Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Thinking about creativity

 
 Tonight at the opening with Maureen Morrison, wonderful artist
and one of the show organizers for the DVAC Holiday
show on at Todmorden Mills Toronto. We're standing in front
of my paintings and you can just see Now that's breakfast!
behind us. The show is on this weekend, and I'll be there
Saturday between noon and 2:30 p.m.  Come on down if you're
in Toronto or the vicinity.

When we were going through my mother's files
we found the strangest thing.  She had saved all
of our elementary school report cards.  When I
was a little girl we were all called "him, he."
That was a surprise, and also that in kindergarten
I was good at singing, but not considered to be
good at art.  And yet I remember my kindergarten
teacher so well, not for the singing (I was not
crazy about her voice), but for the fact that
I first painted in her class, and will feel grateful
to her forever for that.

I remember to this day the look of the big pots
of hard tempera paint we worked with, using
water to bring the paint to life.  Reading my
old report card with my father's elegant
signature in peacock blue on the back, I could
feel the large, stiff bristled brushes in my hand,
and the pleasure of putting colour on paper.
The best.  I think that was the first time I knew
the thrill of creativity, how rewarding it was to
make a painting, and to take it home to my
mother.

Tonight two of my paintings are in the Don Valley
Art Club Holiday Show.  And submitting them to
be included in the show made me feel a similar
pleasure to the feeling I had as a child with fresh work
to go on the fridge.

Have an-enjoying-your-creativity day.

8 comments:

Flora Doehler said...

Congratulations Barbara! Once again you and your paintings look fabulous. I wish I could be there for your show.
I still have all my elementary school report cards…and those of my kids too. I must dig them up and see what they have to say about art.
Although, it doesn't really matter. Only now exists and I'm so glad we are painters in the here and the now! xo

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Flora, Thank you. It's a great show, lots of beautiful work. I wish you could be here too, and that you were in the show. I am glad too that we are painters in the here and now.
We used to paint in dresses in kindergarten with special smocks. Not now. Jeans, jeans, jeans and paint sweaters.

Miss you.

XOXOXO Barbara

Unknown said...

good luck with the show Barbara!

Barbara Muir said...

Thanks Sally,

It was really fun last night seeing all the excellent work everyone had done.

XOXOXO Barbara

Laurel Daniel said...

Good luck at the show!! I would SO LOVE to be there to see these pieces in person! Wishing you all the best and a wonderful celebration (and red dots galore!!) XOOX

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

Oh it would be so incredible to meet you at a show! I cannot imagine the happy dance the two of us would do.
Awesome. I hope it happens soon.

XOXOXOXO Barbara

Kim Rempel said...

I hope the show is going well Barbara! And I just love what you wrote. It could have been me. I have those same memories about painting - those hard blocks of tempera, all that (what I thought at the time) juicy colour flooding out when mixed with water...it made me so happy. Hugs, Kim
p.s. too strange that you were all referred to in the masculine! I'll have to dig up my old report cards.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Oh Barbara, I just stopped by to see how you are doing. I just found the report cards too. My mama saved every card as well.
I am still slogging through her house and it's so painful. Christmas too, and she loved the season.
I know things will be better but.. the void she left is tough. She is always on my mind. Hugs, Mary

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!