Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Florentine Prince, or Toronto designer?


 The Florentine
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2014
We had a wonderful model at my art group tonight --
a young graphic designer.  He was excellent at
holding a pose, and delightfully engaging and funny in the
short breaks.

All in all today was a great day in art.  I went to the Art
Gallery of Ontario, heard a wonderful lecture about the Group
of Seven in the Canadian Gallery, and went to the show
The Great Upheaval: Masterpieces from the Guggenheim
Collection on now until March 2. I stood in awe in front
of the Kandinskys -- my favorite paintings in the exhibition.
The exhibition focuses on paintings created between
1910 and 1918, a time of great change in artistic expression.
 If you're in Toronto between now and March 2, I
recommend that you check it out.

A big thank you to the model, Daniel, for being such
an instant inspiration.  The artists in our art group
were debating what he looked like.  I voted for Renaissance
Florentine prince, but people had many ideas about his
dramatic looks.

Have an enjoying-the-drama-in-your-painting day.

6 comments:

Kim Rempel said...

Yes, wasn't it great? I loved the Kandinsky's as well. I like this portrait . Great colour! And it was a bonus that he was engaging. I think it comes out through your work.

Unknown said...

great portrait Barbara, must be fun to attend a portrait group and paint the evening away with other like minded sorts.

Verna Vogel said...

Sounds like a great painting session, and yes, his personality does come through in your work.
Unfortunately I am nowhere near Toronto and will not be able to see the Kandinsky's! C'est la vie.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Kim,

Thank you. He was a super young man. The show was wonderful, and I was so glad you recommended it. I'd like to go again before it's over -- it was so inspiring.

XOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

Our art group is a pleasure. Everyone has a different style, some very formal, and some more adventurous than I'll ever be. I love seeing the different styles. It's portrait one week, and the figure the next.

XOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Verna,

It was great. I found doing the paintings every day in January has taught me a lot about my process.
I'm having so much fun when I paint.
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!