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!

Speaking of drawings -- this is one of my best

You can't keep a good man down

Acrylic ink and acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020
(This is my husband Steven,

-- father of my two wonderful sons)

Frequently Father's Day is earlier in the month, but this year it's on 
June 21.  So this could be Father's Day week, or it could be next
week depending on what suits you.  I love this drawing on 36 x 48 inch
canvas in acrylic ink.  It's of Steven relaxing at an art show I was
in in Niagara Falls.  

It's late and we went to IKEA for dinner tonight where I enjoyed
the delicious salmon, and talking to a sweet couple from
Columbia in line.   

I painted today,and had a delightful conversation with an artist
online, plus I sorted what felt like endless files.  A good feeling.

Have a loving your life day!

 

The delight of journals

 

Journal Sketch
Marker on journal paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 

I was looking through old journals and found this sketch. I've
started drawing again most days in my journal, as well as writing
2 or 3 pages.  It is true that writing the journal somehow makes it
easier to be creative.  And a simple drawing once a day keeps my
mind happy.  I didn't get to paint very much today, but I did plan
what I'll do tomorrow.  

What I like about the drawing is that I think one of my best 
practices for the past few years (maybe a lot more, check out the
journals in my book shelves)  has been to write in a journal
for three pages, or two pages, with a drawing. If I work on that
with my first coffee I feel like I've done something like art,
and then I can enjoy the rest of the day, crossing that off my to do
list.

Have a loving your life day.

Remembering the Happy Art Award -- and you've got it!

The Barbara Muir Happy Art Award

Barbara Muir ©

(and  this painting was

in the Food For Thought
show put on by the San Fernando Valley
Arts and Cultural Center in California,
in 2022 at this time. Virtually.)

I'm working on refining work for the next show at the
Heliconian -- Primary opening June 27. And I found this
post that reminded me of a time when I got brave enough
to create my own art award. I loved that I could
offer a personally created award to all of the artists I knew.
The good news is that the painting sold -- which is super.

Here's some of my thinking about the award.

"Suddenly I remembered this -- The Happy Art Award.  Actually
The Barbara Muir Happy Art Award -- a kind of Oscar
for artists designed by me.  But why me you ask?  And why
not?  I reply.  I thought it up one day in response to the many
blog awards going around at the time, and sent it out to all
the artists on my blog list.

Forgive me now, but if you're reading this, you have won the
award, and one day when I am very rich (let that be soon!)
there will be a monetary prize attached.  But for now to all
my artist friends, collector friends, art appreciator friends,
art inspiring friends, galleries, and art show curators, writers
-- to everyone in short who helps me get this job of art done
-- you win my lovely award.  Your art, friendship, support
makes me happy and that's why you win!"

I think in a world that is making so many of us feel tense and worried
there has never been a more important time to help one another feel
happy if at all possible."

Thank you one million times over.  

Have a loving your life day! 

Monday thoughts -- letting June be the month of love

 

For David Lobenberg

Self portrait
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Happy Birthday to my friend Suzanne -- sending you lots
of love. I just bought Austin Kleon's latest book shown above,
and can't wait to read it.  A teacher friend of mine says that self
doubt and criticism about art starts at about eight years
old.  I've noticed that in my young relatives, and I'm
eager to read Austin's book.  I just opened it a few minutes

ago, and he begins by explaining that he learned so
much from watching his children make art. Agreed.

One thing I've started to do to get back to being happy after digesting
the news is a technique called the Love list which came to
me in my dreams one night. How does that work? Create a

simple list in your mind of 20 things you love about your current life.

I list things like my morning coffee made by my husband, the beautiful
flowers from my neighbours in the kitchen, a phone call with a friend
in The Netherlands, a note from a friend in France, the view out
the window.

In the spirit of trying to be happy with one's life, I found this great
blog about loving yourself, and I want to share it tonight:

"When I taught Positive Psych one of the first things we said

to students was that if you don't know yourself, you won't love 

yourself, and if you don't love yourself, you can't love anyone else,

and you won't be happy.

This was totally not acceptable when I was growing up -- loving 

yourself smacked of narcissism.  But in fact nothing could be 

further from the truth. If we love and accept ourselves, the world 

is less about us, and more about the people we love.  It's when we 

don't love ourselves that we go around hurting other people, don't end up

doing what we love, and generally don't enjoy our lives.

I credit Louise Hay, excellent therapy and Frank Daley, who

was my boss, and wrote the book Who are you and what are you
doing here? for helping me get that concept.  It is an excellent 
idea.  When you love yourself, you love others."

And I'm pretty sure what Austin Kleon will suggest is that when
you think of art as play, it's fantastic.  Thank you Austin, I can't
wait to learn more.

Have a loving your life day!

The induction of the kitten-- the slow process of cats becoming friends

Steven holds the cat and kitten for a pose
Monet (left), Monique (right)

Photo
Barbara Muir © 2026

Having a kitten is a bit like having a toddler.  The same energy, maybe even
more so, the same delight, and so much anxiety about what the kitten could 
get into or knock down next. I've probably talked about this before, but with
an animal at less than a pound with the speed of lightning, keeping Monique
our kitten safe is quite the job.

On the upside (if you're not a cat person skip this post) a few minutes ago 
Monet (our four year old girl cat, and Monique our 14 week old girl kitten)
were lying together on one of the kitchen chairs together. This only lasted
 a few minutes, but it was progress.

Monique wants to be friends with Monet.  And we got the kitten so Monet
would have a friend So. That may happen. This photo was staged of course.
The interesting thing (to us), was that Monet wanted back on Steven's knee
with the kitten after I tooK the shot. It didn't happen. But hey!

Have a loving your life day!

Meeting deadlines and the kindness of neighbours

Peonies in the kitchen

Photo

Barbara Muir © 

Saturday is always a busy day.  We go to the market in the late morning,
and today we had a lot of errands to run. Plus I had work to do to get
ready for a deadline.  

And Saturday is movie night.  I love this photo from a couple of years

ago that looks like our kitchen this past week, and yes it is 
peony time, and my sweet neighbours know I love them, and give 
them to me, or tell me to pick them from their gardens. Wow that
is so nice, and they look so fantastically beautiful.

I hope you had a lovely day and that you have a great rest of the
weekend. 

Have a loving your life day! 

So sad about David Hockney -- I wrote about him on a piece about a friend visiting Paris

 

Suzanne in Paris
black marker on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 
(My friend Suzanne gave me the photo
 I used as reference for this when she came back
 from Paris. It's one of my favourite drawings
because I didn't quite capture the look
on her face in the original photo, but she looks
 very content. I love how her hair

is blowing around in the wind. But I
especially love that 
she looks so relaxed and happy.
To me that is the Paris effect.)

I know it is a strange combination thinking about Paris, and grieving
that David Hockney is gone. I was just watching a wonderful video
of him talking about his massive painting of the grand canyon a few
nights ago. The connection is about his kindness with his wonderful
drawings. Here's what I wrote about him in a former post:

"I was reading a blog about two interviews with David Hockney on
our national radio channel CBC in 2012.  I loved one sweet thing Hockney
said.  When Hockney started drawing on his iPhone he sent the drawings
to friends.  He talked about how most items people get in their emails are
requests, and pieces of information.  So he'd wake up, see a sunrise or a flower

(he liked to have flowers about), and draw that and send it off.  What he liked
most about it was that his friends said that they enjoyed receiving his little
drawings.   I loved that story. So I should make a copy of this drawing and
send it to Suzanne. Good idea. See how you and David Hockney help me?

Thank you."

I loved reading that story today after learning that Hockney had died.
And in case I didn't already do so, I'll send this drawing to my friend
Suzanne right away.

Have a loving your life day!

The online community has been a miracle for me

 

Drawing my friend via Skype
Photo
2009

I came upon this photo of me drawing my friend Melinda Esparza
as we talked via Skype. Skype was the beginning of video 
communication for me. Since then Zoom saved teaching
when we were in lockdown for COVID, and I could still teach
my students virtually.  I've made friends through Instagram Zoom,
and kept my friendships going through Instagram.  So I am 
grateful for these wonderful connections. Here's what I wrote about

this image:

"Today was a jam packed day so I was delighted to find a post about drawing
with Skype.  Skype -- the Zoom of the time of the photo, was an incredible
gift to my art career, and connected me with friends and students all over the 
world.

Looking through my really old blogs, I found this image from June
2009.  2009 was a pivotal year for me and my art.  I started drawing
using Skype images, when my son was teaching in Korea, and Skype was

our very cool method of communication. During our talks I'd start
drawing, and ultimately my Skype paintings got me the chance to draw
Oprah live via Skype.  That was thanks to Howard Wolinsky who 
encouraged me to do Skype paintings to feature in the Skype blog he
was writing at the time.

This photo is of me drawing my friend Melinda Esparza in Arizona
via Skype.  I got a lot of attention from being featured on the Oprah
show, and I was featured on City News in Toronto on the day of this photo.

The Oprah show, and other TV shows, and newspaper articles

also brought me more attention in the art world.  As I've told you before the
result was getting to exhibit my art in shows in New York City, Florence, Italy
and in the Louvre in Paris, France.  So yes I am incredibly grateful to technology."

Yes I am incredibly grateful to my art community around the world and 
here in Toronto. 

Have a loving your life day.

Obsessed with sunflowers and a great lesson on framing

Apples and Sunflowers
Acrylic on watercolour paper - glazed

3 x 5 inches

 Barbara Muir © 

Today was the second opening of Doris Purchase's exciting show The Ribs of a Place
at the Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Avenue.  Plus there was an exciting
workshop on framing delivered by -- name of company. Everyone loved it.

Before I attended the opening I had a very instense, long meeting with my
optometrist.  And before that I'd been focused on trying to finish a sunflower
painting. And I wondered -- have I done this before?  Turns out yes -- many
times.  Here is one.

Have a loving your life day!

For the love of pansies

Some pansy paintings
Acrylic ink and marker on
paper.
Each painting is 
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir ©

Quite a lovely day today starting with going to a wonderful neighbourhood
coffee meeting.  I'd just got in the door back home when a sweet neighbour
brought me a huge bouquet of pink peonies.  

A very kind friend came over and helped me load images onto my Instagram
posts.  That was fun.  When I came back from driving her home I picked
some of the beautiful pansies growing in pots on my front steps, and 
brought them in to join the flower displays in the kitchen.  So pretty.

Then I worked away on a couple of paintings for a new show, hoping to meet
 a Sunday night deadline. And tonight I had a super time at my art group.

Have a loving your life day!