Monday, March 18, 2024
The delightful influence of other artists' art
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Happy St. Patrick's Day
our kitchen St. Patrick's Day party
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 -- a very
celebratory family -- 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' Day.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Looking forward, looking back
Friday, March 15, 2024
Bringing back the cheer
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Happy Pi Day
On this date I usually feature this painting, because not being a
math freak, Pi reminds me of pie, and Steven makes the best
cherry pie I've ever tasted. Because December and January
and February were rough, I ate way too much of every sweet, so I may
forego having pie today. Tempting though. We had a little
conversation about the math behind Pi at lunch today.
In 2022 this painting won first place, and I won a $500
in a contest with the San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural
Center in California in a virtual exhibition. And that was
fantastic.
Greek symbol π which is the ratio of the circumference of
a circle to its diameter. The first three digits in Pi are 3
(this is the third month) and 14 (the fourteenth day)
= 3.14 or Pi. What better day to eat pie if you get the urge.
And any way you slice it you will not be alone in your
pie indulgence.
I live with a mathematics fiend, (Steven) who has been
known to sleep with a Calculus text beside his bed at the
ready should he feel like reviewing it with his morning coffee.
He also makes a mean cherry pie -- the point of the
painting. The pie."
Have a deliciously-happy-Pi-day.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Off to the second opening of All That Jazz at the Heliconian
36 x 48 inches
Tonight was not nearly as busy as the first opening of All That Jazz a wonderful exhibition at the Heliconian Club on until the end of March. I have a painting in a corner of the show, and quite high up. As you can see in the photo -- the piece of brown in the upper right corner of the painting is part of a decorative support for the roof of the former church that houses the Heliconian Art Club. So the challenge was how to get a painting with my work in the show. I had help today from my husband Steven van Schaik, and club member and amazing artist Nola McConnan, who is currently showing in New York City.
Between the two of them we finally got me at a height that was not too dangerous and you can see my work. For my friend Miranda in the Netherlands, and my friends in the Florence Biennale I am in the Happy People Pose. And behind me the bright painting of Colours of Joy.
I hope you'll get out to see the show this month. I'm still having trouble with Google, so I tried to post a photo of the show and it wouldn't allow me to. If I can put it in tomorrow I will.
Have a loving your life day.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Jumping forward in time
(available)
thinking about encouraging the model
to go to Paris. I hadn't exhibited
in Paris yet -- my first time
showing in the Carousel du Louvre was in
2015. But in a way the work was telling
the world that -- hey! I love Paris,
and since I painted this piece, I've visited Paris
a number of times! And I loved it every
time. This seems right for today --
because travel disrupts time in
the best way possible. It looks
like it's a 5 hour time difference
at the moment between Toronto and Paris.
And when you go there
it's worth every minute of that difference.)
I picked up a reference piece from my printer today, and he told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't get it done on time. I said I would. We'll see. We both laughed because we have a really good friendship. Our clocks jumped ahead by one hour on Sunday morning at 2 o'clock. It's funny how we all love it when we gain an extra hour in the fall, but don't like losing one in the spring. I'm putting this favourite painting on tonight, because I miss Paris. And I notice, that I can adjust to the 5 hour time difference pretty well when I'm there.
Here are my thoughts from a former blog slightly edited:
"At 2 in the morning on Sundy we moved into Daylight Saving Time.
Luckily for us we started moving into the new time
on Saturday -- setting all of our clocks, and machines that
would allow it ahead by an hour. So it was less traumatic
Monday, than it is some years when the time changes.
My mother, who had a Masters in Bacteriology did not
like losing that hour anymore than anyone else. So her
strategy was to change all of her clocks three days before
it happened. We couldn't go that far, but it helped that the
microwave and the car radio were functioning in the
new time for 24 hours before the switch. And yes
we still have clocks that are not digital.
I think of March as the Month of Change, and I found
this thought in an earlier blog that I thought I'd share:
"If you think you can't change remember how long
it took you to fall in love with your first born,
your niece, or nephew, your kitten, or dog, or
your beloved. In my case my affection was
overpowering and instant in every example
above. And you know that each time your
heart made that giant leap toward affection,
your entire world changed. So yes you can
change, and you already have while you were
reading this. So have a soothing drink of milk,
or tea, or hot chocolate, or wine if you need it,
and take yourself back to the canvas, or your
writing, or to bed for a little nap before you
start again. It's all going to work out just fine.
travel.)
Have a what-do-you-know-I've-changed day."
Portrait Artist
- Barbara Muir
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!