Check out Nick Rubi's work

 

Waking up late (deep red)

Acrylic on cut canvas

10 x 10 inches

Nick Rubi © 2026

If you want to see the work of someone who is constantly inventing new ways
to make images — using sometimes just paper and a pen, sometimes canvas,
cutting the canvas and stitching it to make it 3-D, you’ll want to check out Nick
Rubi’s work.

Steven and I went to his recent pop up show at the Queen Street Type Books in
Toronto. 

I met Nick where he works at the Type Books store on Spadina in Forest Hill, Toronto,
and soon discovered that he is an artist. An amazing artist. 

Enjoy.

Have a loving your life day!

Super day with family and more from the Josh Johnson fabulous show

Steven and me at the Josh Johnson show
on Friday night.

We were encouraged to take
selfies. We're not the best at it,

but here it is.

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2026

Today we've had an amazing day with family.  Such a treat to have the whole gang 
together, playing, eating delicious pie from the market farmer, and talking and 
laughing about everything.

It's movie night for us, so I have to go.  If you can still get tickets to Josh Johnson's
Sunday show do yourself a favour and go.

One more photo from the end of the Josh Johnson show
when Josh was getting us to clap and cheer for
everyone in the show.  So much fun.

Photo:

Barbara Muir © 2026

If you can get tickets to see Josh Johnson at Massey Hall, tomorrow or Sunday -- go

 

Josh Johnson
Photo from his Instagram site

https://www.instagram.com/joshjohnsoncomedy/

I am a major fan of the brilliant comedian Josh Johnson.  We have a crazy couple
of weeks coming up, and I didn't think we'd get to see him.  But tickets
became available today. I asked Steven if he'd like to go, and at the end of
the work day (and work week), we taxied down to Massey Hall, and what a 
treat.

So no art tonight, but the art of Josh Johnson. He was fabulous.  So were
the musicians, and dancers.

Incidentally cyclosporiasisis is in Canada too,  but not as widespread as in the
United States. It was one topic in Josh's routine. 

Have a loving your life day!

I give you some winter relief

 

The Yard in Snow 

Maison De Haute Couleur 

Charvin, Paris Watercolour and

black marker on Fabriano paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir ©

Today has been grim in Toronto -- more orange air, air quality worse than
yesterday, warnings to stay inside, wear N95 masks.  I feel for anyone close
to the fires causing this. And for the people working on putting out the fires
-- thank you.  

I painted today, and stayed inside for the most part.  It is not the ideal summer.
But hey painting is a nice distraction.  This is a painting I did of our yard in
winter awhile back.

Stay safe.

Have a loving your life day!

High heat, smog and I need a visual break

 

Macintosh Apples
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 

The news is rough, the air is bad. It's hot and people who wouldn't wear

a mask in the height of COVID are wearing masks today.  Fires are

burning all across this province, and people are plenty angry at 
politicians protecting big oil, ignoring climate change, and offering
nuclear energy (which is lethal for minimum 500 years) as a "clean"

option.

So what is positive?  I talked to some wonderful artist friends today
in the Netherlands, in Toronto and worked with a dear friend who
teaches me new things every time we get together.  Which is both
helpful and exciting.

I did some loose drawings today, but didn't have time to paint.
I love this painting and I hope you do.  It made me happy, so
that is good.

Stay safe and --

Have a loving your life day!

Suoer hot one -- here's a cool escape

 

Valentine's Day Blue
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 
SOLD ♥

It is an extremely hot day today, 44 Celsius with the Humidex,
which means 111 Fahrenheit. Naturally the heat is the main topic of
conversation. I feel especially lucky that we have air conditioning,
and that my studio is a comfortable temperature. This painting
is offered both as a brief escape from the heat, and a reminder.

In Toronto it won't be long until the cool returns. It may not
snow for 5 months, but it will be much cooler in 3.  The year
is rushing ahead, so today I am painting in the studio, and 
I'm happy to live in the moment.

Have a loving your life day!

Can you tell us where to buy nasturtiums?

Night Nasturtiums 

Watercolour on watercolour paper

5 7/8 x 9.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Two years ago, Steven and I, who tend to plant our garden late in the
season were looking for nasturtiums. They are one of my favourite
flowers, mainly because you have to pick them so that they can
continue to grow, which means for the whole season you have flowers
on the kitchen table fresh picked from the garden.

This year we’ve had trouble finding them. In fact, we haven’t been
able to find nasturtiums anywhere. I think we went to four different
flower shops on the weekend trying to get nasturtiums. No luck!

So if you happen to know somewhere where we can get the plants in Toronto,
please let us know. You’ll make us so happy! On top of everything else the
nasturtiums are really fun to paint.

Have a loving your life day!