in fact I'm more French than Irish.

One year when my children were small we bought them 

green toys and hula hoops, and green candy and had green

ginger ale, and green champagne for the adults, and a tradition

was born." So Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Have a loving your life day.

Getting ready for St. Patrick's Day and Painting

 

Lucky Shamrocks

acrylic on birch,

5 x 5 inches

 Barbara Muir © 

SOLD ♥

Today I've been painting like crazy, and picked up our beautiful
invitations to the Colour of Light exhibition in April at the
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. I will be handing those out
wherever I go until the are last opening is over.

Meanwhile Steven and I are also getting ready for a Happy St. Patrick's Day.
It will be a small dinner this year -- just Steven and me, but we're decorating 
tonight. This painting (sold) shows shamrock flowers which are delicate,
not the hearty, shiny green people decorate with for March 17--

St. Patrick's Day.   My mother said that the Poindexters, our "Irish"

relatives were Huguenots, who fled France for Ireland, and then fled Ireland 

for Canada settling near what is now Perth, Ontario. By that time they were 

Pounders. I don't know any relatives with this name. 

Those ancestors lived in harrowing times fleeing persecution and famine.  
Our family made up of Scottish, English, Irish, French and Italian on my side,

and Dutch and Indonesian on Steven's side started celebrating this

day when the children were little.  And because children have

fabulous memories you can't have a special celebration once, so

we continue to celebrate every year. And will again tomorrow!
Green champagne and some green food -- salad or broccoli. I hope
you have a good one.

Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow..  

Bedazzled again

 

Boy in a red tie on a starry night

watercolour quick study

watercolour on Arches watercolour paper

10 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 

(I think it was the quick part of

Laura Starett's idea of the

20 minute study that appealed

to me. Time is so short this week.)

I posted this painting in 2010. That's 16 years ago, and a lot has
happened since then, but I like the fact that I did the painting 
in 20 minutes.  So cool.  My beautiful older son as a kid.

I am working on something that's taking weeks. Maybe that's
appropriate, but the speedy person inside me is impatient.
I will get it finished.  So much detail.  

Sixteen years ago in this day I was dazzled by the night sky. 
Today Steven and I went for a long walk by Lake Ontario. 
There was a very strong wind, and the waves were magnificent
-- leaping against the shore.  Magnificent.

Have a loving your life day!