Tuesday, January 13, 2015

First hand -- the Quick sketch


On the Triage team
Black marker on 
Fabriano paper
8 1/4 x 6 1/4 (cropped)
Barbara Muir © 2015
In Canada we are blessed to be able to spend six
hours visiting a top notch hospital emergency
ward with zero fees. That's where I did these
sketches today  -- waiting.
 First waiting room
Black marker on 
Fabriano paper
8 1/4 x 6 1/4 (cropped)
Barbara Muir © 2015
I've hurt my leg, and no one knows what I've
done. Two doctors and a lengthy ultrasound
later. No answers. Take pain killers. Rest the
leg.
Second waiting room
Black marker on 
Fabriano paper
8 1/4 x 6 1/4 (cropped)
Barbara Muir © 2015
Don't sit so close to me
Black marker on 
Fabriano paper
8 1/4 x 6 1/4 (cropped)
Barbara Muir © 2015
The up side -- the pain is expected to dissipate, And
I have these very quick sketches that document
the day.
The Cloisters
But I promised to tell you more about our visit to
The Cloisters.

Last May when I exhibited in New York City,
I told my gallery director about the series I
spoke to you about yesterday.
She suggested we go to the Cloisters,
a beautiful museum which had Unicorn tapestries,
like the Medieval tapestries in the book
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.
 Tapestry at The Cloisters
wool, gilt, silver, gold
1495 - 1505
Our cab driver was shocked that we wanted
to go all the way to the other end of Manhattan,
but we did.  Up the Hudson River, on a gorgeous
spring morning.

New York is always filled with warm, helpful
people, so when a fellow in the museum,
dressed a bit like the guards started
explaining the Unicorn tapestries to me
I assumed he was a guard. "Nope he
explained, I just like helping people get through
university.  I never did. I couldn't afford
to go." He  cheerfully walked
me through the symbolism, and the story
of the girl in the tapestries.

"Know how I know all this?," he asked.
"I wrote an essay for my sister about it.
It was really good. She got an A. "  I asked if
his sister got her degree. "No," he laughed,
"But it wasn't my fault."
 Yours truly at The Cloisters, May 2014

Have a happy-to-live-where-you-are day! 
 Start again
Black marker on 
Fabriano paper
8 1/4 x 6 1/4 (cropped)
Barbara Muir © 2015

4 comments:

Karen Bruson said...

Always love your line drawings.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Karen,

Thanks so much. We are lucky as artists to be distracted by trying to capture life. Love your work.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Laurel Daniel said...

Your waiting room sketches are so fresh and they say so much about you! The fact that you DID them while waiting in pain, the truth you see around you, and your ability to capture that truth with just a few lines is incredible!! I love all that about you. Now, please, please, rest that leg, my friend!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

Thank you so much. Of course I was on pain killers. So although my leg was hurting, it wasn't that bad propped up on Steven's backpack.

And believe me there was absolutely nothing else to do for about 6 hours on end.

Okay. I am resting now.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO Love your work, and you.

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!