Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Looking good and International Hug Day

 I picked you
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2014
Off the top, Happy International Hug Day.
I hope you had someone to hug.  If not hug
yourself -- a technique for curing winter
blahs suggested by a very happy sounding
woman on CBC radio today.  She said
hug yourself, and say, 'You are the best!'
Try it.

Now for looking. For an artist looking is like a
drug, and we are definitely addicted. 

But what I wanted to talk about instead was
how we mull things over.  How we see an
image, or person, or face, or colour, or
technique, sometimes over and over again,
are attracted to it, and still hang back like a
high school kid afraid to make the first move
on a date.

A case in point -- I'd looked at these market
flowers when I got them from PegAnn, and
wanted to paint them right away.  But it was late
summer, the day of my mother-in-law's birthday
party, then huge, hard life events happen, and I
didn't get to it.

Whipping back through my photos today looking
for a certain painting, I saw this image and said,
"Yes.  Now's the time!"

Side note:  These flowers were on the reject heap
at PegAnn's booth.  I am a regular in market season,
and she said I could take them.  Their heads where
flopping, their stems were broken, but they were
glorious. I bandaged them with masking tape, and
they lasted most of a week, and now are stars in my
painting.  A happy ending, all from looking hard,
and belief.

Have a loving-what-you're-looking-at day

8 comments:

cohen labelle said...

I didn't know it was IHD International Hug Day - no wonder! - that explains why i wanted to spend the entire day hugging and not making soup.
These flowers are absolutely astounding! they knock my socks off - their color and fragrance are nothing short of intoxicating!

Love,
Marcia

Unknown said...

ooh these are gorgeous Barbara, almost enough to make me forget the deep freeze. hugs to you

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

what a great story and the flowers are just bursting with life and color. the perfect antidote to winter cold.
{{{{Barbara}}}}

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Marcia,

I am so glad you like it. Sounds like you had a good day. Intoxicating. I think they were in real life too -- a catch.

Love Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

If they can make it a bit warmer, I feel happy. I keep looking at the weather predictions and we better buy more sweaters!

XOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Mary,

Thank you so much. In the park people talk about their rescue dogs like mine. These were rescue flowers.

XOXOXO Barbara

Liza Hirst said...

Hi Barbara,

This is a beautiful painting Nd a nice story!
I especially like the contrast between the vibrant colours and the dark green leaves. That makes the flowers really stand out!
Hugs to you,
Liza

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

I was thinking about you so much when I was painting this, so I'm glad you like it and that you are commenting. I was thinking of all of the amazing paintings you've done, and how I would sit every day astounded at your elegant and awesome work. How I miss it.

Love,

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!