Wednesday, February 5, 2025

A very happy art visit

 

Sweet Sunlight and Coffee
Acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023
SOLD ♥ 

Today I had such a super visit with the collectors who bought this painting. 
Their house is beautiful, and they took me around to see all of their art.
I was thrilled.  They have just superb taste, so to be included in that 
collection was a real honour.

Happy Light Cherrywood
Acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024
SOLD ♥ 

The couple commissioned this second painting in December, 2024.  The first painting
needed a companion on the wall, and my work made sense to them.  Such an incredible 
compliment.

So here they are together on the wall in their new happy home.  Thank you so much
my wonderful collectors.  I loved our visit, your home and your art. 


There is no happier feeling for this artist than to create work that people love. 
The best.

Have a loving your life day.







Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Painting all day and the pleasure of my art group

 

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

A great day today -- coffee with neighbourhood friends, then painting all day.
Tonight I got this happy sketch painting in 40 minutes with my art group --
a small group of excellent artists.

Super tired tonight.  I do reuse, and reuse my canvasses for these sketches.
So yes there is a lot of texture.  Off to bed.  Have a great day tomorrow.

Have a loving your life day.

Monday, February 3, 2025

A toast to 4,000 blogs. A big number -- 4001 today

 

Me in the Porcelain Museum in
Florence, Italy pointing
to some cream jugs that were my 
favourite in 2009 when I showed
my work for the first time in the
Florence Biennale
Photo
Steven van Schaik © 2009

Yesterday I was busy with family, so I almost forgot that it was the day of my 4,000th
blog. I know that my blogs are sometimes just a run down of the day's activities --
kind of like a grocery list.  But in my artistic life they've had a major impact.
And I am so grateful for that.

What's happened since I started blogging?  Okay -- well I got to
be on the Oprah Winfrey show drawing Oprah live via Skype.  That
was big news. I was in the Florence Biennale twice -- in 2009, and 2015 -- an
amazing experience.  I met so many wonderful people there. 

I've shown in the Carousel du Louvre show 3 times, in the Louvre Museum in
Paris France.  I've exhibited in New York City 10 times.  I've met people, and
am friends with people all over the world through both my blog, and 
participating in international art exhibitions. 

So there's a start.  It's been a great time.  And even though blogging is not
as popular as it once was, I will keep on blogging.  So many wonderful
things happen because I do.

Thank you to everyone I've met on my blog journey, and to my husband,
Steven van Schaik for going with me to these exciting events and for
toasting me with champagne tonight.  4,000! (oops 4001).

Have a loving your life day!

Sunday, February 2, 2025

4,000 Blogs! And a day filled with love in The Month of Love

True love means 
springtime in any weather
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
© Barbara Muir 

I almost forgot to check!  Hey I've published 4,000 blogs! A wonderful
day today making art, and dancing with our young family members.
The best.  I'm super tired right now, so here's what I said in a former post 
slightly revised about this month.

"Steven, my husband and I are big fans of February, the Month
of Love. One way to take the chill off this, at the moment, very cold 
month (-3 Celsius/ 26 Fahrenheit) is to recognize, and be thankful
for all of the love in our lives 
from our family and friends. 
And I think we are very lucky.

This Valentine painting shows a little bird, and that makes it
right as a Valentine for Steven because he loves birds so much.
At the moment our Christmas tree is wired to the fence and full
of bird seed, and the birds love it.  We do have to clap when we
let the dog out so she won't catch any non suspecting bird. But
she's 12 and losing her eyesight, so they are pretty safe."

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Have a loving your life day!

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Happy Month of Love

Lovebird acting as a banner.
The original (on the left) is 
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches

January had its hard moments with a family member going through
treatments, but also so much fun with openings and birthdays.
World news being quite awful I am so happy to be in the Month of Love.
I do love the first day of the Month of Love. And this has been a 
fabulous day -- an opening at the Heliconian Club of the Drawing from Life
show on for the month of February. I had so many great conversations
there.  So much fun.  An amazing life drawing show.

A few years ago, I decided that I would start thinking about
February as the Month of Love, not just the month for Valentine's
Day, but for a whole month of hearts, which I love, flowers and
happy thoughts when possible.  That can be a challenge. 

I ordered cards from my wonderful printer who has gone to Hong Kong
for a month to visit his brother, and I sold some of the cards at
the opening today. 

Meanwhile spread love wherever, and whenever you can. People
need love and affection. Your posts and work make me happy, and
help make me love my life, even when the news is grim. Thank you.

Have a loving your life day.


 

Friday, January 31, 2025

In a world that gets stranger by the minute -- I thank you for my happiness!

 

End of day at the prettiest house
This was the early stage of the work
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2014
(This house -- like a white clapboard farm house,
was the prettiest house in the 
neighbourhood.  Unfortunately it
was sold to buyers who knocked it
down and built a big box of a house.
Sad. Still I'm happy I painted it
while it was around, and that the work sold!)

 10 Reasons To Be Happy 


"I've used the exercise 10 Reasons to be Happy which
I made up, but it may not be original, to great effect
when teaching.  At the start of a class I'd pick 10 people to
go the front and start a sentence with, "I'm happy
because", and then say why.  I explain that the
reason could be very small -- as in, "I'm happy
because there was enough salt for my eggs this
morning."  Invariably the people who came to the front
of the class, said their reasons, and let the class
clap for them -- got happier. It sounds like psychobabble magic,
but in fact it's the same principle as blogging and
showing work for artists, and as writing in a journal
and then reading it aloud to friends or people
in a writing group.  It gives people a voice.

Voice in art and in the world matters.  Getting a
chance to think about what makes you happy,
shifts your focus to the positive, and as I've told
you before, the former happiness teacher at Harvard
University, Shawn Achor, says that when we are
happy we think not only more creatively, but
better.  Here's today's list:

1. My wonderful husband.
2. Our family -- Christopher, Megan, Sam, Emily, 
Alice, Madeleine and James.
2. Our animals -- Sally, Fiona and Monet
3. My friends both here in Toronto, and around the world
through the art world.
4. My life as an artist
5. Our walks at Lake Ontario
6. Our neighbourhood
7. Our city -- I love Toronto.
8. My good health.
9. The art groups I belong to -- The Heliconian, and The Don Valley Art Club.
10.You! Thank you for everything!!!
Have a thinking-of-ten-reasons-to-be-happy day!

Thursday, January 30, 2025

The best thing about International shows -- wonderful friendships!

 

Journal Sketch
of my friend Miranda Brouwers
marker on journal paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

I spent the day painting today.  Last night I watched a podcast (with visuals)
by Nicholas Wilton, and it was just perfect for me as I paint for my solo
show here in Toronto in April. I had delightful conversations with fellow
artists today, and worked on two different paintings while I did.

This post from last year seems perfect for tonight.

"If you ever get the chance to show in International shows,
I hope you do it.  Of course there is so much to learn -- how
to navigate, what to send, how to manage shipping, where
to stay.  And the most wonderful part of the whole experience
is the friendships you make that last.

This is a really rough, quick sketch of one of those friends
for me -- Miranda Brouwers -- an amazing artist, and 
fabulous friend.  We met in Florence Italy at the 2015 
Florence Biennale, and formed what we called The Happy
People group, to cheer other artists on through the 10 days
of exhibiting.

We showed together again at the Louvre in 2016. And have
kept in constant touch ever since. Miranda is currently
devoting her work to beautiful cards, T-shirts, invitations,
and art that helps people celebrate the important moments
in their lives. I will do a more refined drawing another time.
Meanwhile have fun Miranda."

That says it all.  And every time we talk on the phone (once
a week most of the time -- the call starts with both of us laughing.
Such a treat!

Have a loving your life day.

Portrait Artist

My photo
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!