A very Happy Halloween

A very Happy Halloween
Our front porch.

So much fun this year

Steven and I dressed up as "Nice agents" inspired by a skit on the
Canadian comedy show This Hour Has 22 Minutes.  The Canadian
agent was the opposite of  ICE -- super nice and kind to American
tourists. I can't get a link, but if you write the show name -- This Hour Has
22 Minutes and nice, you can watch it. Maybe this will work.

It was a great night on Cherrywood handing out candy to so many kids
in fabulous costumes. Most have gone home now to watch the Blue Jays 

baseball game.  Blue Jays fever in Toronto is at an all time high.

Happy Halloween! Thank you to everyone who made it a super
fun night for us!

Have a loving your life day!

The art of the day

Pumpkin prep in process for the big night!

Wishing you a wonderful Halloween

if you celebrate!

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2025

Almost no sleep last night, and a first for me -- dropped off my
new work (3 pieces) for the Avant Garde show at the Heliconian Hall 
opening at just after 9 this morning, and there was only one other artist
there. I was one of the early people! How lovely. The show opens this
Saturday at 2 p.m. at 35 Hazelton Avenue. It is sure to be fascinating.
And there will be treats.  If you're in town, drop in.

Now the prep for the next art event -- Halloween begins.  We 
don't do big inflatable sculptures. Love them.  We carve pumpkins,
rely on the Pumpkin princess (hand made at home), and hand out
candy. The best. Our street should be quite festive if the rain stops. Fingers
crossed.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Halloween week

 

Nasturtiums in a cream jug
Acrylic ink and marker
5 1/2 x 8 1/2
Barbara Muir © 2022 

Crazy busy tonight.  Drop off first thing in the morning

for the Avant Garde show opening at the Heliconian Hall

Saturday afternoon. 

So off to bed.

Have a loving your life day!

Does size matter?

 

Nectarines on a pressed glass cake plate

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Don't get me wrong, I love large work, and love painting on
larger canvasses.  But I love painting with whatever size I
am using. I used to follow a wonderful artist named Robert Genn
who died in 2015.  Genn said that,"painters who sell small
works at a low price who want to have credibility in the 

art world need to paint large works."

The Pool

Tom Thomson (one of The Group of Seven)

37.95 x 32.17 inches

1915

(This is one of the large Group of  Seven
paintings)

But on Sunday I was at the Art Gallery of Ontario,
one of Canada's major public galleries,

and some of my favourite works in the gallery
are the work of The Group of Seven.  In Canada
these painters from the turn of the last century
are artistic icons. Painting plein air in the woods
of northern Ontario where they created most of their
wonderful landscape pieces -- they were painting on small
boards.  The reasons were practical, lighter if 
they were backpacking. and the perfect size for 
quick studies.

And their smaller works are just as
magnificent as their larger paintings in all respects
except for scale. They hang beside the large works,
and are now just as "important."

In my case, if I had not been doing small Skype
drawings I would not have attracted the attention
of Howard Wolinsky, and then The Oprah Winfrey
show etc.  I might not have been asked to show in
Florence, and a vast, exciting world of opportunities
would never have opened up to me.

I'm reminding myself of that because the December/
January show at the Heliconian Hall will be the
Off The Wall show -- of small works for quick sale.

Have a painting-in-whatever-size-suits-you day.

Works in process -- Paintin'

(Detail) Untitled

Acrylic on canvas
48 x 36 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

Thank you for sticking with me in these weeks when I'm working on
things not ready to show you.  We bought the pumpkins and 
candy today, and talked to a very nice person helping with Tech
issues.  So I also painted --working on refining my work.

Here's a detal of a painting that may surprise you (and me) when
it's complete.  Hey. In good ways I hope.

If you haven't watched Paintin' with Pete videos -- give yourself
a treat.

Have a loving your life day 

National Pumpkin Day

Steven carving the pumpkin!
This will probably happen tomorrow.

Photo
Barbara Muir ©

Today is national pumpkin day and Halloween is almost here. This will
be the scene in a couple of days when we get ready for the big night --
Halloween. I draw the faces -- usually happy (I'm not a fan of the horror
part of Halloween), and Steven does the carving. We drove by many
stores selling pumpkins today, and planned to go and get our pumpkins 
and start the carving process, later in the day.

But it was also Sunday (tomorrow is a work day) -- the last Sunday in
October, and the light was magnificent so we decided to go down to the
lake, and go for a walk. That was a great idea. It was so beautiful seeing
the trees in the golden light, set against the beautiful blue of the lake with
swans enjoying the day.

We’ll buy the pumpkins tomorrow, and start the carving. Some
Halloween celebrations have begun already. We saw quite a few
children in costumes. And at 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit)
we saw a bride and groom getting photos taken against the lake.  Chilly.

Have a loving in your life day!

Happy International Artist Day

 

The opening ceremonies of the Florence Biennale

in 2015 -- dignitaries, flags, 

a procession through the exhibition

of people dressed in Renaissance costumes, 

playing drums. Lots of excitement!

That was my second time in the
Biennale.  So much fun!

Wonder water series

The work I showed in
the 2015 Florence Biennale
© Barbara Muir 2015

(The portraits sold --

the one of Emily on the left
in New York City, and the one of Etana
on the right here in Toronto.

The center image -- a large diptych --

is still available.)

I feel so lucky to be an International artist, and to have taken part in shows in
Florence, Italy, Paris, France, The Netherlands, New York City, and San Fernando
Valley, California. The excitement of International shows is not something you can
imagine unless you've participated.  So if you can, as I said yesterday,
do take part in a show with artists from all over the world, and enjoy the ceremony, the outstanding art, and meeting some of the nicest, kindest, funniest most brilliant people you'll ever meet.

A friend today was saying negative things about Instagram, but for me it's a
way of contacting people, and maintaining friendships with the superb artists
I've met in my travels with art exhibitions, and with superb artists I follow who I
haven't met yet, but can't wait to meet in person. So delightful and fun.

Happy International Artist Day!

Have a loving your life day!

Oh Europe -- you are calling

View from our apartment terrace when
we stayed in Florence the first time
I exhibited at the Florence Biennale.
There was a church right against
our building, and that's the Duomo
in the distance.
photo
Barbara Muir © 2009

If you're an artist and can possibly do it, I highly recommend exhibiting

in Europe.  I have been in shows in Italy (Florence), France (Paris)
and The Netherlands (Drimmelin).  And if you can visit the place

where you're exhibiting all the better.  In fact as important as it is,

the exhibition fades into the excitement of being where you are and

learning new things every minute.

I am eager to go back to Paris, would love to visit my friend in the
Netherlands, and Florence was spectacular.  Tonight after a good day
in the studio, these ideas are on my mind, and making me happy.
The most wonderful gifts you get from these delightful experiences
are amazing friendships that continue even when you live across 
oceans.

Have a loving your life day!

The pumpkin princess goes up

 

Our porch on a rainy, windy Halloween night.

The canvas pumpkin princess reigns supreme.

She is pinned at the bottom, and

stuffed with newspapers.  We 

recycle the paper.  She goes flat and
rolls up to be put away for next year

when the fun is over. 
Today we put her up. Thanks to
my wonderful helper for helping me

get 'er done.

(Right now she's obscured from view by
our huge rose bush, and two very 
large Mandevilla plants at the bottom

of the porch stairs.  This will

all change before Halloween.)

Big day when the pumpkin princess come out gets unrolled

and stuffed with newspapers that will be recycled. Kudos
to my very kind helper today.  That friend can help

with anything from fixing websites, to amping the Halloween

spirit. The best.

Still working away at my paintings.  Closer each day to having
something to show you.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful family member, and Happy Monthaversary to Steven

 

Look at this!

Skype portrait

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Happy Birthday to Megan, plus Happy Monthaversary to Steven.  It's 
the Monthaversary of our first date.

Still painting and don't have much time for the blog.  Apologies. 
I like this painting, done from a screenshot of a Skype
call to Korea. Those portraits have such immediacy. And they bring
back that time.

I hope you have lots to celebrate.

Have a loving your life day.

Portraits make me happy

Detail of a portrait of
my friend Josephine.
I've painted her many times,
and she's a superb model
Barbara Muir © 

Once again an insanely busy day.  I met with a dear friend for
coffee at her office in the late afternoon, and we had a wonderful
time.  Otherwise all day I've been painting (I know -- not exactly new

news I'm an artist.)  Everything is progressing, but still at the
temporary stage.  New photos of the work are coming soon.  

I like this portrait I found of my friend Josephine. Now back to
painting.

Have a loving your life day!

Pansies for a crazy busy day

 

Pansy bouquet
Acrylic ink and marker
on watercolour paper
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

A day filled with art and with lots of family stuff.  So here are some pansies for your pleasure.  I love pansies so much. Cutting it short.

I just wanted to say hello and thank you.

More tomorrow.

Have a loving your life day!

Please stay flowers

 

Fall Garden Bounty

Inktober drawing

Marker on drawing paper

7 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

It was a very windy day today -- plus it rained heavily.  That's
usually how nature solves the how to get the beautiful leaves off

the tree problem.  But we love our garden.  Sitting on the back
porch enjoying our neighbours' beautiful huge trees, and the 
flowers we've planted and the ones that come back, is a sweet

pleasure.

The slowest flower this summer were the Morning Glories, 

which are just now beginning to bloom.  So sitting in perfect

weather today out of the occasional bit of sun, I felt that
fall feeling, where you don't want it to end.  You don't (I

don't) want winter, although I know I love it once it's here. 

I've been painting a lot today, because Steven was working,
so I worked.  Yes painting is work.  A joyous job, but yes

it's work.

I love this drawing because it captures the beautiful white
anemones -- and pansies (a flower we haven't seen this year). 

Have a loving your life day!

Movie night, so I'm using a former post

See what I mean?

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

SOLD ♥

 If I've shown you this painting recently forgive me.  The painting and this former

post are perfect for today.  I've been painting right up to movie night time and this
post perfectly describes today, so here we go:

"It’s Saturday night -- movie night at our house. So I generally look
 at my blog, find a painting I loved, and talk about that. Tonight I wanted to
 say, which painting would you choose to talk about in your work if you
could pick any painting you wanted? So I went on my website and looked
through my landscape paintings, and found this one that’s right for this time of year.

It was a spectacularly beautiful day today – Just warm enough to wear a sweater,
not hot and not cold. The light was brilliant, and trees are turning magnificent
colours of red, gold, orange, and brilliant yellow just stunning. We drove to the
market and home entranced -- feeling so lucky to live in this beautiful city.
That's a great feeling.

This painting sold in New York at the beginning of the pandemic. It was such a
treat that someone loved it as much as I did. Wishing you a great rest of the
weekend and a happy Saturday night."

Have a loving your life day.

One of my favourite Canadian art heroes

Tom Thomson

from a Wikipedia photo

sketch

marker on journal paper

5 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2023

(Unfortunately some of the marks from the

previous journal page come through.)

Tom Thomson is right up there as one of my top Canadian art 
heroes. I love his work, and I love this Inktober style drawing even
with its flaws of having the journal post showing through the
drawing.  Here's what I said about him in a past post:

"When I visit the Art Gallery of Ontario, I always spend 
some time sitting in the room full of Tom Thomson's work. 
He was a fabulous landscape artist. Sadly he died at 39 years old by drowning. There is still all sorts of speculation about how he
-- a very accomplished canoeist -- drowned, and hints of murder,
or suicide, but nothing has ever been proven. He died in 1917."

His work is incredibly inspiring. And he created so much beauty
in his short life.

Happy weekend.  If you don't know Tom Thomson's work --
check it out.

Have a loving your life day. 

Journal writing helps

 

Journal Sketch 

Marker on journal paper

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

When I'm making something new to me -- and I'm definitely doing that 
with my current work -- I sometimes get so tense.  So many, 'what
ifs?' come into my brain.  Yikes.  Combine that with even a 
few minutes of news, and I don't know what to do.

The answer is writing in a journal every morning. I'm trying to 
get back to two pages of writing, and then a sketch.  Here's

the sketch from yesterday -- a serious young woman.  And

today the ideas were coming through! Yay.

Have a loving your life day!

For the love of dogs

Journal sketch

marker on
Maison de Haute

 Couleurs Charvin paper

8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2020

When I made this sketch I wasn't happy with it.  But scrolling through 

my blog today I saw it, and thought this captures everything I've
always felt about dogs.  I love dogs -- their enthusiasm for life, and

love of whoever takes care of them.

I was raised with dogs and cats. I love both.  This sketch was based

on a photo by my father, who was an excellent photographer.  I got
a bit lost by the intense shadows. That happens.  Artists get
stumped by small things sometimes.  Right now I'm encouraging
myself not to go there.  "Yes you can!" is the corny message we
need to give ourselves.

Have a loving your life day! 

More coffee please

Now that was good!
Journal drawing

Black marker on notebook paper

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Coffee has been a big theme today.  I enjoyed visiting
with the friends in the neighbourhood who get together
for coffee.  And I spent the rest of the day painting,

running on coffee after coffee so I could keep going.

I feel pretty happy about the day, and I like this drawing 
of a hotel room service breakfast, which as you know
is one of my all time favourite meals.  And of course

there is always lots of coffee!

Have a loving your life day! 

I'm grateful for my wonderful mother

Isabel Muir
by Christopher Muir

Christopher Muir © 

This is the anniversary of my mother's death.  I miss her so much!
Here's what I said in a former blog, with the date updated: 

"My mother died 12 years ago on this date.  It was Thanksgiving Day. We were
in Ottawa where she lived, and were in the hospital with her the night before
she died.  Our family who were in the city, had lunch together, then we drove
home to Toronto for another Thanksgiving dinner. All in her honour.

The beautiful portrait photo I'm showing you is by my son, Christopher.
I love it because it shows her strength, her beauty, and the nature she protected
with letters, her voice on call-in radio on CBC, in protest marches even when
she had a serious chronic lung condition, and with donations.

Here's what I wrote about her in a former tribute:

"A couple of weeks before she died, I sat with my mother, who
was totally blind, helping her fill out cheques to organizations she
believed in that protected the environment -- wolves, whales, parkland.
Those weren't her only passions -- she gave to women's shelters, money
for hurricane and famine victims.  Small amounts to be sure -- but this
mattered.

She was a good, kind and supportive mother. What shone through with
 her was her love for her family, her intellect, (she had a Masters in
 Bacteriology), her concern about the future of the planet."

We miss you Mommy.  You made the best Thanksgiving dinner.

Have a loving your life day. 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend -- and thank you family

 

Thank you family and friends
Photo: 
© Barbara Muir

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and today we went 
on a long, beautiful drive to celebrate with family.  The best time.  We
brought some parts of the meal, and the whole thing was delicious.

And so much fun.

A bit tired tonight, as we just got home.  I love Thanksgiving and feel so
grateful for my family and friends.  Thank you all of you.  It is one of my
favourite holidays as I'm sure I've said many times.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend

Today's flowers from the garden

Watercolour and black marker on 

watercolour paper

6 x 9.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I’m a firm believer in gratitude — being grateful for the
people in my life, and for what life has given me. That’s
why I love Canadian Thanksgiving, a celebration that happens
this weekend. 

Canadian Thanksgiving is a celebration of the harvest.
We give thanks for a great harvest, for our unusually
blessed lifestyle, and in honour of that, eat a meal
together. It is not about religion, or history, or which
culture you grew up in.  And that's what I love about it.
Everyone can share in the harvest.  Everyone can get in
the spirit together, and we all understand the meaning of
the holiday.

Judging from the run on turkeys, that part of the meal may
be the same in many homes. 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

What kind of coffee cup do you like?

 Coffee with milk in

a cup

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

(This painting seems perfect

for today.  And I like that it

went to live in

Texas with my friend, 

the artist Susan Carlin.) 

I'm pretty sure I drank this cup of coffee in a restaurant.  On
a normal day I drink at least 3 large mugs of coffee, and my
preferred mugs are straight up and down, with maybe a slight curve
at the top and bottom of the mug.

What do you like?  I like white coffee cups.  Though my favourite
ones are hard to find now, and they were horizontal turquoise and

white striped mugs.

At night when I'm watching TV with Steven, and I've had more
than the three cups of coffee, plus a couple of decaf coffees, I drink
sugar free hot chocolate. 

Of course in Europe everything is different -- espresso mainly.
But coffee -- I love it.  It is the fuel I run on. Speaking of which -- walk 
time, and then back to painting.  I had a great day painting.

Have a loving your life day!

Let's invent one -- International I'd like to paint day

 

See what I mean?

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019
SOLD ♥

I've spent most of the day today working on organizing journals
and sketchbooks.  Needless to say I have quite a few. I'd

love an International holiday called, I'd like to paint day.
I'm pretty sure we can invent one.  Let's make it today!

So I thought I'd write this before I begin to paint.  The painting
above started out as a simple landscape.  Then I saw this adorable couple
in the park, and had to add them in.  The result? Pretty good.

The painting tells the story of a beautiful fall day in a
gorgeous park on Lake Ontario.  The woman is telling
the young man that this is why she brought him here -- to see
this incredibly magnificent scene.

We are not seeing the bright fall colours for the most part 
here.  The hot summer weather just cooled off yesterday.
But here's hoping.  Meanwhile -- back to work for me.

Have a loving your life day!

This sketch was for a painting

 

Sketch study for kitchen table painting

marker on bond paper

8 1/2 x 11 inches

Barbara Muir ©

I was scrolling through my blog and saw this, and thought, 'Aha! So that's how 
I solve my current painting -- do a drawing of where I want to go.'  It sounds 
so simple, but sometimes I have complete clarity, until I don't.  Tired,
busy, a lot going on -- I might come into my studio and go, "Wait a minute!
Now what?"

Solution -- plan.  So I will.  I love this simple drawing because it describes
certain times in our lives when the kitchen table is crammed with objects
that are significant to us.  The big Victorian sugar bowl, the small glass 
mini-candle holder, the bottom of a silver candlestick, and stems of flowers
in a glass vase. Plus a cream jug with pansies on top of a cookbook. Man
it's almost like the dance of the kitchen table.

Our kitchen table is the center of family life, so it does mean a lot to us.

Have a loving your life day!

Looking back to the beginning

Kitchen China

Acrylic on canvas

24" x 48"

Barbara Muir © 

SOLD ♥ 

I've been painting today, and every time I walk into the studio
I feel as happy as I must have been when I painted this
painting.  I started blogging in 2008, and I am so grateful
to my son who helped me start the blog, and my friend who
urged me to create one. So of course I was painting before 
that, but as I've said before blogging has changed my life as an
artist -- all in positive ways.

I was interested to see that Alyson Stanfield thinks we should 
bring back blogging. I'm still enjoying it, and still enjoying 
people's reactions.

Here's a bit of the story behind this:

"My model came into the kitchen, sat down and had some
chocolate cake that Steven had just baked, and that was that.
A painting was born."

Have a loving your life day!

My happy self

Let's talk
Inktober drawing

black marker on paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Mur © 2019

Easy to go down the rabbit hole (get depressed) in these hard

and bizarre times.  This image I drew from a portrait of me
as a little girl that my father, an excellent photographer took,
made me happy.  Quite an achievement for a drawing! I was feeling
very blue.

I also worked on a painting for an upcoming show and that

made me happy.  Plus just sitting on our back porch looking at

the flowers and trees, and my backyard neighbour waving at me --
it all gives me hope.

Have a loving your life day!

Smiling still matters

Nicole

Inktober sketch before Inktober existed

Marker on watercolour paper

12 x 9 inches

Barbara Muir ©

(Skype drawing from the 

Consumer Electronics Show

2009)

Double happy family birthdays today so I didn't get time to do an Inktober 
drawing.  I love this one. World Smile Day was Friday 
October 3, this year, and I did make a few people smile. We are deluged
with appalling news -- write our MPs, protest if we can, sign
every petition asking for an end to racism, wars -- cruelty of every
sort.

But the power of a genuine smile for family, friends, new friends and
people helping us, and who we are helping, still matters.

This drawing is from a great commission I had to draw people via
Skype (now it would be Zoom) for the Consumer Electronics Show.
A delightful assignment.

Have a loving your life day!