Friday, March 8, 2019

International Women's Day -- a celebration of community



Me with the painting I entered in
the 100 Years of International Women's Day show
eight years ago. My painting is about
happiness, which has been an underlying theme
in all of my work. Gallery curator/owner Jill Yuzwa
was holding up my work.  
Ready for Joy
24 x 24 inches
Acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2011
Eight years ago I took part in a show to celebrate 100 years of
International Women's Day. So many great women took part
in that exhibition, and many of us are friends to this day, even if the
participants lived too far away to attend the show opening!  Thank you
to Nicki Ault, and Kim Rempel for encouraging me to join this exhibition.
My friend the sculptor, Marcia Labelle Cohen took part, so the gathering
was extremely fun. There was this "Woo Hoo, we can do it vibe!"  Very
cheerful, and so much great art.  I still feel a thrill when I think about it, and
it was in Ayr, a tiny little Ontario town.  It just goes to show you.  When
artists get together, magic can happen in surprising places.


Georgia Fullerton with her painting
(upper image) 
Preservation 
24 x 24 inches
Georgia Fullerton © 2011

The blogger friends meet one another in Ayr -- so much fun.
Left to right: Marcia LabelleTammy HextKim RempelNicki Ault, and Me

M
My friend the artist, Nicki Ault
took this photo of me with two of
the paintings from my Ocean series
that I brought to show the other artists at
the exhibition.
The painting I submitted was of a woman holding her hands in the
air in the Woo Hoo position, which is not only a power position,
but a pose guaranteed to lower cortisol, and have people feeling
better in just two minutes.  If holding your hands up in the air
for two minutes is too hard, try putting your hands together behind
your head for that length of time.  With that smart move, we women
and men artists may enjoy life and each other, plus get in a
celebratory mood.

The photos today, celebrate that event.  Thank you to all the kind
and wonderful artists I met there, and thank you for your continued
friendship and support over these past eight years.

Have a celebrating women's equality day.

4 comments:

Nicki said...

It was a great event. I am so happy I was able to get there to meet you and the other amazing women in person. It really was an amazing vibe happening that weekend. We CAN do it! And so pleased we are still in touch.

XOXO N.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Nicki,

I am so happy too. I remember meeting you for coffee in the hotel in Toronto, and
being over the moon with excitement. There was an amazing vibe for sure, and I
am so happy I know you, and can watch your gorgeous paintings come up
on your blog and inspire me so much.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Blogging the Countryside said...

Hi Barbara.

So nice to come across your blog. Pleased to had a great experience that weekend and at the concert a couple weeks before.

Hard to believe that monumental exhibition (and all that went along with it) came together in four months... but we spent the next year following through with it all.

I still tell the story of Nicki meeting the J&R Hall Transport driver to send her painting to Ayr! We sure did things differently but as you remember we made it our mission to involve the local community.

Next year will be the 10th Anniversary of IWC! Perhaps we should aim for an online exhibition with a big ZOOM meeting. Take that Covid 19!

All the best to you,
Jill Yuzwa
Vancouver Island.

Barbara Muir said...

Thanks so much Jill Yuzwa,

It was a wonderful experience. I don't know about a Zoom show. It's my fervent
wish that we can get back to live exhibitions. I have work that's been waiting
since March to go into its third show in New York City. For now I Zoom with my students, and
that's it.

WIshing you a great time on Vancouver Island, and a happy summer.

All the best to 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!