Wednesday, April 7, 2021

A total inspiration


English Prof
Pencil on drawing paper
12 x 18 inches
Barbara Muir ©️

I have been busy marking today. I was on a break looking for drawing paper, and noticed a large sketchbook, stuck between some paintings.

Inside I found this drawing and another simple sketch of one of my most excellent teachers at University. And I made the link. It seemed almost magical that on a day when I was immersed in thinking about my students, I would discover a drawing of the  person who is probably the reason I did so well in school, and ended up doing this unique teaching job once a week.

His name was Sandy. He had his doctorate from Oxford at a very young age (24), and came to Canada to teach briefly. He didn’t really fit into the atmosphere of universities here. It didn’t compare to the fun he’d had at Oxford, and the intense relationships professors had with their students at that university. So he went back to England.

I am extremely grateful to him for helping me realize that I was intelligent, and could study, and research extremely hard, and write. Thank you Sandy. 

Have a realizing how much you mean to people day.

2 comments:

Evelyn Oldroyd - painter said...

How wonderful to have had such a teacher! You were very fortunate and to have drawn him and have those great memories.

Barbara Muir said...

I must have drawn him in class, which is amazing. I did an undergraduate 40 page thesis on Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene with him has my teacher. He was super, and in Oxford was used to teaching a small team, who among other things, met in the pub at night to talk. So we did that. I'm sure our small group's talks were nothing like other pub conversations -- they were all about English literature. I couldn't drink then, and still can't. Maybe a sip of champagne now and then.

Love your work.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO 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!