Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A New Blog Award



Speeding Landscape
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(An almost finished painting. I
may take out some of the underpainting orange.
This is a scene I snapped from the car on our
trip from Ottawa to Kingston a few weeks ago.)

Gwen Bell has given me the Bella Sinclair award,
and I am greatly honoured. I think these pay it
forward awards are a lovely part of blogging.
Please go and check out Gwen's work right away
if you don't know it. She's a wonderful painter,
confident and sure with great colour and design
in her work. She's also very funny, a quality the
world needs. This award is strictly for women,
so although there are many artists on the blog who
are men, who have been kind friends and had a
terrific influence on my work, I can't give them
this award.

The Bella Sinclair Award is given for "Friendship,
Sisterhood, Sharing and Caring." I think you are
supposed to give the award to six women artist
bloggers who make a difference in my artistic life.

They are in order of getting to know them:

1. Flora Doehler, a Nova Scotia artist,
who introduced me to the whole blog world,
is an astoundingly good artist, and has
two blogs running full tilt, with art, photos,
movies and writing. A transplant to the maritimes
from Toronto, Flora is a kind and wonderful
friend. We've had several shows together and
enjoy one another's work immensely.

2. Belinda del Pescoe was one of the first people
to comment on my blog. She is a fantastic
watercolour painter, printmaker, inventive
spirit and daily painter. I love the variety
of approaches she tries, and how she always
documents her process so we can learn.

3. Theresa Rankin, gave me the first
award I ever won The Brillante Weblog,
and the second A Passion for Painting
award. She is a superb artist in the classical style,
a wonderful writer, and a kind friend. She also
has one of the best laughs on the planet.

4. Liza Hirst, is a fabulous artist, who ranges
from almost classical portraiture, to wildly
experimental abstract art, and everything in
between. She can paint whatever she turns her
hand to, and has painted a wide variety of subjects.
She is a constant inspiration and a kind, good
and sweet friend.

4. Laurel Daniel is a superb Texas landscape
painter. I have never seen a painting by her
that wasn't exquisite, didn't take my breath away,
didn't make me stare and stare to analyze it.
She is also a very kind art blog friend, who
writes delightful comments, and I treasure
her friendship.

6. Susan Carlin, also Texan, raises the bar in
portraiture on a constant basis. She can whip out a
perfect and accurate oil painting portrait
in the time it takes me to set up my paints.
Her work ranges from very traditional to
high key colour exploration, and she is my friend.

7. Melinda Esparza, in one of the most exciting
landscape painters I know. Her work is
thoroughly unconventional in both style and
colour, and she has also done portrait work
that dazzles in its complexity and intellectual
content. She is a wonderful friend and a
constant support to me.

8. Laura Starrett is a watercolour artist, with
no idea how superb her work is. Her
delicious, loose watercolours are exactly what
watercolour should be. They are bright,
imaginative, lyrical. She also uses poetry
on her blog, which adds a poignant note to
many of her entries. I am delighted to be
getting to know her.

9. Julie Davis is also a Texas painter (that
is an arty state), who paints mostly landscape,
although I was first captured by a painting
she did of pansies! Julie gave me the Kreative
Blogger award, and I was delighted that she did.
She recently did a series of paintings on a Florida
vacation that blew me away every day she posted
them. She gave me an award, and I bless
her for it.

I have got to stop there because I'm supposed
to stop at six and I could keep going all day.
What an exciting group of women these
people are. I have met some through Skype
and the telephone, and I really hope I get
to meet everyone in person one day. In
fact I'd love to have them all to a big art
party. Let's think about that for next year!

(Please note that because I have two slide
shows I had to choose between a blog list
of artists I care about, and my awards as
gadgets -- so I chose the blog list -- if you
know a way around this problem please
contact me and I'll showcase my awards
again.)


Have an it's-an-honour-to-be-an-artist day.

17 comments:

Melinda said...

You deserve this award, Barbara, and I wish you continued success in all of your art endeavors. There is no one online doing what you do and...your...work...is...fabulous! The icing on the cake is that you have a good heart that communicates joy every time you post.

I'm honored to be on your list with the other wonderful women artists and I hope to live up to such a generous award.

Laurel Daniel said...

Thank you Barbara! You are the quintessential "friend and sister of sharing and caring". We all need more people like you in our lives!! It's a privilege to receive this award from you!

Thank you, thank you!!! XOXOXO

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

and you deserve it big time. I think there are a lot of people on line doing what I do. You do for instance, but thanks anyway, I love your praise. I'm honoured to be your friend.

xoxoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

It's a privilege to know you. There have been many times in the past year when a kind comment from you made me feel a warmth and joy that made everything all right. Thank you. Thank you.

XOXOXOBarbara

julie davis said...

Barbara, you ARE the champion of all four of those qualities. It's no wonder this came your way--your positive light shines in every post, and each time I get a comment from you, I'm sustained and happy. Everyone needs someone like you in their life! Thank you so very much for including me in this great group!

laura said...

You embody the spirit of this award, Barbara, and the best ethos of blogging with your friendship and kindness.
Thank you for including me in this wonderful company; I'm flattered, and encouraged!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Julie,

I feel the exact same way about you. Your comments are a delight, your work is beautiful, and you are a positive force in my artistic life.

xoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laura,

You belong in this company, and any
company where wonderful artists gather. I love your work and your blogs so much. I feel like I almost got a second English degree this spring reading the poetry you included. Thanks for your kindness.

Take care,

Barbara

Liza Hirst said...

Sorry for the late reply, Barbara, but unfortunately I have been on the go for three days now and didn't have time to do so earlier. Nevertheless a big THANK YOU for including me on your list of award winners, of wonderful women and artists! It is an honour for me and I am very proud.
Actually I would like to simply quote what you said to Laurel - that's exactly how I feel about you! I am happy to have met you online and am determined to meet you in real one day! Thank you!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

And I feel the same way about you. I will be in Europe in December and highly tempted to make the trip from Florence to you, although I gather that's about as far as from Toronto to Halifax, a bit of a drive.

xoxoxoxoxBarbara

eldon warren said...

Congratulations on the award. One most deserved no doubt.
I'm really diggin the little landscapes.
EW

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Eldon,

Thanks so much, they've been fun to do. You know I'd give you an award too in an instant, but this one was strictly for women.

Take care,

Barbara

Susan Carlin said...

Congratulations on receiving the award, and thank you sweet friend for offering it to me. I'm inspired by you daily.
XOXO

Theresa Rankin said...

Thank you Barbara...you are truly a wonderful person!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Susan,

Thank you so much. The feeling is mutual. I think of you each time I
approach the canvas, and when I get time to watch your videos I learn so much.

xoxoxoxoxBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Theresa,

And you are a truly wonderful person. I'm glad you're getting a new studio. I'll continue to work with my sun yellow walls, and floor covered with green tape with the sitters' names. I keep promising myself to take the old tape off, but I'm sometimes intrigued by the shape of a model's feet on the floor, like part of a dance step that's history now. Okay you've persuaded me, I'm getting out the rubbing alcohol and cleaning up the floor.

xoxoxoxoxBarbara

Aliaena said...

An inspiring group of women here Barbara - thanks for introducing them to the rest of us. Absolutely love this painting. Colours are beautiful, and especially like the brushwork here. All the best! Aliaena

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!