Here we go -- the light's coming back. The 21st thing I learned again this year -- Here's to the light!

Frescoes in a chapel in the 

Siena Cathedral,
in Siena, Italy 
Photo

Barbara Muir ©

We were going to go and watch a friend take part in a parade
to celebrate the solstice, but she fell and hurt her leg, so she
couldn't do it.  But speaking of light -- driving towards the
west at sunset was spectacular today.  Golden light transforming

an entire side of the street -- making it magical.

I found a former post about light that is perfect for today.

Steven and I had our first holiday party -- with party crackers at

dinner -- snap -- hats and silly jokes.  So fun.

So here's my former post:

"I'm showing an image from my time in Florence.  Being part of
the Florence Biennale changed my life in so many ways.  It
was so exciting to meet international artists.  And it's wonderful
that many of us are still friends, some through social media, and
some of us have met again in person -- delighted to see each other.
I think exhibiting in Florence let the light of glorious friendships,
and spectacular memories into my life.

I met new friends, saw amazing art, fell in love with a
country I had only dreamed of, and heard of, both from my
parents and many of my friends who had either been born in Italy,
or had parents who were Italian.

My ancestry connection is that my great, great, great grandmother
was Florentine.  So being in Florence made me very happy.
Part of the thrill of being in Italy, was taking a bus tour around
the area where we were staying, to Siena, and Pisa.  The image
tonight is of a fresco in the Cathedral in Siena.  Our tour guide
used her influence to get us into a spectacular chapel in the
cathedral, and changed my view of art from the period.

It turns out the art that was not damaged (in this chapel very
few visitors are allowed to enter, because breath damages
the colour) is absolutely brilliant in colour.  Every colour was so
bright. All of the Florentine art of the period that was subdued
in colour was -- according to this guide -- damaged.

Woo Hoo.  May bright colour reign supreme!  It was one
of the most beautiful rooms I've ever been in in my life.

Wishing you a very Merry Holiday Season.  Looking forward
would I love to return to Europe? The answer is yes!"

That's my dream for 2026!

Have a loving your life day!

 

Last year the 20th thing I learned was go ahead and do it -- This year, 5,4,3,2,1

 

Colours of Joy
Acrylic on Canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

(available)

Super day today.  Amazing how different life is when you get over

having whatever we had -- cold/flu/nasty.  We are well.  And

everything seems celebratory.  At the same time -- we want to
celebrate Yule, and the New Year and see friends and relatives,

so we can't sit around twiddling our thumbs.

A new go ahead and do it trick I learned the other day seems
insanely simple, but I've got quite a bit done since I started it.

You get an idea -- count 5,4,3,2, 1 and do whatever it is that
inspired you.

Maybe that's why we had so much fun holiday shopping today
(don't worry our family doesn't do excess). But we needed

lights, and a couple of gifts, and holiday crackers for whatever

meals we'll share with family and friends. Done. 5,4,3,2, 1!

I love this painting, and it is available. It is an abstract
appreciation of life by the ocean.

Have a loving your life day!

The 19th thing I learned all over again in 2025-- as a good friend of mine in New York says -- Go outside

 

Cedarvale Park on Boxing Day last year

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2024

Our Fall Blooming Anemones in full bloom

This one aspect of our beautiful garden
makes me so happy.  They were very late

 blooming again his year because of the high

heat this summer.

Photo
Barbara Muir © 

The political scene right now can get very depressing.  The 
stories of wars, and mass shootings, all seem insane.

Do yourself a favour.  Turn off your phone, and all of your devices,

bundle up if you're in our part of the world, and go outside.
Arrange the lights on your tree. Pick up some boughs.
Sing a song or two.  And forget all of the bleak stuff.

The outside world is waiting to enchant you.  We have met

amazing people on our walks.  Wonderful artists, amazing
photographers, and published book writers.  I mean.

Have a loving your life day!

Be the light -- the 18th thing I've learned over and over

 

Breakfast Quebec City style

Watercolour and black marker

on Arches watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 

You may not always have a choice, but when you do, choose to
be the light! Be the light.  Today the news has been harsh:

a major fire in Wallace, Nova Scotia near our school house

happened on December 8. There've been mass shootings,
horrific murders, ongoing war. There was even a bomb 
threat in our neighbourhood.

The normal reaction is to feel despair. But that despair
is not generative -- it doesn't lead to change. And change
has to happen for the sake of the planet, and quickly.

As artists we can offer hope in art that celebrates the 
smallest of reasons to be happy -- like the breakfast scene
above. That is quite different from being complacent, or
not caring.  It is caring and saying -- this too.

Please give money to whatever your favourite charity is.

Help people around the world get food and shelter.

Have a caring for the world day.

The 17th thing I've kept learning every day in 2025 -- I love learning so much

 

Part of one wall of paintings from
my solo show The Art of Celebration
at the Heliconian Hall in April 2025

Photo: 

Paintings -- Barbara Muir © 

Having a solo show was a dynamic and joyous learning experience. 
it taught me, among other things, that I really am an artist.  55 paintings
filling the beautiful space of the Heliconian Hall was a very positive experience.  

I do love learning, and love working at it.  My passions right now aside from art,

are French, and trying to learn thank you in 7,139 languages.  I may know 20,

and am I want to know more.  Toronto is a delightfully culturally diverse
city, and we literally do meet people from all over the world. 

People are happy to share thank you in their first language, and then are so 
happy to hear someone trying to say it, even if I take a few tries to get it right.

I like what I said about this last year:

"So that's one thing -- language.  Then there is learning about
the many different cultures of people I meet who have lived
around the world.  If you do travel, you know that if you 
haven't visited a place, you don't know it. You can see
1,000 pictures of the Eiffel tower, and not know how it
looks in real life when you visit it, or drive by it in a taxi,
or see it as you sail down the Seine on a tour boat. So
different.  But we can read, and study and see films and 
speak with people to learn about the places we may never
visit.

Learning is essential if we are going to fix humanity's
disruptive behaviour, and save the planet."

Have a loving what you're learning day.

The 16th thing I learned again -- the world is full of wonder!

Happy Anniversary Tea 

watercolour and marker on
watercolour paper

 6 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 

This painting is for sale at the Heliconian Hall Off The Wall show, and
there's an opening tomorrow, 35 Hazelton Ave. from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

I feel wonder at so many things -- walking along my upstairs hall this
afternoon -- a bright pink light bounced off the blue walls.  I went to

the window and the sunset was spectacular.  Light makes me so happy --

true for many artists I believe.

I have always like old china, probably partly because my parents were
modernists -- sick of all that fusty old stuff.  We did have exceptionally
beautiful dinnerware for special occasions.  But Steven and I have had
a passion for antiques -- maybe because they remind us of Europe.  

Small things make me happy.  This year I painted all of our old garden
pots -- which were dull and worn out, a beautiful deep blue, then we
filled them with white, blue and red flowers --they were  gorgeous, and
every time I sat on our back porch I felt filled with delight and wonder.

So yes -- I could tell 100 stories for this one, but it's getting late. It's been
a very difficult few days.  We need to care for one another. 

Have a loving your life day!

 

The 15th thing I learned again in 2025 -- my art group is so inspiring

Art Group Sketch 
from several years ago

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 20 inches

Barbara Muir ©

I love painting with my art group.  They are such inspiring, kind, 
funny artists. Our group happens every Tuesday evening in 
Forest Hill Collegiate -- the art space for both the Forest Hill
Art Club and the Don Valley Art Club. And it is so fun.

I am a very slow painter, but with the group I'm fast. My
husband drops me off at 7:30 and picks me up an hour later. 
I set up. There are breaks, I paint, then I take down my easel
and table, and clean up, and get a painting in that hour. 
Inspired by the artists, and the model. 

I think I might have had 30 minutes to do this painting sketch,

and I like it. Thank you to my art group for another year of
super inspiration.  Your work is beautiful, and I learn 
something every time I paint for such a short time with
you.

Have a loving your life day!