Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Can I just say something?

 
 In the bakery
Acrylic on birch panel
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2014
Sally Chupick the other day had a great post about
how distracted artists are.  Today I had lunch in
a wonderful bakery in Kensington market.
I don't even know the name of the bakery, but
it's just around the corner from Toronto
Western where a very close friend was
spending the day. 

They served the most delicious chicken
sandwich I have had in a long, long time,
and I savoured it and listened to the
conversations around me.  Somehow (how?)
the talk turned to a discussion of Rob Ford,
and how sad it is that all the rest of the
world knows about our wonderful
city, the third largest in North America,
is about our crack smoking mayor.

In the middle of the debate about his
future I lost all thought focused on this
woman's face.  I knew I wanted to paint
her, and a man who seemed like the
bakery owner, or baker (stay tuned).
In the middle of her saying, "Can I
say something?" I said, "Can I say
something?" and asked if I could take
her photo so I could paint her. She
agreed.

So here it is.  I would like to spend a
bit more time on it, but I am very happy
with it so far.  She had a wonderfully
intense face. Quite beautiful.  And I
don't even know her name.  If you
read this, and you are her, write me at
the email at the top of the blog.

Have a saying-what-you-mean day.

4 comments:

laura said...

Very beautiful face and pensive, warm expression. I'm glad you asked her ... Once or twice I've seen faces I've been drawn to, but didn't have the courage to ask!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laura,

She does have a beautiful face. I know it's perhaps a bold move, but some faces are so compelling that I have to act. That was the case here.

I am so loving your paintings.

XOXOXO Barbara

Unknown said...

lovely emotive portrait, Barbara, I like the baker too. Glad to see you have bounced back with vigour and passion. thanks for the mention, too!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

I am certainly working on bouncing back. This year just feels like a good one. Sometimes that's all it takes.

Love your work.

XOXOXO 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!