Sunday, October 4, 2009

My little wee baby



My son Christopher as a newborn
blue ink on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir

In the garage today Steven unearthed a moving
surprise when he was digging through some boxes,
trying to make room for one of his woodworking
projects. He brought it to me with my coffee, and
completely threw me for a loop. I sat reading the
journal from the year I was pregnant with my first
born, Christopher, and of his first year of life up
until he was about 8 months old. The writing is so
analytical and deep. I was trying hard at that
point to be a writer, but spent more time
agonizing than writing. And the best surprise
was the drawings. Every few pages I found little
sketches, and some like the two I'll show you tonight
are of the best news ever to happen to me twice (with
the birth of my second son) -- I had a healthy, beautiful,
baby boy.



In the hospital bassinet
My son Christopher
Blue ink on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir

Christopher still looks so much like the drawings of him
as a wee baby, that both my husband and I felt
terribly tender, the way you do looking at your
newborn child.

Have a drawings-with-writing-give-you-paths-to-love day.

9 comments:

LeSan said...

That must have been such a wonderful surprise! Your drawings are excellent. Now the poor boy is going to wonder why mom keeps looking at him all dewey eyed all of a sudden. What a special treat to revisit such a rich and exciting time in your life.

Aliaena said...

What wonderful, tender drawings. Thanks so much for sharing them with us - there's such an intimacy to them, and a seriousness as well. Really lovely. Life is profound and full of marvels.

Janie B said...

Such sweet drawings of your precious babe. Thanks for sharing.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi LeSan,

It was so strange to read about that time in our lives, and to see how right I was about some of what I imagined, and how wrong I was about so many things. But the drawings were more telling than anything. It's funny because we have so many photographs, but they don't say quite as much.

Take care,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Aliaena,

I love what you said about life being profound and full of marvels. It's been that kind of day today. Just physically beautiful beyond description, and yet possible paintings were everywhere.

Take care,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Janie,

Thank you so much for your kindness.
I was lucky that my boys were such sweet babies, lovely children, and now wonderful young men.

Take care,

Barbara

eldon warren said...

Every day we learn a little bit more about Barbara. Loved seein these. Thanks for sharing.
EW

Liza Hirst said...

Oh, how wonderful, Barbara!
These drawings are so, so good! You seem to have put all your tenderness in drawing the lines, they look so delicate and conciously chosen - totally apropriate for the subject! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

The simplicity of the drawings of your little sweetie pie echo the pure essence of babes. No wonder you felt so tender then; must have been a treat to look back at how you felt through your drawings and writings.

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!