tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post3574071617509922372..comments2024-03-15T22:49:18.381-07:00Comments on Barbara Muir Paints: FoldingBarbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-15201651116843716512009-11-21T09:08:25.348-08:002009-11-21T09:08:25.348-08:00Hi Liza,
Ooh la la to you for your beautiful work...Hi Liza,<br /><br />Ooh la la to you for your beautiful work, and lovely descriptions of your life. You keep me going, and stop me from folding over and over. Actually so much of what I do now was inspired by you and your wonderful work.<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxBarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-73712826102889892392009-11-21T09:06:52.517-08:002009-11-21T09:06:52.517-08:00Hi Gwen,
You certainly keep me inspired with your...Hi Gwen,<br /><br />You certainly keep me inspired with your beautiful work. Keep on painting and inspiring me.<br /><br />xoxoxoxoBarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-71232028022239820922009-11-21T09:05:43.140-08:002009-11-21T09:05:43.140-08:00Hi LeSan,
I was really helped by Edward B. Gordon...Hi LeSan,<br /><br />I was really helped by Edward B. Gordon saying he doesn't try to make great art, he just tries to improve his craft. As long as we're imprisoned in this idea of "greatness" we get frightened into staying away from the canvas, or paper or whatever. The moment we move into just improving our craft, painting becomes like cooking, or baking bread -- something we do often, maybe every day, that improves because we do, and has meaning because we aren't always imposing heavy meaning on ourselves.<br /><br />Take care,<br /><br />BarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-28983953033688077102009-11-20T13:17:52.108-08:002009-11-20T13:17:52.108-08:00Oh lala, Barbara, you are amazing! Thank you for t...Oh lala, Barbara, you are amazing! Thank you for this wonderful post - you are not only a great painter but just as much a great writer, coach, teacher,.... all in all someone who really inspires us with her thoughts, her positivness and a big portion of "joie de vivre"!Liza Hirsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18024630462493582644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-44651770592641449042009-11-19T20:00:31.039-08:002009-11-19T20:00:31.039-08:00Another really terrific post and just the encourag...Another really terrific post and just the encouragement so many of us need! This blog community has kept me from folding so many times. As you said, knowing others are anticipating your next work and are so generous with their praise can turn a very bad day into an inspired day. I know I'm not alone in saying that I am so very thankful that you continue to bless us with your beautiful paintings and encouraging words! xoxoxoxoxoGwen Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16393643552813213700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-24956155193813794602009-11-18T23:17:39.460-08:002009-11-18T23:17:39.460-08:00I can't believe I missed this post and now I a...I can't believe I missed this post and now I am very sorry that I did not get to it sooner. I could have really used this today. I took a little time out the past couple of years and while I did keep painting and sculpting it sure wasn't to the degree I had been. I have only just now really decided to get my behind back in gear. Sometimes it really does take a lot of encouragement and support to take the risk of creating art. At least in our modern era that support is much more readily found. Such as your blog here. You are always and inspiration to me!LeSanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07939320676822416742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-22312094841159211722009-11-18T19:13:48.334-08:002009-11-18T19:13:48.334-08:00Hi Janie,
Don't they say that all roads lead ...Hi Janie,<br /><br />Don't they say that all roads lead to Rome. Pick one thing and do it until you tire of it. I believe there has to be a kernel of a dream left. Start small. I teach a class called Art Bypass for people who have quit creating. The idea is just to give yourself permission, and then start small. If you have the money take a course with Robert Burridge. I guarantee you'll be creating after that. He's like a super charger.<br /><br />Thanks for your kind encouragement.<br /><br />Take care,<br /><br />BarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-25572214140318271042009-11-18T19:08:34.804-08:002009-11-18T19:08:34.804-08:00Hi Melinda,
I don't look too shiny today. St...Hi Melinda,<br /><br />I don't look too shiny today. Steven and I bought sea salt balm, or shea butter or something to try to revive our exhausted faces. But I could no more fold, than quit laughing. <br /><br />Many years from now I'll be glad I listened to one student today who told me to get some sleep because I needed to listen to my own advice.<br />Good advice. She made me laugh. Thanks for your kind support. You are a beacon of light for artists like me. Shine on silver girl.<br />xoxoxoxoxBarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-36949513136845903932009-11-18T19:04:13.595-08:002009-11-18T19:04:13.595-08:00Hi Edgar,
Whew! It's the end of a very long ...Hi Edgar,<br /><br />Whew! It's the end of a very long day at school. I left my house at 6:30 a.m., and returned at 7 p.m., so I am not quite up to scratch. But I'm sure giving up on a dream because of rejection feels terrible. On the other hand I believe you can flip that and make a dream happen -- by forging the community you need to do so. That of course requires constant work, but I think the blog world has made that a little bit easier. In fact for people who have computers the ease of dissemenating work to a wide audience has moved forward at a lightning pace in the past few years. Women are used to sexism in every area of their lives. This is <br />what Tillie Olsen fought against. She fought to revive the writing of women who had been relegated to obscurity by a male dominated publishing industry. "My children need me, I don't have time to be an artist," and "I've been rejected too many times, I'm going to give up my dream," sound like almost identical stories to me. <br /><br />As for Ft. Hood, I can't begin to understand anything about it. Was the man rejected by women, or by other men? Was he a man who couldn't stand the rigours of a military life, or was he just plain off his rocker? And how much chance do you and I have of ever knowing the real story? <br /><br />In both male and female young people, the dominant reason I see for folding is not enough love. I think the movie Precious which I haven't seen yet, but can't wait to see, shows how pivotal one person can be in turning that around. I try to be one of those people. I think every teacher I work with is also one of those people. It doesn't matter who cares for us, it matters that someone does. <br /><br />I didn't know who Thomas Kinkade was until I looked him up. There are a lot of artists like that, and I think they have their place. Who's to say that if something he creates makes people happy, it's wrong?<br /><br />The whole matter of taste is entirely subjective, as you know. Now I'm going to limp off into the evening and do some art, or fix some. <br /><br />I hope you can get back to your work soon. You are a great painter.<br /><br />Take care,<br /><br />BarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-10562133458460938262009-11-18T18:44:23.182-08:002009-11-18T18:44:23.182-08:00Hi Laurel,
Thanks for your thoughts. It is more ...Hi Laurel,<br /><br />Thanks for your thoughts. It is more than sad, even in art clubs where people join and then never show their work. They keep saying maybe next time,and I think when is next time? Some of these people are in their 70's. Next time may never come. We are blessed beyond compare to be living the dream.<br /><br />XOXOXOBarbaraBarbara Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-51114936128903304662009-11-18T16:07:40.263-08:002009-11-18T16:07:40.263-08:00I love that post. Giving up on dreams is always a ...I love that post. Giving up on dreams is always a bad idea because there is always resentment involved. I have given up on many dreams in my life for one reason or another, and now I have no dreams. I'm too afraid of failing myself and too unsure about which road to take. <br />Good advice--thanks for sharing. I'm glad you teach.Janie Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04931897043854080377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-5683480413206723132009-11-18T11:46:57.226-08:002009-11-18T11:46:57.226-08:00Barbara,
Thank you for not folding. The world nee...Barbara, <br />Thank you for not folding. The world needs your art, your spirit expressed in paint, and I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't there painting and helping others to remain UN-folded. <br /><br />Your students need you to tell them that many years from now, they'll be glad they listened to your wise words. You are a shining example and the best role model!!Melindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16793226305585541931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-56176988999972069802009-11-17T20:59:36.737-08:002009-11-17T20:59:36.737-08:00Barbara,
You and Ms Moments sure do know how to sp...Barbara,<br />You and <a href="http://melinda-momentsofclarity.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Ms Moments</a> sure do know how to spin out the inspiration. Thank you for encouraging those of us who are buried in the mundane banalities, to keep our little flames shielded from the wind.<br /><br />...I was going to talk about artists that give up their dreams and repress the desire to paint or whatever because of family needs or illness (like the sad, wrong, and terrible examples of sexism you discussed, which made me think of sexism generally in the arts, and that just makes my head ache); but you brought up a different issue too: disappointment, a loss of faith in oneself. Folding because of failure. And that's a different kind of self-story, isn't it?<br /><br />I mean, it's one thing to say, "My children need me, so I don't have time to be an artist." It's another to say, "I didn't succeed, I've been rejected too many times, I'm going to give up my dream."<br /><br />Wow! There's some suppressed rage, eh? I heard that the mass killers like happened at Ft Hood are often men who have been rejected by women (throughout their lives), and act out their frustrated masculinity by seeking power through destroying other people. Are there analogs in the art world? Are they graffiti artists? Film critics? Something worse? (Thomas Kinkade, maybe? He's given me nightmares.)Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06049136988037448625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-59931450774302636952009-11-17T20:52:20.347-08:002009-11-17T20:52:20.347-08:00Great drawing and great thoughts. It really is int...Great drawing and great thoughts. It really is interesting that women are often the ones to give up or alter their dreams, and so sad when they never return to them. We are lucky to be living the dream my friend. :) XOXOXOLaurel Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17923315332740559546noreply@blogger.com