Saturday, September 14, 2013

I am the luckiest painter on earth -- painting happy children


 Detail Untitled Painting (Work in Progress)
Big reveal on Monday
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 2013

These little sisters are two of the most joyous kids you
could ever want to meet.  I felt on top of the world
the whole time I was painting them.  And that was
a sweet gift, as there was illness in my family, and
worry.  But each time I came back to the canvas I'd
smile and could not stop.

In fact I'll miss these girls when they go into the
show I'm painting them for in a couple of weeks.
They feel like family to me too.  I think I explained
how for me at least, when I paint people I really
feel very close to them.  Then the paintings go
off, and I need to start on something new, just
so I won't feel lonely in the studio.

I had a great call the other day from Hannah,
the girl I painted in the motorscooter painting
a couple of years ago.  We were both talking about
how magical that painting was from the beginning.
I met her in a Superstore parking lot in Fredericton.
I was doing a series about women travelling
called Faces and Places, and she seemed perfect.
The painting showed in Toronto and New York
City, and then I took it to the Maritimes to show
Hannah, and her dad bought it.

She was writing an essay for school on the whole
thing, and interviewing me for the parts she couldn't
remember.  Hannah now drives a motorcycle and
is getting her car license.  So she is definitely still
On the Road in Fredericton.   We met for coffee this
year when Steven and I were travelling through town.
It was a shock to me how she had grown up so much
since our first meeting.

Have a loving-the-magic-in-what-you-do day.

4 comments:

Kim Rempel said...

LOVE this Ms. Muir! : ))) What happy faces, colour and look at those lush roses. Whoa! Kudos my friend, you areon a roll!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Kim,

You are sweet. Thank you. I do love this painting, because the people are so wonderful. I'll show everyone the whole thing tomorrow as promised.

I am happy with it. I would say you are on a major roll Kim!!!!!

XOXO Barbara

Unknown said...

Beautiful painting Barbara! you are sooo amazing with portraits.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

Thank you so much. You must be back from P.E.I. I am in a bit of a painting whirlwind right now. Inspired greatly by you!!!!

XOXO 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!