Sunday, October 26, 2008

Capturing fond memories

Here's a painting of our friends in Nova Scotia, Ian and Marilyn
Fancey. Almost everything in the painting has changed. They are
sitting in front of their century old farmhouse, which they sold
a couple of years ago. Taking care of the large acreage got to be
too much of a hassle, and Marilyn was lonely out in the country.
Sometimes in winter the icy roads made it treacherous to venture
into town, only a fifteen minute drive away.



At the farmhouse
watercolour
14" x 16"

The kids reflected in the window are my sons, who loved to play
at the farm, and watch TV. We don't have a television at our
schoolhouse, so a trip to the Fancey's place was always a treat
for them. The little boy in the reflection in the window, is my
son, Sam -- who graduated from high school last week, and is
now 6' 3". All those Nova Scotia summers helped no doubt --
clean air and seafood.

The little dog, Tess, sitting on Marilyn's lap is no longer in
this world, and we miss her when we visit. Before we met
Marilyn and Ian, we had never really been card players.
But they are absolutely astonishing cribbage players. Now
any visit includes potato chips, instant coffee, and hours
of cribbage, punctuated with lots of laughter and endless
jokes.

I don't paint in watercolour anymore, although I think about
it fondly now and then. I just like the feeling of painting
in acrylic so much more. Someday when I have time, I'll
do both, but for now I'm sticking to perfecting my skill
in one medium.

Have a fondly-remembering-great-days-and-enjoying-the-present-one day.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

hi Barbara,

While painting the deck today, I was pondering working on a set of poems based in the overall concept of reflections on life, across the spectrum, from positive to negative, until the ends meet and complete the circle.

After such pondering along that vein, it is serendipitous to visit here and view your water color that is all past, including (for the moment) the medium.

By the by, congrats to Sam. May life treat him well and gently.

mic

Barbara Muir said...

Thanks Mic,

It sounds like a great theme for a
set of poems. Have a good time writing
them!

Barbara

Liza Hirst said...

Barbara, I LOVE to read your reflections! And Sam's portrait is great! I have looked for a possibility to subscribe to your blog so that I automatically receive your posts in my emails but unfortunately I can't figure out whether that is possible or not.? Thank you for your lovely daily sentences, too!

Liza Hirst said...

Oops, got that wrong, I didn't mean Sam's portrait, I ment the one of your young boyfriend!
But this one of your old friends is also great!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

I'm glad you like painting of my long ago boyfriend and of my friends in
Nova Scotia.

I so enjoy reading your blog and seeing your great paintings.

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

Correction, that should read I'm glad you like the paintings of my school
boyfriend, and of my friends in Nova Scotia.


Visiting your blog is a daily pleasure.

Barbara

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!