Mommy I am still here in NYC

The heart of the neighbourhood 
(one of my two paintings currently
vacationing in NYC)

Acrylic on canvas

 30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

If your paintings are like your children -- two of my paintings

are having an incredible adventure.  They were in a show in 

The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery New York City in December 2019,

and January 2020, and moved into a second month long show in February

in the Wall Street Art Space.  

That would have been considered a good time for most paintings,

but wait!  This work was scheduled to go into a second show

at the Wall Street Art Space  honouring International Women's Day,

and then the pandemic hit.  What have my paintings been doing since then?

Of course they're self isolating, and like everyone else in New York

City they're waiting for things to open up. And when they do

these lucky works of art will move into a new show in the "new

normal."

As for me their artist creator (Mommy), I just hope that they're 

okay, and they know it's fine with me if they sell, as long

as I know where they are, and could see them if I needed to.

The urge to draw -- missing the social occasions

Steven and our student, Sam 

at the GoldenThai restaurant
black marker on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

This drawing was done while we ate dinner just before Sam

went back to school at the University of Windsor.  Looking at

it tonight I thought about how nice it was to sit in a restaurant,

get out my sketchbook, and draw whatever I saw. 

And I thought about how sorry I am that my students can't be in

a classroom with each other, and enjoy the humour and excitement,

that is part of any classroom dynamic.  Zoom is a wonderful 

help in this strange time, because we can meet and share ideas.

But it's not the same.

Sam was drinking a beer, and his hand was blurry. Steven looks

like he might be looking at the bill.  I love the few details

in the background -- the couple and the chandelier.  It will be

so nice when we can enjoy this kind of time again.  Sam is all

grown up, finished university and working.  And we would

really enjoy having dinner with our family as soon as that is a

 possibility.

  

Colour renovation -- happy accident

Parrot Tulips

Acrylic ink, and marker on

11x 14 inches
Barbara Muir © 2020

It's very late, and I've been marking.  I found this drawing I

really like today, and thought -- Hey this thing could use some

colour.  So I got out my acrylic inks and added a layer of

punch to it.

I absolutely love parrot tulips, and it would be so much better

to paint them live, but we are in July, and tulips are merely

a memory.  Despite the COVID and all of the hardships of

this year -- it is barreling past.  

I hope you are getting a chance to enjoy summer's beauty.  I

sat on our front porch today so enjoying watching the beautiful

trees across the street. Wishing you an excellent week.

Some forms of missing are in the cells

The artists' yellow house

Acrylic on birch panel

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017

We were watching a series on Babies last night as Steven
coloured my hair (yes I am not a natural blonde.)  What a
revelation that series is for how much we learn before we are one.
And yet I feel like I am lucky that my learning constantly continues.
But another theory about the brain and habit says that if you do something
21 times, it will be a habit.

We have been going to Nova Scotia, every year except the
year I broke my ankle, and was in a cast, for more than
20 years. Nova Scotia is in my blood.  As the city of Toronto
heats up -- it was 31 Celsius today, and will reach 33 Celsius
by Tuesday,  -- my entire being craves Nova Scotia.

The painting tonight is of my friend Flora Doehler's
house in Bear River, Nova Scotia, which had gone partially
purple at our last visit.  I don't know if we'll get to go to
Nova Scotia this year, and that thought is super hard
on Steven and on me.

I quoted Joni Mitchell when I put this image on one time,
and it seems perfect for now, "on the back of a cartoon
coaster, in the blue TV screen light.  I drew a map of
Canada. Oh Canada, with your face on it twice."
I love Canada -- and Nova Scotia has a special place
in my heart.

Here's to the trees

 

The tree story

iPad sketch

 8x10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

Here's a sketch from our front porch.  The tree story is that someone

called the city to say that part of our front yard tree had to come

down.  So one day the more than a year ago the city came along 

and lopped off half of the tree.  It was shedding sap.  Squirrels live

 in it.  And maybe racoons. So it was not safe.

Today I drew our tree and the neighbourhood.  The bad squirrel

was sitting happily on the lopped off side eating nuts.  Too bad

for city people who don't realize we need trees.  And they don't

realize trees are part of the answer to saving us from climate change.

And yes!  Squirrels, birds and racoons hang out in trees.  They

are supposed to!

I had fun drawing this sketch, and there is still enough of a tree on

our front yard that we can sit on the porch and have some privacy.

And that's a good thing.

The power of happiness

At the Cottage
watercolour
14 x 18 inches

Barbara Muir © 2008

I found this painting that I did of my son Christopher and his wife

Megan when they were dating.  I wish I knew where the source

photo I worked from was, because I'd try it again and I'm

sure I could improve the result.  But what I do love is the wonderful 

happiness in the image, and the fact that it did catch the love that these 

two had for each other then, and now.

Love is a big deal, and as a friend said yesterday, finding someone

to love, and having love in your life is the only success that

counts.  I'd agree with that.  This has such a holiday feel, and

we've just had Canada Day, now Americans are going to celebrate

the 4th of July.  I hope that everyone around the world finds the

love they want.

Happy Birthday to my first baby

My son Christopher as a newborn
blue ink on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir

For a mother the first moments, and first day of her baby's life stays

vividly in her brain and heart for good.  This is my firstborn's

birthday, and I'm happy that he is not here in the city heat, but

up in the country by a clean lake with his family.  

We had a lovely talk today, and that was wonderful.  I had

to teach, so couldn't have done the cake, and stack of presents

thing anyway.  But it was really strange not to be there to see

him blow some candles out, to have a meal together.

All of that will happen when the vacation is over, and he comes

back to Toronto.  In the meantime we sang Happy Birthday, and

thought about our baby -- now a wonderful, kind, grown up,

talented, happy man -- all day.  

Happiest of birthdays Christopher.