Suoer hot one -- here's a cool escape

 

Valentine's Day Blue
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 
SOLD ♥

It is an extremely hot day today, 44 Celsius with the Humidex,
which means 111 Fahrenheit. Naturally the heat is the main topic of
conversation. I feel especially lucky that we have air conditioning,
and that my studio is a comfortable temperature. This painting
is offered both as a brief escape from the heat, and a reminder.

In Toronto it won't be long until the cool returns. It may not
snow for 5 months, but it will be much cooler in 3.  The year
is rushing ahead, so today I am painting in the studio, and 
I'm happy to live in the moment.

Have a loving your life day!

Can you tell us where to buy nasturtiums?

Night Nasturtiums 

Watercolour on watercolour paper

5 7/8 x 9.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Two years ago, Steven and I, who tend to plant our garden late in the
season were looking for nasturtiums. They are one of my favourite
flowers, mainly because you have to pick them so that they can
continue to grow, which means for the whole season you have flowers
on the kitchen table fresh picked from the garden.

This year we’ve had trouble finding them. In fact, we haven’t been
able to find nasturtiums anywhere. I think we went to four different
flower shops on the weekend trying to get nasturtiums. No luck!

So if you happen to know somewhere where we can get the plants in Toronto,
please let us know. You’ll make us so happy! On top of everything else the
nasturtiums are really fun to paint.

Have a loving your life day!

Inspiired by friends and mentors

My portrait of Susan Carlin
quick sketch
charcoal on watercolour paper
12 x 9 inches

2009

(One of my early blog mentors

was the artist Susan Carlin.  The day she

asked me to sit for a Skype portrait and to
do her portrait via Skype long distance (she

was in Texas) was a big day. I had already
been interviewed by Howard Wolinsky for a
YouTube interview, and was contacted by my
friend Melinda  Esparza who did a portrait
drawing from Howard's first YouTube
interview with me.

Susan taught me a lot about drawing.
She taught me how to draw a curve.  Big lesson.  
She now can't remember that, but you did Susan
on one of your internet drawing classes!
 You are part of the reason I love
drawing coffee cups)

Tonight I'm posting words that mean the world to me from a
former post.  It's Sunday night, and TV time with my 
sweetheart.

"Leaving your parents' sheltered and safe home to
go out on your own at 17 can have its downsides.
It is lonely - even if you live with a friend, and
scary, even if it's in a safe area of town, and it's a lot
of work.  But what I was lucky enough to realize
early on -- if you read my earlier story about a family
in my neighbourhood who were kind to me as a seven
year old -- is that the world is full of mentors.

I was transformed from practically a stick figure
drawer at the end of high school, into a decent
life drawing artist in the 8 months of my first
school year at OCAD.

When I switched to English at a different university,
I was taught that contrary to the views expressed
by my family, I was smart!  What?  An A+ student
all of a sudden.  I could write a 40 page undergraduate
thesis on Iconography and Imagery in Edmund Spenser's
The Fairie Queene!

And so the story goes throughout my life.  Brilliant teachers,
wonderful artists, and magnificently inspiring friends and
mentors have given me the delightful life I live -- filled
with loving family, superb friends, exceptional books,
music, film, super walks and above all happiness.

Mentors in recent years other than family, have been all of
the artists on the blog, Instagram and Facebook world, plus
the artists I show with, and in the art clubs I belong to.  So
ultimately this is a thank you!  Thank you for teaching me so
much on a continuous basis, and for supporting me.  You are
all my mentors and you empower me."

Have a loving your life day.

 

The dream of escaping

 

The house on the hill

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

It was a great run around Saturday.  We went to the market, then did 
other errands, got take out lunch, and sat looking at Casa Loma on a
very hot day.

We went to a few flower stores, and bought plants for the big blue pots

in the backyard.  We were just heading out to do some shopping
after an afternoon nap, when I got a message from our neighbour that
there had been a shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair festivities a couple
of blocks away, and that was horrific.  Shootings are not common in
Toronto, and I have never heard of a shooting in my neighbourhood

and we've lived here the entire time we've been together.

So yes, the people at the festival, who'd been dancing and singing were
told by police to go home. And this is too sad.

I do think of Nova Scotia at times like these.  Our little one room school
house in the middle of nowhere.  This is the house on the hill we see 
when we know we are not far from seeing our school house.  It always

makes us happy to see it.  I've painted it several times.

Have a loving your life day, and stay safe.

And the third piece in the Primary show

Joyous Sunflowers
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2026

This is the final piece of my three pieces in the Primary show. I originally planned

to paint each painting over a primary colour background, and did start with yellow
on this one (the primary colours being red, blue and yellow), but sticking to the
primary colours, which are frequently part of my work anyway, became less 
important than the meaning of the works.

So I have family in the painting The Future Calls, because family and friends mean the
most to me, an ocean landscape with clouds because I love the ocean, and nature,

and some of my happiest moments are by water, and flowers.  I love flowers, and
usually have them in my kitchen year round.  I feel like they are one key expression of
happiness. This painting also features a beautiful crystal vase given to me by
my great Auntie Anna for a wedding present.  The more I use the vase, the 
more I think of her, and appreciate how kind she was.

We went to a wonderful pop up opening today for the artist Nick Rubi in the
Queen Street Type Books store. Nick's work is delightfully inventive and 
always unique. The exhibition was a treat.

Have a loving your life day!

Part of the Heliconian Primary show on now

The Future Calls

Acrylic on canvas
20 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © Revised 2026

(I need to get a better photo!)

I came to the second opening of the Primary show yesterday at the Heliconian
Hall to see a yellow heart beside this painting called The Future Calls. Ironically

that means that the future really is calling, and the painting will go on to an exhibition
at the Propeller Gallery in the fall.

That is exciting and totally unexpected.  We were given infinite leeway in
interpreting the theme.  I started with colour -- obvious, red, yellow and blue

are the primary colours, but moved on to meaning.  What is primary in
my life? This painting is about family, and clearly family and friendship

are at the top of the list of what's primary in my life.

There will be more about this in future blogs, but for now -- I hope you see
that you are primary to me.

Have a loving your life day!

A great opening for the Primary Show today

 

Magnificent Clouds
Diptych

Acrylic on canvas

4 x 6 feet

Barbara Muir © 2026

A wonderful opening at the Heliconian Hall today. Thank you to all the super
people who came in and thank you for some fabulous conversations.
It was so much fun. It's a beautiful show, and I'm proud to have 3
paintings in the show.

I will post my other paintings in the exhibition tomorrow. It's late and
I'm very tired tonight.  Once again thank you.  And if you couldn't

make it, the next opening is on August 8, from 2 - 5 p.m.  The show

is free, and there will be treats and cookies.  We would love to see

you.

Have a loving your life day!

Primary Show Opening tomorrow

 

Invitation to the Primary Show at the Heliconian Hall

tomorrow July 8 from the 4 - 7:30 p.m.

Free and free treats

I know this looks strange, because the opening I'm mentioning is the second one
on the invitation -- July 8 -- tomorrow.  But I will be there for the entire
opening, and would love to see you.  I have three pieces in the show, and it's
pretty amazing.  I had 50 of these invitations printed by my favourite printer
today.  He eliminated the speaker symbol, so all I've had to explain is the 
dates. 

If you're in Toronto please come to the Heliconian Hall tomorrow. You will love the
show. 

Have a loving your life day!

Missing Europe

 

A fruit market we passed

walking to the church of
Santa Maria Novella
where many Medicis are
buried in Florence, Italy.
Photo
Barbara Muir © 

Some of the best times in my art career happened in Florence showing
at the Florence Biennale in 2009, and 2015, and in Paris showing the
Louvre in 2015, 2016 and 2022.

Florence was magnificent, and I'd love to go back.  Paris is easily accessible
for me because I have wonderful friends there and we've been enough
times that I know how to get around.  I just got invited to show in the
Carousel du Louvre show in October today.  And I will seriously
think it over.

Have a loving your life day!

A busy day, and thinking about my son

Young Man Reading

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 

I love this very loose abstract sketch of my son, Sam. And I'm

thinking of him because he called when Steven and I were 

driving around shopping and doing errands.  He just wanted

to say Hi, and I was just going into a store, but as the day 
raced on it was too late to call by the time I was home and
had time. 

Sam is sweetheart of a guy, and since he and his wife left
Toronto we have really missed them.  They used to live
two blocks away, which was wonderful.

Here's what I said about this in a former blog:

"I have been lucky for my entire artistic life to have a super

supportive family.  This painting is of my son Sam who
posed for me many times during his late teens when he
was living at home, and a ready subject.  Christopher,
my son, my daughter-in-law Megan, Steven, my husband
and our various animals have all posed. And I am grateful
for them.  Big time."

Wishing you a happy and creative week.

Have a loving your life day.

 

Eternally grateful to Flora Doehler

 Flora on Skype

Black marker on bond paper

8 1/2 x 11 inches

Barbara Muir © 

17 years ago after a day of painting I drew this drawing of my friend
Flora on Skype, which would now be Zoom. 

Here's what I wrote about Flora on a former blog:

"Flora Doehler is the person who urged me to do a blog. My son Christopher
 actually started the blog for me. So Flora and Christopher transformed my
 life, and Flora continues to inspire me with her beautiful art.

Flora's push for change in my life (especially starting the blog) resulted
in me travelling all over the world, to New York, to Florence, to Paris
and the Louvre, and to Oprah Winfrey's show drawing her live via Skype.
(And many more media experiences because of the Oprah show.)

Meanwhile Flora moved to a small maritime town, and almost lives

in retreat compared to life in the big city.  And she continues to
make and sell beautiful art, and to teach me things about technology

and painting."

One of the biggest treats of our annual trip to the Maritimes and Nova
Scotia is visiting Flora and Larry Knox, her husband, and seeing Flora's
studio.  Her work is amazing.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday to Christopher

Megan and Christopher in Korea
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Yesterday, July 2, was my wonderful son Christopher's birthday.
We called Christopher, and sang Happy Birthday (our dog Sally
always joins in), but our schedules didn't work with getting
together. And we missed Christopher.  But soon we will be
together and celebrate.

Steven and I thought about Christopher all day. His birthday was
such an exciting, life changing day for us! We became a family
and are so grateful to Christopher for all of the love and joy he's
brought into our lives. I wish Christopher and Megan,
his beautiful wife -- one of the kindest people I know -- a fabulous
year.

The painting today is of Christopher and Megan. I
painted it using a Skype image I took on my computer when
Christopher and Megan were teaching in Korea.  The connection
was fragile, so frequently the images broke up, and I enjoyed
painting the effect.

Have a loving your life day. 

Back at it

One of my favourite places in the world --
The Louvre, Paris

Photo

Barbara Muir ©

There's really no day off for an artist.  But that just means that our eyes
never stop looking.  If we translate our visual delight into a drawing
or painting that's wonderful.  I have been drawing during our short
holiday, but today it's back to the studio and working on painting.

I hope you are having a wonderful day.  I am thinking every day
about David Hockney, and watching wonderful videos of his
art discussions on YouTube.  Such a treat.  I'm so sorry he's gone.
But his message is clear.  Look and create.

Okay.  I'm back at it.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Canada Day

Produce Canadian Flag

I saw this hilarious produce flag in Loblaws,
our local store a number of years ago.
People didn't even notice
the shape (tired at the end of a working week),
and had taken some of the produce.  But still
the theme was there.  This is our national flag
in tomatoes, garlic and red pepper.
Art is everywhere.

I hope you are having a very happy Canada Day. I am
just chilling with our cats and our dog.  It is too hot to
do much. So this will be super short.  Thank you to my
country, and to all of my Canadian family and friends.

Have a loving your life day! 

Getting ready for Canada Day

 

A few of my landscapes
celebrating my love of
Canada. The two on the
ends are Maritime landscapes,
and the one in the middle is the
school yard up the street.

Acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir ©

I'm not a fan of patriotism, but I really do love my country, and I hope
we do whatever we can to save the environment as the heavy summer
heat wave has begun.

Here's what I wrote that I like in a former post about Canada Day.
I still feel the same way:

What I like about Canada:

"1.  The people -- Canadians come from all over the world.
My own ancestors, great, and great great grandparents
came from Italy, Scotland, Ireland, and France.  My
husband is descended from Dutch and Indonesian
parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.

2. My city.  Each time I come back to Toronto, after
visiting other countries, I notice how people are here.
At the bus stops all of us hang out together.  It feels
different from other cities in the world.

3. Our humour.  Canadians are self-critical -- and
that is the core of our humour.  And we're funny.
Our humour gets exported big time, especially to the
United States where so many of the top comedians, and
comic actors are Canadian.

4. We're boring.  We're allowed to be boring and
safe. We want good and happy lives, and it doesn't
matter if that means we live by routines.

5. No guns. (Or almost no guns).  We don't think
it's cool to use/have guns.  We don't have guns in
our houses, our cars.  Guns are not cool here.
Criminals and hunters use guns. The police have
guns, but the general public detests gun violence,
and thinks guns are scary, and worse -- stupid and
senseless.

6. We say we're sorry.  You know you're in
Canada when you bump into someone's cart
in the supermarket and the sorry fest goes on
for 10 minutes -- first you. "I'm sorry," then
the other person, "No I'm sorry" and that
continues.

7. Free health care.  When relatives of mine
have gone through treatments for cancer, or
had surgery, or babies, or any kind of reason
to need healthcare -- it's free.  Some doctors
charge a yearly fee -- maybe $300, but otherwise
healthcare is free.

8. We're a vast country.  I've traveled from one
side of the country to the other, and there
is still so much to see, so many places I haven't been.
And all along the way there is endless beauty.

9. Our art -- it's exciting being an artist in Canada.
Although we're a young country, our art has a
distinctive quality.  Canadian artists love this country,
and that comes out in so many forms -- in art, music and, 

literature.

 

10.  Our kindness.  It is in to be kind here. People from
other countries might find that boring, but we don't. 

Of course things go wrong. The country and its history
are far from perfect. We are dealing with righting the
terrible mistreatment of indigenous people at residential
schools, addressing systemic racism, and we also have
politicians who care more about their own economic good
fortune, than their citizens' well being. But in Toronto,
where I live, violence is not the norm. Many neighbours
from every culture will be out at a local park watching
fireworks together tomorrow night, and wishing each other
Happy Canada Day."

Have a loving your life day!

Coming home

 

Maybe an image for a future 
painting 
This is not Ottawa, it's
the Maritimes
Photo
Barbara Muir ©

We’ve been away visiting Ottawa this week because Steven had a
few days of vacation. We had an amazingly wonderful time. We
visited family in Chelsea across the river in Quebec, and walked around
the city. Ottawa is very pretty.

And we hung out in our room watching TV, deleting emails, drawing
eating amazing breakfasts delivered by the staff who we are very fond
of, and having a wonderful time.

It's so good to be home and to see our animals again.

Have a loving your life day!

Have fun -- it's the best advice

 

Water Image #2
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir ©

It's been a great day.  Steven is on holiday, this weekend, so I

am not painting, but thinking of David Hockney's amazing
creativity and productivity, I am taking a sketchbook with me 
everywhere, and drawing every chance I get.  Still I mostly
spent time with Steven. 

We went out to dinner with family and had fun.  This portrait is
of Shaniece. I sold it to a wonderful boss, John Struthers at Seneca
College, who sadly has died.  If you know where the painting is, 
please let me know.

Some advice from a neighbour a years or so ago was excellent
with so many wars, and cruel actions taking place in the world. 
"If you're breathing, you're achieving." But I would add to that
if you're having fun, please enjoy yourself, and appreciate how
lucky you are.

Have a loving your life day!

Super short one -- Movie night and family time

 

Shadow pattern

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2024

We had a super time with family today -- sitting outside in

a beautiful setting in the shade, laughing and just 

enjoying being together and feeling so happy.

Now it's. movie night, and quite late, so please have a great
weekend.  And this artist (who has been sketching), is going to
have a night off..

Have a loving your life day!

Still celebrating and so happy!

The two of us in Quebec City

watercolour and marker on

watercolour paper

9 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir ©

We're still celebrating our wedding anniversary.  We had a wonderful
day today and a great dinner tonight with family. I found a former

blog post I loved about staying positive in life I thought I'd share.

I hope you are spending time with people you love, and who love you.

When people talk about treating each day like your last, I tend to go
in the opposite direction. How about spending each day like it's your
first. Here's what I said:

Not a bad idea.  I've been doing that ever since and enjoying
 every day so much.

I wake up in the morning and think -- this is my
first day on the planet, and okay I'm a grown woman.
But wow I'm married to a gorgeous man, who loves
me.  I have a super family -- two wonderful sons,
two daughters-in-law who I love, and Alice, Madeleine
and James, who are all darling, and who I love.

Everything in my life seems fantastic -- almost magical
viewed this way.  And of course that is how artists see
all the time -- in some ways. We are quite often high on life,
but this idea takes it to a new level.  Wonder at everything.
And back to this day.  What a treat it is to love someone
with all of my heart, and to be loved back equally.
It really is a miracle. I am so grateful that that's been my reality.

Meanwhile -- this is the day after our anniversary, so I'm posting a
portrait I did a while back of the two of us.  It doesn't
look like us really, but the mood is there."

Have a loving your life day!

 

Grateful for the hanging committee

Peter Ramdeholl and Chris Muir
hang Magnificent Clouds 
Acrylic on 2 canvasses
4 x 6 feet
Barbara Muir © 2026
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2026

Today I delivered my paintings to the Heliconian Hall for the Primary show
which opens on Saturday, June 27 from 2 to 5 PM at 35 Hazelton Ave.
in Toronto.

Plus today we are celebrating our anniversary with a bit of a drive
in the country.  I will be at the July 8 opening of the Primary show, and
would love to see you there

We felt so lucky that we could take a drive because yesterday Steven had severe
vertigo, and I didn't think he'd even be able to take my work to the show for me.
So I am so grateful to my son, Christopher, who came and helped us
with the hanging of  my large diptych which is 6’ x 4’ in two pieces.

I’m also grateful to my son for suggesting that we must go to the doctor
which we did. And the doctor ruled out some our worst worries, and told
Steven what to do to make himself feel better. It worked and now we’re
having fun.

Have a loving your life day.!

Getting work ready for the Primary Show, opening Saturday, and Happy Anniversary

Joyous Sunflowers
(work in progress)
Acrylic on convas
20 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2026

This is almost finished.  The friend who helps me with office work has been adding 
work from the past to my Instagram, so I thought I better show you something 

current.  It's our wedding anniversary, and both Steven and I are on deadline-- me
to get work ready for an early morning drop off tomorrow. 

I'm almost there, but still want to refine this, and the other two pieces.  I will
photograph them before I take them to the Heliconian Club tomorrow.  The first

opening is on Saturday June 27 from 2 - 5 p.m.  I will be at the next opening on
July 8 from 2 - 5, so please come out to that one!

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Wedding Anniversary week

 Happy Garden Flowers

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir ©

This is our wedding anniversary week, and after a wonderful morning
coffee meeting in the neighbourhood, I've spent the day with a dear
friend editing, and adding to my Instagram, and working on office
related jobs.

Now it's time to get back to painting.  I have been watching as many videos
as possible at night about David Hockney, and he was, and is so inspiring.
So I will go back to work happily.  But meanwhile tomorrow is our wedding
anniversary, and I feel so lucky to be married to Steven, and to be living a
very happy life.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Monthaversary to my sweetheart

Steven and me in the lights
of Times Square
We love New York City,
and hope to visit again someday.

Today is our Monthaversary
of our first date.

And we were and are
 in Toronto.

Happy Monthaversary of our first date to my sweet husband.
It was the miracle of my life that we met, feel in love, and
are now even more in love. Lucky me.

I know I'm not supposed to say I'm busy, without showing the work,
but I painted all day, and nothing is ready for the big reveal. 
Speaking of which tomorrow I'll work all day on a big one.

The great thing is that it was a very happy painting day, with 
new ideas popping into my head about how to handle things.

So one painting is quite close to completion and another
is coming along.  A bit more refinement needed.  This is the
reality of the artist's life -- you just keep going.

I watched a wonderful video last night by Sam Hamper about
David Hockney's work.  I hope you enjoy it.  I loved how 
Hockney said, 'why don't we artists look?', and that we should
enjoy life.

Have a loving your life day! 

Happy Father's Day

 

The family -- and there are two more members

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in the world.  I hope you had a wonderful
day.  We saw family yesterday and talked to our family on the phone today.  It

was a beautiful day.  We went to the lake to go for a walk and the take out place

where we sometimes order food from gave us dinner for free! Amazing.

I hope you had a super day!

Have a loving your life day!

Movie night and Happy Father's Day tomorrow

 

Portrait of my father 
black marker on bond paper
7 x 9 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Tonight is movie night, Saturday night, and we've had a super
day with family.  As always when it's close to Father's Day, I'm
thinking even more about  my own father, who's been gone for
too long.

My thoughts from a former post express my thoughts perfectly, so
I'll share them with you:

"I like the portrait of my father. It makes me happy
because it captures the wonderful, loving nature of my Dad. 
In the reference photo my father is smiling at Christopher, my
older son, who was a little boy at the time.  Our son Sam had not 

been born yet.  I miss my father every day.  

And my  father is still a huge influence in my life.  He was a
wonderful writer, a business man, a fabulous photographer, and
 a great painter -- good at all of his roles. He was a strict father to
young children, which is probably why I don't like rules to this day.
I'm sure his time in the navy contributed to that. But as I grew up we
developed a happy bond over art, and over family, and were

close at the time of his death from lung cancer way too early.

My dad would have been delighted to know our children and to
see how they have grown up into amazing people."

Have a loving your life day!

4501 blog posts and more Happy Father's Day week!

 

Happiness framed

Black marker on moleskine paper

4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I didn't check the numbers yesterday, and I meant to celebrate
reaching 4500 posts with you.  Thank you so much for your
support and inspiration through the years.  I love seeing
your work, and have had an awesome time as an artist because

of the blog, Instagram and Facebook community.

This drawing is of framed portraits of me with my baby Sam,

and my son Christopher.  I have such happy memories of 
life with my sons, and now our family has grown with two
wonderful daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.  It is
a super group -- so loving, and funny, and amazing.

Wishing you a wonderful Father's Day weekend, whether you
celebrate a father, or a kind person who acted like a father to
you when you were growing up.  

Have a loving your life day!