Friday, July 6, 2012

10 great things about salad

Untitled (work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2012
Last night I was walking my dog under a bright golden
moon thinking about salad.  It's very hot here, and the
dog and I were tired.  Not walking far I assured her,
just to the park -- where the cool from the trees hits you
with a surprising force. In the midst of wonder I
thought about salad's bounty -- because I'm painting salad.

10 Great things about salad

1.  Salad is usually the first course in a simple meal.
It is served when you're filled with anticipation.
2. Most salads are good for you (unless you heap
on mayo or fill then with bacon bits), so at this
point in the meal you are still virtuous.
3.  Salad is pretty -- all that colour makes you feel
happy when you see it.
4.  A well made salad is so delicious that there would
be something missing in the meal without it.
5. Salad is filling, but not heavy, so you may eat less
of the following courses, but you can still eat.
6. Part of a future salad is growing in my garden --
three tomato plants, planted themselves.
7.  Good point -- salads frequently contain tomatoes
one of my all time favorite foods.
8. Tomatoes contain lycopene which I just read can protect
you from sunburn, and can also protect the body from
certain types of cancer.  Well now!
9. Salad is easy to make.
10. And most important -- salad makes a great subject for a
painting.

The painting I'm showing you today is a work in progress.
I've been very happy painting it, thinking of the miracle of
eating a meal, photographing it, and then turning a
photo into a painting of both a happy time, and a delicious meal.

Have an-eating-whatever-you-like day.

27 comments:

Linny D. Vine said...

#11 When you have salad for dinner there is still room for dessert!
Beautiful painting, Barbara - you do the color blue so beautifully!!

cohen labelle said...

YUM!!! This is making me hungry!

love, Marcia

Sally Dean said...

I love the painting here - lovely lively salad!
and have enjoyed all of the posts- have a happy reading the comments day Barbara!

Flora said...

Hands down, THIS is my favorite ever painting of yours! Oh those blues and darks and yellows and that delicious looking food.
Another great thing about salads is that many leafy greens contain iron, vitamin c and fibre and there are more nutrients and vitamens retained by eating food raw as compared to cooked.
xoxo

Anonymous said...

I love your salad series Barbara, I'm enjoying being served them on your blog:) We are eating a lot of salad these days too, trying all sorts of new ones out. Love the colours and the painting.

Pam Holnback said...

Great thoughts, great painting. Can't wait to see the finished piece...that's if there's any left to paint.

Dayna Talbot said...

Love the menu....the palette and the painting!!! I also really enjoyed the anniversary post!

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

the painting is fabulous!!! Salad is great, too!

Sheila Vaughan said...

I'm eating a salad as I write this. Beautiful paint handling. That Cezanne blue just shines.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Linny,

My sister used to say why not just have salad and dessert and skip the rest.Thank you Linny. You do every colour so beautifully.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Marcia,

Come on over. We have salad every night.

Love,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

I am enjoying reading the comments. Love your work. Super painting of the studio by the water.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Flora,

I remember when Christopher and I taught a cooking class to kids after school across the street. I had to tell them all of the nutrition facts for what we were eating. Because it was about cooking we only ate one salad all year -- I think it was Taco salad. Delicious by the way, but a bit fast food for the real salad eaters like you and me.

Thanks for the nutrient facts. So true.

Love your work.

XOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally (painterchum -- 2 Sallys this time),

Thanks so much. It is definitely a good time for salad. At home we eat almost the same thing every night. When we're out we eat a bit more experimentally. This salad is from Casa in Kingston.

Yum.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Pam,

I hope you are safe. It's really close to finished, but not completely.
Thanks so much. Please take care of yourself. I'm hoping for rain, and cooler temperatures out your way.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Dayna,

Your work is beautiful. Thanks so much. I'm glad you like it. Of course the anniversary is another chance to eat...salad. The current involuntary subject.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Mary,

Thanks so much. I'm glad you like it.
Are you out east now? Salad is not quite the same in Nova Scotia.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sheila,

I am entranced by your portraits. You need to eat your salad to keep your strength so you can keep going.
Awesome.

XO Barbara

Róisín O'Farrell said...

Barbara, love, love this painting. Great life to it and a beautifully delicate pallete

Kim Rempel said...

I think this has now jumped ahead as my favourite all-time painting of yours Barbara! Wow - light pinging around, gorgeous blues, sparkle and a super dynamic composition!

Liza Hirst said...

Yes! A beautiful, vivid and fun painting! Bon appetit!

Karen Bruson said...

Love this.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Ró,

Thanks so much. I'm glad you like it. I'm delighted that you like the colours.

XO Barbara

(Love your work)

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Kim,

All time favorite. So sweet. Glad you like it. Love your rock series.

XO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

Thanks so much. I've learned a lot painting salad. It's fun and somewhat abstract.

Love your work.
Sorry there's been so much rain. Send some here -- we have a drought.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Karen,

Thank you. You've made me happy.

Love your work.

XO Barbara

Marilyn Flanegan said...

more please! your paintings make us smile - no matter the subject...one of your many gifts, 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!