My message today is simple

 

Such an exciting meeting -- come out to our art show on Sunday!

Snow scene on Cherrywood

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 
(This painting is the
work on my holiday cards.
It's a view of the house
across the street.)

I'm supposed to be writing about the 5th thing I learned in 2025.  Okay
-- You never know what wonderful things can happen.  Yesterday
at the Off The Wall art show at the Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton in
Toronto I was going out to the street to ask people to come in.  A fellow
came in, asked if he could go up on the stage at the back of the Hall.
He saw the grand piano and got excited then he began to sing, and 
his voice was miraculous.  We asked him to continue and he sang
a beautiful holiday song.  It was so moving that a visitor to the show
started crying.

That singer came off the stage.  I asked his name, and if he was a 
singer full time, and he said that he was currently in a show
called We Will Rock You.  I said that I was going to the show
that night, and he hugged me and said wait after the show to
see him again.  That was so exciting. Caleb Ajao plays Brit in the show
We Will Rock You, currently playing at the Ed Mirvish Theater.

So we went to the show last night, and it was amazing, and Caleb is a star 
in the show.  Just beyond awesome to watch.  Afterwards we saw him
and he hugged me and my husband, and we told him how fantastic he
was, and the whole show was just stunning. 

So that's my story.  Who would know sitting a show on a quiet afternoon
at my art club, that this would happen?  So incredibly cool!

Thank you to everyone who has attended the show so far. You make
us artists so happy. 

If you haven't seen the exhibition, please come out on Sunday from
1 - 4 p.m.

Have a loving your life day!

A day of wonder -- I'll explain tomorrow

 

Cottage Flowers
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © Revised 2024

If you are near 35 Hazelton Ave. in Toronto, please drop by the Off The 
Wall show at the Heliconian Hall.  It's quite beautiful, and I will be there
from noon until 3 p.m.

It's going to be a short post tonight.  Hang in with me,  More tomorrow.

We got home late from the fabulous music production of 
We Will Rock You.  So it's bedtime.

Have a loving your life day!

Another thought that repeats -- Lesson #2 of 2025 -- people who love are loving

Wonder Water Image #5
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 2015
Emily, my son Sam's wife.
This painting was exhibited Florence 
and sold in New York City
SOLD ♥

I'm sharing a message that grows more powerful for me every year. "Today my message is the same as last year, and even more important. Hang around people who love things -- the chances are really good that they will be more loving. So I am repeating last year's post from this day:

"It is my daughter-in-law Emily's birthday, and Steven and I feel
so delighted that she is part of our family. She is kind, funny and loving.
I did this portrait of her in 2015. And we love Emily.

Happy Birthday Emily!

Thinking of the concept of love. I am borrowing some thoughts
from a post from a couple of years ago. It would be hard to match the love I feel
for my family and friends. And it's my experience that people who throw
that word around, who love people, and paintings, music, humour, ice cream,
and flowers, and coffee, and wine, and pretty clothes, and their jobs -- also
love each other, the environment, the planet, fairness, equality and will fight,
not in a shallow way, to take care of the people, the neighbourhood, the city,
the country, the planet that they love.
I am all for spreading love, for loving as much as possible -- for complimenting
a book, a movie, a friend, a loved one. We are trained to be reticent,
and it isn't getting us anywhere. So guess what? I love that you are reading this.
And please go out and gush over your family and friends. Love, love, love.
You cannot ever love enough in this lifetime."

Have a loving your life day. 

The second thing I learned again in 2025

Victoria (Art Group Sketch)

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 20 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

(Not bad for 35 minutes
total.  A beautiful model.

I wish I'd had more time.
Thank you to Victoria's
mother too, who was

a complete sweetheart.

I like the concept I learned from Howard Wolinsky of using the last month
of the year to write about what you learned in that year.  So I think I'll do
it again for 2025. Here's what I wrote last year on December 2nd (slightly
edited).  The same lesson applies this year:

"My friend, Howard Wolinsky, who I met via the phone and Skype when
he introduced me to the Skype community as a Skype Sketcher, recommended

writing a list of things you learned in the year during the month of December.

I like what I wrote last year.

The second thing (really the first thing) I learned again in 2025

I wrote a piece in 2015 to explain why I sign so many of
my letters with XOXOXOXOXO, and it resonated with me again
today.  I miss all of the things we did without thinking before
COVID.  Now we still have to think about gatherings, and vaccines,
for COVID, Flu and RSV, when and where to wear a mask. Fewer
people are bothering to wear a mask in public, but many of my
friends are sick. Here's what I said back in 2015, and I still
feel the same way.

"To all my friends and family who cannot be in
Toronto this year for the holidays, please know
that I love you and you are in my heart.

I learned the strong power of love when I held
my mother's hand as she lay dying 12 years ago.  It was
not about regret, although of course I wish I
could have spent more time with her.  My sadness
was about knowing I couldn't see her, hug her
and speak with her again.

After she died I knew I had to live to the fullest,
not for her, but because she would want me to.
And I understood in the most intense way
possible that however many years I had left on
the planet, they would not be enough to give
out enough love to the people I care about,
and to the world.

I don't mean to overpower people with the
XOXOXOXOXO.  I just mean to say I know
without question that however many X's and
O's I can put at the end of a note they will never
convey how important the concept of being
loving, and kind is to me, or how much I care
for the recipient.

Many friends at this time of year are sharing
ideas about beliefs and ceremonies they
enjoy.  But the common thread in everyone's
background is the importance of love and kindness.

Thank you for yours in 2025, and thank you
to all my friends and family for helping us to
enjoy yet another year of happiness. 

XOXOXOXOXO to all of my friends and family
everywhere!"

Have a loving your life day. 

Magnificent Monday

Center Stage

Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

It was a very beautiful, sunny winter day today, and everything went right.  

Tomorrow starts crazy early, and the week is packed, but I feel incredibly

happy to have had a great Monday.  I'm delighted with the current

exhibition Off The Wall at the Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto,

happy about the upcoming openings and if you're in town please come.

This painting is in the show.  It's quite beautiful. 

This week the exhibition and sale is open 

from 10 - 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 4,

1 - 3 p.m. pm December 5,

and  I was told that there's an opening Sunday, but I 

need to confirm that.  

Have a loving your life day! 

A great day making art with family -- and another sale

 

Carolanne 

Black marker on paper 

Inktober drawing

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

So much fun making art, and listening to holiday songs with 
the family.  

This is another piece I sold yesterday at the Off The Wall Show
at the Heliconian Hall.  Here's what I wrote about the drawing 
in a former post:

"I don't know what happened to Carolanne McFarlane.  I can
only hope her life has been great.  I did this portrait from a very

moody photo my father took of her.  I don't know how
he even got the shot, because Carolanne was very sunny.

But when we moved away to Toronto I lost touch with
my former neighbours, who were so much fun.

I realized working on this drawing how much my father
loved light.  He loved to make his photos as dramatic as
possible -- and yet they were about everyday subjects --
our neighbours, the scenes we lived with every day, my
mother in the house or the garden.

What I love about the photos that he printed in his
basement darkroom is that the people are very
much alive, even though he only printed in black
and white."

I'm so glad that work sold.  I really liked it.

Have a loving your life day!