It's true September first feels a bit like New Year's Day

 

Coffee at 8th Avenue and 23rd Street, NYC

charcoal on bond paper

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 

To quote a former blog on this topic:
"I'm posting this drawing, because other than writing my blog and my
Instagram posts, this is a day off.  September feels brand new.  So I'm
thinking of what I'd like to do in a dreamy way.  I'd love to show in 

New York, but probably won't go to the states for a few years. I love the
city, and this drawing sums up the happy feeling I get there perfectly."

It is Labour Day today. And in Toronto most businesses and stores were
closed.  We visited dear friends to return a painting they loaned me for
my April solo show.  Their kitchen had a wall of my work. Very touching.

I am still in rather bad pain in my back.  Getting slightly better. Fingers
crossed.  I hope you had a great long weekend, and that you have a 
joyous week.

Have a loving your life day!

The end of August

August road trip

Acrylic ink on 

watercolour paper

and pencil

Barbara Muir © 2022

I'm following doctor's orders and my back feels a bit better. Good 
because it's got to. No pressure. 

For the last couple of years at the end of August I've showed
you this little painting, which honours our trip across Canada
to the Maritimes.  This year that prospect awaits us. Which is why
my back must get back on track! I wish you a very happy September,
and yes we had a wonderful August despite the crazy heat.

So soon we'll make that trip and see all the wonders Canada can
offer.  It is a beautiful country.  For now concentrating thinking 
positively.  I wrote in my journal that joy is a powerful force. And
I just had dinner with Steven -- therefore. Yes.  Joy. 

Have a loving your life day!

 

Friendship and movie night

Carol Anne and me

(Journal sketch)
Marker on bond paper
6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2022

I love this sketch of me and my friend Carol Anne, who was my next-door
neighbour when I lived in Ottawa as a child. Carol Anne was feisty, funny
and always had cool ideas. 

I am decidedly not cool, and obviously shy in this image taken no doubt from
one of my father‘s beautiful photographs of the time. One of the things I like
about it is the palm tree brooch that’s holding my sweater together.

I had a very sweet aunt who always brought home gifts when she travelled,
and that enamel pin of palm trees was one of those presents. She was a
sweetheart, and I’m sorry she’s gone.

I have no idea what happened to Carol Anne. I lost touch with my childhood friends in Ottawa for the most part when we moved to Toronto. I hope she’s having
a wonderful life.

Have a loving your life day!

A favourite journal drawing

Journal Sketch
marker on journal paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

Painting whenever I could today – which wasn’t for long. I am still having quite
bad back pain. So today’s blog post. Is going to be short again. 

Thank goodness for the sketches I did on a regular basis in my morning
journals as often as possible. They give me something to share with you today.
Take care of yourselves and I hope you don’t have any back pain, or any
other kind of pain. 

,

Have a loving your life day!

Still recovering

Journal Sketch

marker on journal paper

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

Dealing with a super sore back today, and working on recovering. The heating
bag is my constant companion and seems to work.  I tried going for a walk,
and that didn't work.  At least I did see the exceptionally beautiful day, before
we abruptly turned around, and I went back to bed.

I have been doing my journal pages -- three pages a day -- which helps to get
me organized, plus trying to stay off my devices when possible, actual 
writing helps.  I haven't done much drawing in my journal lately, but I've done
the writing.  Here's what I said in a former post:

"Writing 2 or 3 pages in a journal as I drink my morning coffees (3), and do a quick
sketch, gets my day off to a good start. So I'm trying to keep going. 

I like this sketch of a guy sitting in a café in Paris, because he looks so Parisian --
the elegant scarf, tied the way only Parisian men seem to be able to achieve. And
even his winter coat -- what you can see -- is an elegant wool trench coat. Thinking
about Paris always makes me happy." 

It always makes me and Steven happy too.And surely happiness is part of healing
right? 

Have a loving your life day.

Ready for a new day

 

New Day

Acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

(The painting I was finishing

when the Oprah Winfrey Show

producers called, and asked
me if I'd like to draw Oprah via Skype.

My answer? Yes!) 

This is the portrait I was working on in 2009 when I got the call from
Oprah Winfrey’s people asking me if I’d draw Oprah live via Skype.
To say that was one of the most exciting calls of my life is putting it mildly.

Concentrating a bit too hard on painting the other day. I hurt my back! Big
time. I did not paint today — in fact I spent most of the day in bed with a
heating bag on the sore spot. 

But this painting New Day reminded me of the excitement of possibility.
In the art show I was finishing the painting for in 2009, it got hung beside
an artist charging almost nothing for their work.

But the painting literally was the start of a new day for me. Oprah’s call opened
up the doors of my artistic life. Since then I've been on many TV shows,
shown in Florence, Italy, Paris, France in the Louvre three times, and in
New York City, 10 times, and in California.  My thanks to my wonderful
model Shakoya, and to Oprah Winfrey, who I will be grateful to forever.

My life has been a whirlwind of creation and opportunity. So when this
painting appeared as I scrolled today, I knew it was a message from me
to see things in a new way, and to know I will be fine maybe tomorrow.
I already feel a bit better.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy International Dog Day Sally

 

Sally

Photo
Brigitte Sharpe © 2024

Although my pets – a dog, and a cat might disagree about who is the better pet,
it doesn’t matter. This is International Dog Day. And I think after 12 years in our
family, and one year before we had her during which she had three owners, Sally,
our sweet dog, deserves the recognition today.

So we sang Happy International Dog Day to her to the tune of Happy Birthday and she joined in. Happy Birthday is her favourite song, plus she loves the reward of a dog cookie at the end of the song.

Sally is a beautiful dog, and wonderful to be with, and we love her. She is both blind and deaf at the moment, and somehow manages to stay happy and to love her life --which is super. Happy International Dog Day Sally, and to all dogs.

Have a loving your life day!