Monday, August 31, 2009

Blogging creates an actual community




Nectarines on a pressed glass cake plate
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(new photo)

You read a lot of opinions on blogging and what
the blog world can and can't do. I am always
amazed at what it does do. The case of Julie who
wrote about Julia Child is only one example.
But real friendships are created through cyberspace.
I know it. I have met people blogging who I know
I would be delighted to meet in person, and who
would like to meet me, and many who I count as
real life friends.

This summer when we were at our schoolhouse
in Pugwash, Nova Scotia we were treated to a day of
fun with our friends Flora Doehler and Larry Knox who
moved to Bear River, Nova Scotia from Toronto, Ontario
a couple of years ago.

Flora loved a blog written by our friend, Greg
Smiley who owns The Chatterbox Café in
Pugwash with his wife, the phenomenal painter
and writer, Norene. And Greg followed Flora's
blog about how the work on the big 100 plus year-old
farmhouse she and Larry are renovating was going.
When we took Flora and Larry to the Chatterbox for
lunch, a heartwarming meeting of two bloggers took
place. Greg and Flora talked for about an hour, and
they had so much to talk about. Why? Because they
were already friends from the blog world.

Flora marvelled at Norene's art which graces
the walls of the café, and Greg met Larry, who he'd
seen frequently, whenever he had time to go to
Flora's blog, in both pictures and videos of the
progress on the house.



Me, Flora Doehler and Greg Smiley at
the Chatterbox Café in Pugwash, Nova Scotia in August

In a way blogging is a lot like having a penpal,
the difference being immediacy. Plus with Skype
and email, blogging opens the door to the
possibility of truly great friendships.

My painting tonight is of Ontario nectarines on
a pressed glass cake plate. Nectarines here are small,
and quite dark red like plums, but perfect juicy
peach coloured inside and absolutely delicious.

Have an enjoying-the-fruits-of-your-labour day.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

so true about blogging friends Barbara. always a delight to read your blog. i just wish i could update mine as regularily...loved the picture of you and Flora and Larry, and those lovely nectarines.

julie davis said...

What fun for them to meet--I only hope someday to meet YOU!

Gwen Bell said...

Couldn't agree more with you more about meeting new friends on the blogging community. What a great experience! I'm so glad that I can count you as one of my dear blog friends. Maybe one of these days...

The nectarines are lovely. I can tell the plate is cut glass. You did such a great job of indicating that with very few strokes. Just lovely!

laura said...

Wouldn't it be great to have a blogger reunion--though it'd be more of preunion. The Pugwash looks like a great place for it--you all look so happy there!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

Thanks so much. Good luck with the studio tour. Flora, her blogger friend Greg, and I do look happy don't we. I was having a super wonderful time. I'm so glad you like the painting.

Take care,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Julie,

One day we are going to meet for sure!
Count on it.

I have Texas on my list of places to visit. So it will happen!

xoxoxoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Gwen,
so glad you like the nectarines. I didn't get time today to reshoot them, there seems to be so much going on.

You are definitely one of my dear blog friends. Get on up here.
Just don't be shocked at my tiny, messy house.

xoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laura,

It would be so much fun for all of us to get together. Maybe we can do something next spring! Let's think about it!

Take care,

Barbara

Laurel Daniel said...

What a great story! It sure does make the world smaller and friendlier! Please do come to Texas and visit all your friends here! XOXOXO Love the nectarines.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

Thanks so much. As soon as I sell enough paintings I am so down there. I would love to visit you! And next time you're even the slightest bit close to T.O. please swing by.

Love those ocean fog paintings!

XOXOXOXBarbara

eldon warren said...

It's always a pleasure seeing your smiling face. Must have been a great joke. :)

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Eldon,

Greg is very funny. I have no idea what he said, but he kept us in stitches every time we went for lunch. (That was every day which is why my face was a whole lot rounder than normal!) Yum. What great food they served with their humour.

Take care,

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!