Happy Birthday to my Sister Lina

Lina's back door
black marker and graphite on bond paper
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 
(I did this little sketch very quickly in my
brother and sister-in-law's kitchen. What
intrigued me was the chord from the
blinds hanging over a coat by the door.
I was attempting to capture the strong darks and
lights created by the trees and outbuildings set
against the snow.Then there was a
lovely grouping of flowers and big plants
in planters set against the window. It
is absolutely beautiful there.)

Thinking of my sister-in-law Lina today.  We call each other sisters
because it feels that way when we get together, and can talk and
laugh about anything.

Lina is a talented photographer, major lover of nature and kind
and delightful wife to my brother.  I found this cool drawing 

looking for her name.  I haven't done a published drawing of her 

-- yet!

Happy Birthday Lina!

 

Working on paintings for the Off The Wall show

Untitled (Work in Progress)

Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

I had a great day today working on this painting for the Off The Wall show at
The Heliconian Hall in December.  It is definitely a work in progress, and I'm

happy with it so far.

I hope you had a great day! Back to work.

Have a loving your life day!

A Happy Day -- and grateful for my website

 

Some images -- not all on the website.
A year ago I said that I needed help

with the website, and miraculously 
that help arrived this year.

We are still working on it when we
have time.  This group of photos
are just images that make me
happy.  Some are of my work,

and some of images I love
like my cat sleeping, swans
at our favourite park, and
Morning Glories, which
hardly bloomed this year.

 I wanted to put a celebratory piece up

 for you tonight.

Getting my website was an incredibly
exciting development for me. 
And despite the first and
continuing snowfall, it's been

a lovely weekend.

Getting a website was just wonderful for me.  If people want to see what
I do, I open the website on my phone or iPad, or computer.  It still needs
adjusting, and constantly needs new information, but it works.

Here's what I said about it in a former post:

"I first went public with my website on November 3, 2021, and
it is a wonderful thing.

People who want to see my work, don't necessarily want to read 
my blog, and some people don't want to look at Instagram.  So
there it is. https://www.barbaramuir.com -- wonderfully organized,
and a clear way for people to see what I do.

I am over the top grateful to my son Christopher for organizing it,
designing it, and just helping me all the time with my questions
about how to handle my sites.

Thank you to everyone who helped me with the website, and to everyone
who has visited it to check out my work, buy my work, and promote me
as an artist."

I am also extremely grateful for my help this year by a wonderful 
woman who has helped me update the website.  Thank you Maya!

Have a loving your life day!

Steven's Happy Birthday weekend

 

You can't keep a good man down

Acrylic ink and acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

The Happy Birthday weekend goes on -- delightful family videos

singing Happy Birthday to this guy, phone calls, and people at

one of our favourite take out places, saying Happy Birthday and

offering treats to Steven.

A very Happy day, and I hope it was for you too. Steven, my husband

is a sweetheart, so kind, funny, and loving.  I'm glad it was a super
day for him.

Have a loving your life day!

The birthdays continue: Happy Birthday to Sam and Steven

 

After the Dance

Sam sketch

Acrylic on canvas

30" x 30"

Barbara Muir © 

Today is my son Sam's birthday.  And we discovered when
Steven's mother was living in Ottawa, that it's Steven's birthday
too. Some mix up when Steven was born recorded the wrong date.
And he found out that the date on his birth certificate was 
correct. He was having trouble with any document that needed
his correct birthday. 

Our solution for awhile?  As Sam's birthday was November 7, and 
Steven had celebrated on November 8 for his whole life,
we kept that tradition.  But today with Sam living in another city,
we called and sent a gift, to Sam, and celebrated Steven's birthday
all day because he had the day off.

Me and Steven

Photo

Steven van Schaik © 2021

So Happy Birthday to Sam, a wonderful young man.
We love him, and are so proud of him. And Happy Birthday to
Steven, my sweet husband.  

Happy Birthday Sam and Steven!

For me today is about my mother

 

The lake at sunset
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

Today is my mother's birthday.  She died just before her
birthday in 2013 leaving a big hole in all of our lives.
My mother, Isabel, was a wonderful person -- brave, 
kind, brilliant and generous.

She was dedicated to living a healthy life, and encouraging
her children to do the same.

Isabel Muir
by Christopher Muir

Christopher Muir © 

My mother died 12 years ago.  It was Thanksgiving Day. We were
in Ottawa where she lived, and were in the hospital with her the night before
she died.  

Here's what I wrote about her in a former tribute:

"A couple of weeks before she died, I sat with my mother, who
was totally blind, helping her fill out cheques to organizations she
believed in that protected the environment -- wolves, whales, parkland.
Those weren't her only passions -- she gave to women's shelters, money
for hurricane and famine victims.  Small amounts to be sure -- but this mattered.

The beautiful portrait photo I'm showing you is by my son, Christopher.
I love it because it shows her strength, her beauty, and the nature
she protected with letters, her voice on call-in radio on CBC, in protest
marches even when she had a serious chronic lung condition, and
with donations.

She was a good, kind and supportive mother. What
shone through with her was her love for her family, her intellect,
(she had a Masters in Bacteriology), and her concern about the future of
the planet."

We miss you Mommy.  

Back with my art group

Gabriel -- DVAC Art Group Sketch
Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir © 2025

So much fun last night painting again with my art group.  The model
Gabriel was fantastic.  I haven't captured him perfectly, but this is
a 35 minute sketch.  It was such a pleasure painting it. I may work more
on it if I have time.  I took some photos.

Gabriel seemed to like the results.  He asked to see it before I left.  I only
stay for an hour, which I've said before I know. Such a pleasure
to get something done in that time.  

Have a loving your life day!