tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78554827376952025002024-03-19T01:48:43.397-07:00Barbara Muir PaintsI paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission or purchase one of my paintings contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you?" Galleries: The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Your positive comments mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!
Website:
barbaramuir.com
Instagram:
@barbaramuir.artBarbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.comBlogger3679125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-80300089429877888522024-03-18T14:28:00.000-07:002024-03-18T14:28:21.901-07:00The delightful influence of other artists' art<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO81-az3xOyzvJtEqb_v52w59Bex4U0ITjNu3VaOdmPP7GB2XXbtzXCnokZEbH6b3cH6fKcarrmxhCHeNpxB2L3JD4VnoqdkC1iiwv_-8x9dM1RxtSV1nATtBBICNpc6_H5GbFPOlfG24Tfrx0lj9DagWfJYQ1da8PKhof1dMIJpV36e6V-7Uzj0qinhm8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="553" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO81-az3xOyzvJtEqb_v52w59Bex4U0ITjNu3VaOdmPP7GB2XXbtzXCnokZEbH6b3cH6fKcarrmxhCHeNpxB2L3JD4VnoqdkC1iiwv_-8x9dM1RxtSV1nATtBBICNpc6_H5GbFPOlfG24Tfrx0lj9DagWfJYQ1da8PKhof1dMIJpV36e6V-7Uzj0qinhm8=w552-h640" width="552" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Dreaming of Florence</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Charcoal on bond paper</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">18 x 24 inches</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">© </span>Barbara Muir </div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">Today I'm posting a drawing I love of one of my models Shakoya confidently wearing a halo.</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">I was inspired by the art of so many artists in Florence, Italy when I first showed my work at the Florence Biennale. And I loved the halos. I'm now religious, to me they just indicate that the person is special and loved. </div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">I'm working on a painting that is deeply influenced by the art of John Singer Sargent. We'll see how it works out. The model is sitting in the same pose as Sargent's model, and in a similar background. Her close echo the clothes Sargent's model was wearing and yet</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">the painting is so different (not just because I could never paint like Sargent), mainly because the model is so now, so contemporary.</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">Just thinking about how another artist worked more than 100 years ago is fascinating. The </div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;">current model is not wearing a halo. But she deserves one for being so kind and patient with me and my ideas.</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-35756809150386664572024-03-17T14:30:00.000-07:002024-03-17T19:13:09.081-07:00Happy St. Patrick's Day<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjehcdkxHwbgVm82uUYQmw4h2UTOreuIu0AT2wGOaFiX7RPBz6DLjK-EibrQ2NCRhLIcJmHwFB0BOmdKy072EsrBPp1hUf92G6jzJvVh79BsZTdHUP9mwI6N8YbMH7ZQGrdgPzCh5O0KFuZ9KPTzxb2kjSUrO3Vh-w0e3vGSOB8gR0yD3c-KstDs84W-rMk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="400" height="509" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjehcdkxHwbgVm82uUYQmw4h2UTOreuIu0AT2wGOaFiX7RPBz6DLjK-EibrQ2NCRhLIcJmHwFB0BOmdKy072EsrBPp1hUf92G6jzJvVh79BsZTdHUP9mwI6N8YbMH7ZQGrdgPzCh5O0KFuZ9KPTzxb2kjSUrO3Vh-w0e3vGSOB8gR0yD3c-KstDs84W-rMk=w640-h509" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">Steven and I dancing with glow sticks in</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">our kitchen St. Patrick's Day party</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">I love this photo from years ago of me and Steven dancing in the kitchen with glow sticks we bought for the St. Patrick's Day festivities we have whenever possible with our family.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">Today we'll have a dinner with our daughter-in-law Emily, and our son Sam. That will be fun. I love how this photo is like </span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">abstract art. So cool. Steven and I just decorated, and the kitchen looks very festive.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">I hope if you celebrated St. Patrick's Day you had a great time. Here's a quote from a former blog.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: white;">"No I am not Irish, but way back some of my ancestors</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">fled France for Ireland, and then Ireland for Canada.<br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">So in fact I'm more French than Irish.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">One year when my children were small we -- a very</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">celebratory family -- bought them green toys and hula</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">hoops, and green candy and had green ginger ale, and</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">green champagne for the adults, and a tradition was</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">born. " So Happy St. Patrick' Day.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></span></span></span></div><p></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-57083854355289606412024-03-16T19:08:00.000-07:002024-03-16T19:08:48.791-07:00Looking forward, looking back<div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbCmoJqR2qcuevRv3Aha6iUY87ZEWL4B7ZOiwT8Za4MYRxH5AxKpfendQaoQW8GFo3Rgvyqr6AhNSRRlPHISBH_RyIyORFziVZ_0pE5iOH4vC6f7KHXZ9Fnk14XNDbkLjm0sI0kM_ysicoqQf-g1ykyI2uk3t_s_FhhtK-g6zSpWO4k3vCcdKt2jU0gRat" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3584" data-original-width="2340" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbCmoJqR2qcuevRv3Aha6iUY87ZEWL4B7ZOiwT8Za4MYRxH5AxKpfendQaoQW8GFo3Rgvyqr6AhNSRRlPHISBH_RyIyORFziVZ_0pE5iOH4vC6f7KHXZ9Fnk14XNDbkLjm0sI0kM_ysicoqQf-g1ykyI2uk3t_s_FhhtK-g6zSpWO4k3vCcdKt2jU0gRat=w419-h640" width="419" /></a></div><br />From my Florence Notebook</b></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;">Journal Sketch</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;">Black marker on bond paper</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;">6 x 9 inches</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2009</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;">Today I've been having a wonderful time working on a painting for an upcoming show I'm grateful to my friend Georgia Fullerton's daughter, India, for posing for me. The painting is not ready to be show. So I was looking through notebooks to find something I could share, and found this pretty sketch from my notebook I bought in Florence the first time I showed in the Florence Biennale in 2009.</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;">It was a lovely discovery, and I wrote about our time there in some detail. After dinner tonight I was reading to Steven about the wonderful dinners we had -- some in the Trattoria Giovanni, and other restaurants in that beautiful city.</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;">Wishing you a happy weekend.</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><i>Have a loving your life day. </i></div><p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-79411208487150266352024-03-15T19:28:00.000-07:002024-03-15T19:28:07.749-07:00Bringing back the cheer<div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq0lyUzbPR4SjKMsfFJFJzdeBFC-kWTKzBCoO8W0FlkTjqvjXNQn2TCJuwklErtSF4tHV5uMy535ufY5OWlmLvMwNpRGRevKe5htCXh_GWrksjdsSgAuwzfimwq9wfz2u1r5rZsRfyK6rjYvQ3geJFkP2o5_4rWUVH65UVGHgxeKbwNxHJmoF2L7qkwk1y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="608" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq0lyUzbPR4SjKMsfFJFJzdeBFC-kWTKzBCoO8W0FlkTjqvjXNQn2TCJuwklErtSF4tHV5uMy535ufY5OWlmLvMwNpRGRevKe5htCXh_GWrksjdsSgAuwzfimwq9wfz2u1r5rZsRfyK6rjYvQ3geJFkP2o5_4rWUVH65UVGHgxeKbwNxHJmoF2L7qkwk1y=w640-h637" width="640" /></a></div><br />Cottage Flowers</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">24 x 24 inches </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2017</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: left;">I'm pretty sure these flowers are from <a href="https://pugwash-ns.canadian-shops.com/sunrise-greenhouses/">Sunrise Greenhouses</a> in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. I know that the vase was from a lovely lady who lived down the road from our school house in <span style="font-size: 17.6px;">Nova Scotia, and that my dear friend Paula frequently puts flowers out to greet us when we arrive after our 2,000 kilometre drive, which always makes me feel happy.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">It has been a super busy day. I am tired and it's Friday night. I started a big painting today that I'm quite </span><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">excited</span><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"> about, so more to come on that. Right now it's TV</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">time, and our cats are wailing for their night time snack. When I get downstairs the dog will be whining, and she will sit and wait until I say take it for her tiny snack.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">I can't wait to show you what I'm working on. But meanwhile enjoy these flowers as much as I did, and still do seeing the painting.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-19855575988244576992024-03-14T19:24:00.000-07:002024-03-14T19:24:32.572-07:00Happy Pi Day<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkqL2iiFT04rp7o1gGeQx6N4AVtUDf1M2NqzZ_nL_jtlZfMBUYI_dyV4Be4xSJIHiNcXBaz-qTXQRmiP-fycIuhr7PhfqhOok_k8H6jMCXlDexfDSCeONGxfUYFJU_Rj6oz3oaE2Tf-tbfNTUOrUwrsubzbc4d092pGuPJr4nIy-E0akUCncqEnBhpVT2M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="640" height="635" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkqL2iiFT04rp7o1gGeQx6N4AVtUDf1M2NqzZ_nL_jtlZfMBUYI_dyV4Be4xSJIHiNcXBaz-qTXQRmiP-fycIuhr7PhfqhOok_k8H6jMCXlDexfDSCeONGxfUYFJU_Rj6oz3oaE2Tf-tbfNTUOrUwrsubzbc4d092pGuPJr4nIy-E0akUCncqEnBhpVT2M=w640-h635" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <b style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Stand Back for the Pie</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">24 x 24 inches</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2013</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: left;"><p>On this date I usually feature this painting, because not being a <br />math freak, Pi reminds me of pie, and Steven makes the best<br />cherry pie I've ever tasted. Because December and January<br />and February were rough, I ate way too much of every sweet, so I may <br />forego having pie today. Tempting though. We had a little<br />conversation about the math behind Pi at lunch today.</p><p>In 2022 this painting won first place, and I won a $500 <br />in a contest with the <a href="https://sfvacc.org/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">San Fernando Valley </a>Arts and Cultural<br />Center in California in a virtual exhibition. And that was <br />fantastic.</p>In a former blog I shared this information on Pi<div>Day:<br /><br /></div><div>Last night Jimmy Fallon did funny routines about his audience reciting a</div><div>all the numbers of Pi. And they were still at it 20 years from now --</div><div>it's a long number.</div><div><br /></div><div>"According to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/pi-day-2013-pie-314-celebrations_n_2875385.html" style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">Huffington Post</a> Pi Day is named after the<br />Greek symbol π which is the ratio of the circumference of<br />a circle to its diameter. The first three digits in Pi are 3<br /> (this is the third month) and 14 (the fourteenth day)<br />= 3.14 or Pi. What better day to eat pie if you get the urge.<br /> And any way you slice it you will not be alone in your<br />pie indulgence.<br /><br />I live with a mathematics fiend, (Steven) who has been<br />known to sleep with a Calculus text beside his bed at the<br />ready should he feel like reviewing it with his morning coffee.<br />He also makes a mean cherry pie -- the point of the<br />painting. The pie."<br /><p><i>Have a deliciously-happy-Pi-day.</i> </p></div></div><p></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-71884644023039910102024-03-13T19:30:00.000-07:002024-03-13T22:43:49.387-07:00Off to the second opening of All That Jazz at the Heliconian<div dir="rtl" style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQOHq3sG_lpWcAjKyB5bSB0IR2hdFSakOdbnoXzh8szqhrUMD4nMDfnqIJ5yBQKPDXBfnhkVs_i5lydilHhDv_FWhOZyOBExql3UXePhl8fq-js5r6DjCUHforI83TkSitgcwaAM-0Qk8IrvhAobNiRH9Yg9zuwYjtppUnLREhiNvpywYZ8MnXufQRNzFF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="2200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQOHq3sG_lpWcAjKyB5bSB0IR2hdFSakOdbnoXzh8szqhrUMD4nMDfnqIJ5yBQKPDXBfnhkVs_i5lydilHhDv_FWhOZyOBExql3UXePhl8fq-js5r6DjCUHforI83TkSitgcwaAM-0Qk8IrvhAobNiRH9Yg9zuwYjtppUnLREhiNvpywYZ8MnXufQRNzFF=w539-h640" width="539" /></a></div></div></div></b></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;">At the Heliconian Opening </b><span style="font-family: times;"><b>today</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Me with my work</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Colours of Joy</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas<br />36 x 48 inches</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2024 </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">(Note: At the suggestion of</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">my husband, the photographer,</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">this photo has been edited to focus</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">on my painting behind me.)</div><p>Tonight was not nearly as busy as the first opening of <a href="https://torontoheliconianclub.wildapricot.org/event-5581587">All That Jazz</a> a wonderful exhibition at the Heliconian Club on until the end of March. I have a painting in a corner of the show, and quite high up. As you can see in the photo -- the piece of brown in the upper right corner of the painting is part of a decorative support for the roof of the former church that houses the Heliconian Art Club. So the challenge was how to get a painting with my work in the show. I had help today from my husband Steven van Schaik, and club member and amazing artist <a href="https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nola-mcconnan">Nola McConnan</a>, who is currently showing in New York City. </p><p>Between the two of them we finally got me at a height that was not too dangerous and you can see my work. For my friend <a href="https://www.saatchiart.com/mirandart">Miranda</a> in the Netherlands, and my friends in the Florence Biennale I am in the Happy People Pose. And behind me the bright painting of <i>Colours of Joy</i>. </p><p>I hope you'll get out to see the show this month. I'm still having trouble with Google, so I tried to post a photo of the show and it wouldn't allow me to. If I can put it in tomorrow I will.</p><p><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-17479738876356545162024-03-12T14:55:00.000-07:002024-03-12T15:04:41.295-07:00Jumping forward in time<p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDTpoZU_yZZrrNots5ivFm1Ylt8MeO33SgzF19YoiLwZBSce1Qh3lXEqsyp2j_IZQpadT0uJlTz1YidP6N_3zUWJGVZmWrVJmJEQ_5epCCl012neAT4yLKZ6BnnL2dNN3Z6BN2r6hzGmsKvIkaVE_zJDIEfPNOua-FPEZ5qy8lZllxNFQkLfGfM7O3xJC2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDTpoZU_yZZrrNots5ivFm1Ylt8MeO33SgzF19YoiLwZBSce1Qh3lXEqsyp2j_IZQpadT0uJlTz1YidP6N_3zUWJGVZmWrVJmJEQ_5epCCl012neAT4yLKZ6BnnL2dNN3Z6BN2r6hzGmsKvIkaVE_zJDIEfPNOua-FPEZ5qy8lZllxNFQkLfGfM7O3xJC2=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>First stop Paris</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">30 x 30 inches</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2012<br />(available)</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">(When I painted this painting I was<br />thinking about encouraging the model<br />to go to Paris. I hadn't exhibited<br />in Paris yet -- my first time<br />showing in the Carousel du Louvre was in<br />2015. But in a way the work was telling<br />the world that -- hey! I love Paris,<br />and since I painted this piece, I've visited Paris<br />a number of times! And I loved it every<br />time. This seems right for today --<br />because travel disrupts time in<br />the best way possible. It looks <br />like it's a 5 hour time difference<br />at the moment between Toronto and Paris. <br />And when you go there<br />it's worth every minute of that difference.)</div><p> I picked up a reference piece from my printer today, and he told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't get it done on time. I said I would. We'll see. We both laughed because we have a really good friendship. Our clocks jumped ahead by one hour on Sunday morning at 2 o'clock. It's funny how we all love it when we gain an extra hour in the fall, but don't like losing one in the spring. I'm putting this favourite painting on tonight, because I miss Paris. And I notice, that I can adjust to the 5 hour time difference pretty well when I'm there.</p><p>Here are my thoughts from a former blog slightly edited:</p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-211554332545228341" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><p>"At 2 in the morning on Sundy we moved into Daylight Saving Time.<br />Luckily for us we started moving into the new time <br />on Saturday -- setting all of our clocks, and machines that<br />would allow it ahead by an hour. So it was less traumatic<br />Monday, than it is some years when the time changes.</p><p>My mother, who had a Masters in Bacteriology did not<br />like losing that hour anymore than anyone else. So her<br />strategy was to change all of her clocks three days before<br />it happened. We couldn't go that far, but it helped that the<br />microwave and the car radio were functioning in the<br />new time for 24 hours before the switch. And yes<br />we still have clocks that are not digital.</p><p>I think of March as the Month of Change, and I found<br />this thought in an earlier blog that I thought I'd share:</p><p>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">If you think you can't change remember how long<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">it took you to fall in love with your first born,<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">your niece, or nephew, your kitten, or dog, or<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">your beloved. In my case my affection was<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">overpowering and instant in every example<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">above. And you know that each time your<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">heart made that giant leap toward affection,<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">your entire world changed. So yes you can<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">change, and you already have while you were<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">reading this. So have a soothing drink of milk,<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">or tea, or hot chocolate, or wine if you need it,<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">and take yourself back to the canvas, or your<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">writing, or to bed for a little nap before you<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">start again. It's all going to work out just fine.</span></p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">The time to paint is upon us. (And the time to <br /></span>travel.)<br style="background-color: white; font-family: times;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: times;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-style: italic;">Have a what-do-you-know-I've-changed day."</span></div>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-48289000898232201092024-03-11T19:17:00.000-07:002024-03-11T21:26:00.329-07:00Best Practices<div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl0eFo6ckiJ7j-RvljOnooW36k1eJHjRck3hRkCiDc_B4q6hgzZ1QuWuH7FpI1xNyL_un7eIj4bOHWuy3Fv3zL1bCZ8S8dlSsMrhxo2GVxY-pG_lYiXJ9FcuQnmijweTyZ3a0udz-2k_vBzTaOq07BM6m_GP-wfsBnoGqDnH8dbd8drK6ZEGbcvLIZMw4x" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3070" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl0eFo6ckiJ7j-RvljOnooW36k1eJHjRck3hRkCiDc_B4q6hgzZ1QuWuH7FpI1xNyL_un7eIj4bOHWuy3Fv3zL1bCZ8S8dlSsMrhxo2GVxY-pG_lYiXJ9FcuQnmijweTyZ3a0udz-2k_vBzTaOq07BM6m_GP-wfsBnoGqDnH8dbd8drK6ZEGbcvLIZMw4x=w640-h630" width="640" /></a></div></b></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b>The cards</b> --<br />(some of the cards<br />I've written every night<br />for 774 days --<br />which Steven has saved.)</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><p>Tonight I am going back to a former blog post which seems even more significant today. I am still writing these cards, and Steven still wants me to continue. So I do. Why? That is love my friend. </p><p>"Kindness hit me as a principal requirement in my life when I<br />experienced such high levels of kindness at the 2009, and 2015 <br />Florence Biennales. I've been lucky to be treated kindly for most of my<br />life, but people at the Biennale, as one of my friends described<br />it, raised the bar. They did everything they could to help<br />each other, and life long connections happened. We all still care<br />about the people we met there.</p><p>So I wondered -- what are your kindness practices? One of mine<br />is to write a note for my husband every night to leave in our middle<br />bedroom where my husband puts out his clothes for the morning. <br />Because I've been a night teacher for almost a decade, I am in the<br />habit of going to bed much later than my husband, and he gets<br />up much earlier than I do.</p><p>This practice started in January 2022, when both of our cats<br />-- the 14 year old Tortie point Siamese, Fiona, and the three <br />month old Tortie point Siamese kitten, Monet, stopped eating. <br />The kitten had gastroenteritis, and the older cat had a gum<br />infection.</p><p>I started writing the notes to let Steven know whether or not<br />they'd eaten their night snack, and then as they got better, I'd<br />write about what happened in the day, and thank him for all<br />of the nice things he'd done for me. And guess what happened?<br />He didn't want me to stop -- so I haven't. And he has saved every<br />one of these notes that I write on cards that feature my art.</p><p>What are some of the things you do to add more kindness to your life?</p><p><i>Have a loving your life day."</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p></div>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-54418016969412300632024-03-10T18:50:00.000-07:002024-03-10T18:50:46.650-07:00A woman I admire<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqYSxu5bnIsfYwzOkDdGaBqxDW4rfmBo_csQ_ezKXGpR2N46rFd0TJkR7KV2tYItXGpD1cWTX5zVnTvsu2yyoSUlkYlDsjZWUiD_3xua_sIVam7GkllSoTRPeIGzQn4zr1C-HyknlH3F17jHbRohr3GpKhqLZfZGc0JB0WbAXefUbrpJefl8Qs-tGmqPSQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqYSxu5bnIsfYwzOkDdGaBqxDW4rfmBo_csQ_ezKXGpR2N46rFd0TJkR7KV2tYItXGpD1cWTX5zVnTvsu2yyoSUlkYlDsjZWUiD_3xua_sIVam7GkllSoTRPeIGzQn4zr1C-HyknlH3F17jHbRohr3GpKhqLZfZGc0JB0WbAXefUbrpJefl8Qs-tGmqPSQ=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;"><b>At the market</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Acrylic on canvas</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">24 x 36 inches</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Barbara Muir © 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Searching through posts for women I've painted who I admire I came upon this painting that I love of our friend Jan Marriott, who sells vintage fabrics. She no longer sells them</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">at the market, but she sells them online. I always love it when people use my paintings as</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">their profile shot, and Jan does. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">So many of the portraits in my Dance series paintings were only possible because the</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">beautiful vintage dresses came from Jan. So I am eternally grateful to her. And plus</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">she is a sweetheart -- incredibly </span><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">knowledgeable about everything to do with vintage fashion</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">and fabric.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">So thank you to you Jan. Google won't let me put the link in here, but you can</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">follow Jan on Instagram under the name Jan_Marriott.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></span></span></div><i> </i><p></p><br />Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-77789190177074254222024-03-09T18:41:00.000-08:002024-03-09T18:41:43.444-08:00Sheros for International Women's Day weekend<p> It was International Women's Day yesterday, and I thought I'd talk about women who are my heroes. I'm still having trouble with Google, so please forgive the spacing issues in my blog. I thought I'd look back on a blog from a few years ago about women heroes of mine. Some things have changed, but some if what I said then holds true. Tomorrow our clocks spring forward an hour, so it's time to go and watch a movie with my sweet husband, so we can get to bed in time to have an enjoyable day tomorrow.</p><p>Here's some of my former blog: </p><div class="date-outer"><div class="date-posts"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-header" style="font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3982605586336840389" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvWzEHN0PgEX1GYk0BO5s99kiJ3Cz4sGrmjQDQvawZIFmzwMs1VLC2Wof0joneKf2LadV4-aY3ghMuqYoMOZ9x9knjuANiAnecMJdDYJabk-sOeLc9qPjhmJjtEhl-yR9stpeh-M2pCvG/s1600/IMG_4306-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvWzEHN0PgEX1GYk0BO5s99kiJ3Cz4sGrmjQDQvawZIFmzwMs1VLC2Wof0joneKf2LadV4-aY3ghMuqYoMOZ9x9knjuANiAnecMJdDYJabk-sOeLc9qPjhmJjtEhl-yR9stpeh-M2pCvG/s640/IMG_4306-1.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="537" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">No Question about it in life one of my top sheroes is Oprah</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Oprah Winfrey Skype Sketch</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">from the show Where In The Skype Are You</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 24.64px;">willow charcoal on Canson Mi-Teintes paper</span><br /><span style="line-height: 24.64px;">11 1/2 x 13 3/4 inches</span><br /><span style="line-height: 24.64px;">Barbara Muir © 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz1HQyA-94rA6P28RC20HsmpoGmyN5upJdLo43kKQwRyf3UdHXovUlfDLVFfz_9kJlHS8zhf0ZsKRbXaTka54KcZXjbh6HkLgnwe8vDWzTykuosqFOhVfUC5FbCvuOWMLVukCXaCDIgMI/s1600/IMG_0932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz1HQyA-94rA6P28RC20HsmpoGmyN5upJdLo43kKQwRyf3UdHXovUlfDLVFfz_9kJlHS8zhf0ZsKRbXaTka54KcZXjbh6HkLgnwe8vDWzTykuosqFOhVfUC5FbCvuOWMLVukCXaCDIgMI/s640/IMG_0932.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="444" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">And in art one of my sheroes is </span><br /><b style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Mary Cassatt </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">(painted from a black and white photo --</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">photographer unknown --colours imagined!)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Acrylic on birch panel</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">5 x 7 inches</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Barbara Muir © 2015</span></div><br />I have so many women heroes. The two above matter so much to me. <br />I could add so many more. In my life I'd have to include my mother, my</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3982605586336840389" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">sister, my niece, my sister-in-law, my daughters-in-law, and all of my </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3982605586336840389" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">friends.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3982605586336840389" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><br />I have painted many women, and many of them are my sheroes.<br />Who are the great women who matter in your life? <br /><br /><i>Have an acknowledging your sheroes day. </i></div></div></div></div></div><div class="date-outer"><div class="date-posts" style="font-family: times; font-size: 16px;"><div class="post-outer"></div></div></div><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-77879573557082218442024-03-08T19:15:00.000-08:002024-03-09T18:16:56.930-08:00International Women's Day<p><br /></p><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-header" style="font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2344110570852304238" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-89zUtOn-Nplb1_cSB6AGkfBR37SFyB4b1wznatVMmX2djFa_CsYHsjNJdjb0KWZ0i8fFD4No8S-JWs7HlU16tT8I7nCRPJUfOpzfJaI53F1Vr9hqhrdridIYoWaFr_n-aHQGcPnd3rGWvnkGU9rvDXURQSFJoZVMDR2Z9B6CkWaFqwqssmL9siFfg/s320/189018_158838347502578_4068802_n.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="307" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-89zUtOn-Nplb1_cSB6AGkfBR37SFyB4b1wznatVMmX2djFa_CsYHsjNJdjb0KWZ0i8fFD4No8S-JWs7HlU16tT8I7nCRPJUfOpzfJaI53F1Vr9hqhrdridIYoWaFr_n-aHQGcPnd3rGWvnkGU9rvDXURQSFJoZVMDR2Z9B6CkWaFqwqssmL9siFfg/w437-h456/189018_158838347502578_4068802_n.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="437" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">My friend the artist, Nicki Ault</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">took this photo of me with two of</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">the paintings from my Ocean series</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">that I brought to show the other artists at</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">the Ayr exhibition in 2011 -- one of the <br />best artistic celebrations of International<br />Women's Day that I've been part of.</div><p>It is International Women’s Day, and I'm grateful to all of the <br />wonderful women in my life — starting with my mother. and my<br />sister, and extending to all the women in my family, all of my friends,<br />and all of the amazing women I’ve met in my working life in art and<br />in teaching. This year seems especially hard for celebrating with the horrific wars, severe climate change and other world issues. But that makes the beauty artists bring even more vital.</p><p>Today I'm going to repost a piece I wrote in 2020 about super art <br />show in Ayr, Ontario celebrating International Women's Day in 2011,<br />where I met artists who are delightful friends.</p><p>Let’s change the world!<br /></p><p>Here it is -- </p><div class="date-outer" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 16px;"><div class="date-posts"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq3xhv7OFk0wpE6DfFG6cdGoyGP8zT3pGG4th0ZbevvFiB2_6saVQ3gAfLv_qh-tTX5bE8kCl6P38cf2sTgNCQUfZe36ly0deLST-NlNBCkoiIb4xZegYZISWUFRItmYb6PPhX9o7i6uo/s1600/DSC_0633.JPG" style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq3xhv7OFk0wpE6DfFG6cdGoyGP8zT3pGG4th0ZbevvFiB2_6saVQ3gAfLv_qh-tTX5bE8kCl6P38cf2sTgNCQUfZe36ly0deLST-NlNBCkoiIb4xZegYZISWUFRItmYb6PPhX9o7i6uo/s400/DSC_0633.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">"Me with the painting I entered in</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">the 100 Years of International Women's Day show</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">at the Ayr Gallery in 2011. My painting is about</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">happiness -- an underlying theme</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">in all of my work. <span face=""helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Ready for Joy</b></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">24 x 24 inches</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Barbara Muir © 2011</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Today is a big day for women around the world. So many things<br />are changing for us all the time, but most of us will agree<br />that we have a long way to go to go. For me this day will always </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">remind me of a wonderful <span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>100 Years of </b></span><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>International Women's </b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Day</b></span><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"> </span>show in Ayr, Ontario where I met some women artists, and </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">shared space with women artists who were, and who became friends. <br />These women along with women friends and artists around the <br />world have changed my life.<br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZGr5KfntRrxVVzViDytGuhXfbxPTU9OGJh_I181Q4It7ZVNDAJsm_U65n9-aXqxd6PulKuZDuAvh6TRDB88-4TNRS7x_N4PlcLG81V-eLaiRTiSmfRYrGo9lZzuQCldvbTjob5T70nZq/s1600/196369_158837120836034_1108226_n.jpg" style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhnuf8EH5oLHlUQFR-naGOmEO8LLFmhAFKqlT3yYm0PS-avJAxwLZfllzh_SN-YbZn3YiCv-JuXk87xI3nXx_7uTj9ZbYVhaBNWbxXjVrxCu_GjOWGwe7ngwVu2rCcOqX5V-rv716_6tI/s1600/the+gang.jpg" style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhhLanDHWDwRmAyYkGFFuFsNULpAK6XH1PcQUisEuY9SxkaUz5kdjPrWQPsSexIyrl0r4anluTJumnEtZguQrQj4xyp7SVk5BstwSiaFsWSTFjxpaWTEf9grJhH63YwxS_lVNX2rKsruM/s1600/196369_158837120836034_1108226_n.jpg" style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhhLanDHWDwRmAyYkGFFuFsNULpAK6XH1PcQUisEuY9SxkaUz5kdjPrWQPsSexIyrl0r4anluTJumnEtZguQrQj4xyp7SVk5BstwSiaFsWSTFjxpaWTEf9grJhH63YwxS_lVNX2rKsruM/s400/196369_158837120836034_1108226_n.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="271" /></a><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhnuf8EH5oLHlUQFR-naGOmEO8LLFmhAFKqlT3yYm0PS-avJAxwLZfllzh_SN-YbZn3YiCv-JuXk87xI3nXx_7uTj9ZbYVhaBNWbxXjVrxCu_GjOWGwe7ngwVu2rCcOqX5V-rv716_6tI/s320/the+gang.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px;" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px;"><a href="https://www.saatchiart.com/account/profile/1019727" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Georgia Fullerton</a> with her painting <span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">Left to right: </span><a href="http://marciacohenlabelle.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">Marcia Labelle</a><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">, </span><a href="http://www.tammyhext.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">Tammy Hext</a><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">, </span><a href="http://eatdrinkpaint.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">Kim </a><br /><a href="http://eatdrinkpaint.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"> </a>at the Ayr Gallery show<span style="line-height: 24.64px;">(upper image) </span><a href="http://eatdrinkpaint.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"> Rempel</a><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">, </span><a href="http://nickiault.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">Nicki Ault</a><span style="line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;">, and me</span></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px;"><b>Preservation International Women's Day 2011</b></div><div style="line-height: 24.64px;">24 x 24 inches</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px;">Georgia Fullerton © 2011</div><div style="line-height: 24.64px;"><br /></div>So I declare this an <b>International Day of Gratitude</b> for all<br />of the women in my communities here in Toronto, in<br />the blog and Instagram and Facebook world, and in the </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">wide artistic community, and friendship community around</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">the world. You have constantly inspired me, supported me,</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-347469257525734062" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;">and made me feel valued. You make me happy. Thank you.<br /><br /><i>Have a thanking the women in your life day."</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-50788310567863982942024-03-07T19:30:00.000-08:002024-03-07T22:09:53.611-08:00The delight in drawing<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbyyaKo4-X6OU3JUWUlrs2X5asjDvS5ur3-IGggbZUVX_nn0cPrSsbp_EIjd7gA4drvpNRD758IF4kkSz_0Dbep4j7FZmdGYFEG8OiamsAEL0vEnABcKUGJa0x05ifinZWglaBUi9eTpy1BdaKMK0OFz-8nKtLy9TbBDUtVxTKMryti1F7hpTR1kYqctZ/s3509/IMG_0400%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3509" data-original-width="2696" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbyyaKo4-X6OU3JUWUlrs2X5asjDvS5ur3-IGggbZUVX_nn0cPrSsbp_EIjd7gA4drvpNRD758IF4kkSz_0Dbep4j7FZmdGYFEG8OiamsAEL0vEnABcKUGJa0x05ifinZWglaBUi9eTpy1BdaKMK0OFz-8nKtLy9TbBDUtVxTKMryti1F7hpTR1kYqctZ/w492-h640/IMG_0400%202.jpeg" width="492" /></a></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Journal Sketch<br /></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">(from today, Toronto)</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">marker on journal paper</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">6 x 8 inches</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Barbara Muir © 2024</span></p><p>Yesterday I drew this portrait as I listened to an excellent podcast on Alyson Stanfield's <a href="https://artbizsuccess.com/podcasts/">podcast</a> site. There are 180 podcasts on her site, and they are all wonderful for artists like me. I enjoyed the experience of trying to capture the woman's elegant look while I listened.</p><p>Meanwhile yes I am painting, and planning new work. Lots is going on.</p><p><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-68972438784131184732024-03-06T19:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T21:14:57.961-08:00Back to my art group<div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0fZUmYxhqpM57Vi5a4Bbt2F6eo5_Eco26ebP2tAFjYuwEw4U1-Z7M35L-V31mSZpeM1uEtEKqAWiRPjltxlfqQ2u_h7cUq3Uuc7OAlDcLtW7iDM--lLyKzSESw835kRByMsUE680PKTYbeRZ9lg6hdJFm8q8swWLLyaT_ciBRTV2EHygMfuuCKjqidxrU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3360" data-original-width="2583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0fZUmYxhqpM57Vi5a4Bbt2F6eo5_Eco26ebP2tAFjYuwEw4U1-Z7M35L-V31mSZpeM1uEtEKqAWiRPjltxlfqQ2u_h7cUq3Uuc7OAlDcLtW7iDM--lLyKzSESw835kRByMsUE680PKTYbeRZ9lg6hdJFm8q8swWLLyaT_ciBRTV2EHygMfuuCKjqidxrU=w493-h640" width="493" /></a></div></b></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><b>Art Group Sketch -- Joseph</b><br />Acrylic and acrylic ink<br />on canvas</div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">16 x 20 inches</span></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">Barbara Muir © 2024</span></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">A great pleasure this week was getting back to my art group for a fast</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">one hour. My husband drops me off, and I have exactly one</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">hour until he picks me up. That of course means that I don't</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">have a lot of time to work as setting up takes about 10 minutes,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">cleaning up and packing up another 10, and there's a 10 minute</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">break for the model. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">What's good about that is that I just paint and can't think. This</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">week the model Joseph was great. I haven't captured him</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">completely, and would have loved to work on it longer -- but</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 17.600000381469727px;">I like how far I got.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.600000381469727px;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-65705922533525826482024-03-05T14:22:00.000-08:002024-03-05T14:22:33.512-08:00The art of exhaustion<div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCK8faV5dqbi8N1ZrX_Vg7lUnw799D7uKdJJjwOuRHpW4LdV53iHFKa0jnwfIM007MZ17pEbtWTfhkX-y76cb2Ep9OVHOrQf8hU8e5tCYvEjMgNjzaO4YAVjg6XMNLGKsRrBk2-rszyg8crjgYiEOmqha8M60lA5BG9frYktaDFnHwf93foKN5D50Nrqu5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="400" height="561" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCK8faV5dqbi8N1ZrX_Vg7lUnw799D7uKdJJjwOuRHpW4LdV53iHFKa0jnwfIM007MZ17pEbtWTfhkX-y76cb2Ep9OVHOrQf8hU8e5tCYvEjMgNjzaO4YAVjg6XMNLGKsRrBk2-rszyg8crjgYiEOmqha8M60lA5BG9frYktaDFnHwf93foKN5D50Nrqu5=w640-h561" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div></span></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><b>After the nap<br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">Black marker on Moleskine paper<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">8 x 10 inches<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">Barbara Muir © 2015</span></div><p> Is that a real thing? I don't know. I've been painting all day on and off, and when I stop, I've been lying down or reading -- and sinking into the exhaustion that's been with me for the past week. I think it started with bad -- delicious take out -- that I ate after putting it in a cooler without enough ice. Not sure.</p><p>What I've been working on is not ready to show you. Plus blogger is not working on this computer, because Google is messed up. So Please accept a drawing I quite like of my bed after a nap.</p><p>Have a loving your life day.</p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-65916456779352665202024-03-04T19:03:00.000-08:002024-03-04T22:16:59.837-08:00A supposedly do nothing day<p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fuUEyQKtBGA9LliKZu969YGUERUPTyWZtp-nIG1RVzHLAgB_O4vJMCb2w4lNbdqGzHGoHgz-GM9ELTsCfE3xnSbzO47HJIMQ8FLStQrrG2TqTnxEypXOyP_aeYuMEhGqzPVo9mM9SJm5xSXTqn_6uKxq7JDxX5XLzIN1yMK_a6BiDJKQpH2A9NO0Xr9b/s400/IMG_0392.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="400" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fuUEyQKtBGA9LliKZu969YGUERUPTyWZtp-nIG1RVzHLAgB_O4vJMCb2w4lNbdqGzHGoHgz-GM9ELTsCfE3xnSbzO47HJIMQ8FLStQrrG2TqTnxEypXOyP_aeYuMEhGqzPVo9mM9SJm5xSXTqn_6uKxq7JDxX5XLzIN1yMK_a6BiDJKQpH2A9NO0Xr9b/w640-h528/IMG_0392.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Christopher sleeping</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Journal drawing)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Marker on paper</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Barbara Muir ©️ 2012</span></div></h3><p style="text-align: left;">For the past week I’ve been recovering from some kind of queasy stomach. So today I planned to take it easy because although I feel much better I’m still tired. Taking it easy today meant working on a painting I’m revising that’s in process, and starting a new small painting and blocking it in. It’s been a beautiful, sunny day here in Toronto, so I sat on the back porch taking it in with a coffee. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This drawing seems perfect for the subject— taking it easy. I hope you had a wonderful day.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Have a loving your life day.</p><p style="text-align: left;">(Still having computer issues, so please forgive the mixed up spacing on this.)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-82459152044747478532024-03-03T18:57:00.000-08:002024-03-03T18:57:48.835-08:00Owning now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgSscGSJi4OsvuWKUD_kPuKvyKrqbd7CAUW9vLUgsDu89qoLZgSxeZep0c1t5Z8YVcMnnl7c-HG-nkSAixv3guYBjeuPv_pkBxcFZGKCVyUrwdhZDtEv6b6QUtqXQxziZ1qTz81xI3AzLpSJQV3atLvKGi4TE9CcOLXNy3jDWreuzE4JVeYzjPLumXIWf/s1857/IMG_0384.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1857" data-original-width="1757" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgSscGSJi4OsvuWKUD_kPuKvyKrqbd7CAUW9vLUgsDu89qoLZgSxeZep0c1t5Z8YVcMnnl7c-HG-nkSAixv3guYBjeuPv_pkBxcFZGKCVyUrwdhZDtEv6b6QUtqXQxziZ1qTz81xI3AzLpSJQV3atLvKGi4TE9CcOLXNy3jDWreuzE4JVeYzjPLumXIWf/w606-h640/IMG_0384.jpeg" width="606" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">At the boat launch — Port Philip </p><p style="text-align: center;">Acrylic on canvas </p><p style="text-align: center;">30 x 30 inches</p><p style="text-align: center;">Barbara Muir revised (work in progress)</p><p style="text-align: center;">©️2024</p><p style="text-align: center;">(The irony of my cheery blog is that Google </p><p style="text-align: center;">Chrome won’t work now on</p><p style="text-align: center;">my computer and I have to write this caption</p><p style="text-align: center;">on my phone. Not ideal)</p><p>You read a lot about nostalgia -- remember back when...?<br />And then for an artist there is infinite advice on planning.<br />How about owning now? My husband and I sit on our<br />back porch in the white painted wicker chairs watching<br />birds flit in and out of our Christmas tree that a friend attached<br />to one of our trellises against the fence. Steven spills bird<br />seed onto the tree, and the birds love it. It gives that tree<br />a whole new life. Yes by the end of March it will be over,<br />but in the now it is amazing.<br /><br />How about drawing in the now? Looking at something<br />that pulls you in, and making it into an image. Walking<br />into the studio and thinking, 'what if I do this?,' and<br />doing it. <br /><br />That's what's happening to this painting. I put it on<br />my bedroom wall for a few days and ideas for changes<br />leapt out at me. So Now -- I am changing it. </p><p>Have a loving the now day.</p><p>Footnote: I may take a short break from blogging if Google continues to ruin the look of my blog, until I figure out what’s happening. Sorry. I did have a wonderful day, and I’ll figure out how to keep you posted on what I’m changing with this. Thanks for your patience. </p><p><br /></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-49247166298455627832024-03-02T19:41:00.000-08:002024-03-02T19:41:37.667-08:00Fun at the opening of All That Jazz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctBwXxCOo7wxkITRphyphenhyphen6kXufvte-y2_UZ0cG9X2nRIK5xaQYkN2Hfu6S3fJL-zMKOq0Qy7EyeWZZfJ_rcAc9ry0OLYojem5ymXdlaEqfC7BxP7opuKieITWP4FNv0MadCdr9bTn9jBvdcpy1uuIxItp6WR9MupouZiAEkzI16S31Cp51TevenSqOVvyKJ/s1024/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1024" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctBwXxCOo7wxkITRphyphenhyphen6kXufvte-y2_UZ0cG9X2nRIK5xaQYkN2Hfu6S3fJL-zMKOq0Qy7EyeWZZfJ_rcAc9ry0OLYojem5ymXdlaEqfC7BxP7opuKieITWP4FNv0MadCdr9bTn9jBvdcpy1uuIxItp6WR9MupouZiAEkzI16S31Cp51TevenSqOVvyKJ/w640-h518/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_987.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of my family members enjoy the <br />beautiful All That Jazz show.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Left to right Alice, Steven,<br />Christopher, James, Megan and Madeleine</div><div style="text-align: center;">It was lovely to see them.</div><p>It was a super opening for the All That Jazz show today.<br />I had been feeling not great all week, I think from food<br />poisoning from eating on the road. I tested and did not<br />have COVID and I really wanted to go to the opening <br />today. I did feel well and wore a mask, but I admit I<br />am super tired now, and my blog will be a bit short,<br />and not comprehensive.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_74SfdySGkplbYIbXf_Uuo4crbWCwsmby1_6hjaWrm3ferpRcp40-7fFvW9PHKex-F0wq-tqF14PiHZwlPhh7-UG5j1GQtFDl-B9lKQqfxG0dL2kCh7ObHRrmwqXcRk-XNH_MAaaz1A1e5Y2yFQC1KXAWdqs4bWw-ezQaI_bqG4kDxCQoGdkedSMFUA8l/s1024/NfIbiBtNRLG%25ZIVk1Ehq8g_thumb_988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_74SfdySGkplbYIbXf_Uuo4crbWCwsmby1_6hjaWrm3ferpRcp40-7fFvW9PHKex-F0wq-tqF14PiHZwlPhh7-UG5j1GQtFDl-B9lKQqfxG0dL2kCh7ObHRrmwqXcRk-XNH_MAaaz1A1e5Y2yFQC1KXAWdqs4bWw-ezQaI_bqG4kDxCQoGdkedSMFUA8l/w526-h640/NfIbiBtNRLG%25ZIVk1Ehq8g_thumb_988.jpg" width="526" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Catherine Maunsell stands in front <br />of one of her favourite paintings in<br />the show -- it's the upper one,</b><br />I didn't get the name. Catherine</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">has an impressive 22 pieces in the<br />show, and they are all wonderful.</div><p>The show at the Heliconian -- see the invitation<br />from yesterday is beautiful. It is so joyous, and I'm happy<br />to be part of it. My painting <i>Colours of Joy</i> is quite high<br />up in the corner at the front of the space, I hope if you<br />go, you'll look up and see it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7mHeA5j2biuGj7ndnu571-I79uxVu-CtxsEjJW8hLplBboihyHyK64R_LXHq3D-66JnpDWZBkj9Ql08WHUBSkJP-eeMs87uFfEveSFm7dckOv5ECyc0Jyv05r_EKsAhxJZz6bspPIEkbJXKS4dFF_Xdzyt00xyVr4ObzCAODl874WGRSPTEWUjklV-C-2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="759" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7mHeA5j2biuGj7ndnu571-I79uxVu-CtxsEjJW8hLplBboihyHyK64R_LXHq3D-66JnpDWZBkj9Ql08WHUBSkJP-eeMs87uFfEveSFm7dckOv5ECyc0Jyv05r_EKsAhxJZz6bspPIEkbJXKS4dFF_Xdzyt00xyVr4ObzCAODl874WGRSPTEWUjklV-C-2=w469-h640" width="469" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Colours of Joy</b><br />Acrylic on Canvas<br />36 x 48 inches<br />Barbara Muir © 2024</p><p>A treat for me and Steven was that some of my family<br />came out to see the show (see the first photo). My grandson, James, who is one and<br />a half, made friends with a visitor to the show, Susan<br />Harrington, and kept going back to where she was sitting<br />to talk to her. <br /><br />If you're in Toronto, I hope you do get to see the show.<br />It is well worth it.</p><p><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-62592963911401228502024-03-01T19:20:00.000-08:002024-03-01T21:57:56.764-08:00Come out to the All That Jazz opening tomorrow from 2-5 p.m.<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_XbM7hEBijeb47Yvss5tYBbV8JMhT2fqSyZe29c27uNEsFAgXOP-JykUWmRmSBEMeXofhBMz4TUu_pOno3VvVBEgufjEtKSBcAkbWNYh2duwjFFoaJIfGSqKcAz16vau_UfI9QHxlD3lfOa7zQ17VlvMmU1L7_kIF7OOBkR4LSI_4mZzY_j_3y1eB41/s877/6fHJzF3tTAihob6Z0220lw_thumb_986.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_XbM7hEBijeb47Yvss5tYBbV8JMhT2fqSyZe29c27uNEsFAgXOP-JykUWmRmSBEMeXofhBMz4TUu_pOno3VvVBEgufjEtKSBcAkbWNYh2duwjFFoaJIfGSqKcAz16vau_UfI9QHxlD3lfOa7zQ17VlvMmU1L7_kIF7OOBkR4LSI_4mZzY_j_3y1eB41/w436-h640/6fHJzF3tTAihob6Z0220lw_thumb_986.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><p>It’s March 1, and I am determined to enjoy this month as much as<br /> much as possible. Tomorrow is the opening of the Heliconian Art<br />Club’s <a href="https://torontoheliconianclub.wildapricot.org/resources/jazzcatalogue.pdf">All That Jazz </a>abstract exhibition. I have a piece in it that I <br />showed you yesterday. The opening runs from 2-5 at 35 Hazelton <br />Ave., Toronto. I’ll be there from 2- 2:30 p.m. </p><p>I think it’s a beautiful show, and you will love it. </p><p><i>Have a loving your life day. </i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-10487919533506883282024-02-29T15:59:00.000-08:002024-02-29T15:59:30.339-08:00My painting in the Heliconian Club All That Jazz show<p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6Tn6TNttkaQ8H3w0thMknkrPfpA-vf0H6mm9poMovE0xEaDlFbOp1x0qfL1fLjSge5SspIuDppd7GOUWOiITSq5mnIoKntnIDIxQXUP0tSzUT44xdxEJSfHW4XjfVHhD8jTVYqj9dlq0c74BLXK0xfiK0mrbYZs4k_ho4kyU74yjyL7Y8S_z-CEb1lzA/s1036/p1g5n6hXTwmsGSuvFOYwLQ_thumb_984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="759" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6Tn6TNttkaQ8H3w0thMknkrPfpA-vf0H6mm9poMovE0xEaDlFbOp1x0qfL1fLjSge5SspIuDppd7GOUWOiITSq5mnIoKntnIDIxQXUP0tSzUT44xdxEJSfHW4XjfVHhD8jTVYqj9dlq0c74BLXK0xfiK0mrbYZs4k_ho4kyU74yjyL7Y8S_z-CEb1lzA/w468-h640/p1g5n6hXTwmsGSuvFOYwLQ_thumb_984.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Colours of Joy</b><br />Acrylic on canvas<br />36 x 48 inches<br />Barbara Muir © 2024</p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Today I took my latest painting -- Colours of Joy -- to the Heliconian</div>Club, where it will be on exhibit with so many beautiful paintings <br />for the month of March. If you're in town please come out to the<br />opening this Saturday from 2 - 5 at 35 Hazelton Ave. The club<br />is in an old church, but is a Women's Art Club, and has been since<br />1910. <br /><p></p><p>I loved painting this work. The freedom of painting for an abstract<br />show was exhilarating, and I enjoyed painting on a big canvas. <br />They do serve delicious cookies, tea and coffee at the Heliconian<br />openings and it's free. I plan to be there for the first half hour. Love<br />to see you. </p><p><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-31450157933893817582024-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:002024-02-28T13:29:05.440-08:00Missing my father<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKrx-LtRWsBYXAHm5alnDLYiMUDS8bf9ZzdvnpAkZfMgN4JXbrZqHy36TNy0o0pRUOuR8doa1PB-WppbE7KCErS-mbzwOMl5MSQPkKZTwZulR_i3A_pIm6x5ut-Oi2anxUUdC4RYAWh4oBLqf_PsmrHNYgf62_3zSgeeL6En1V_FIC55oICn4voi01CfaO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="418" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKrx-LtRWsBYXAHm5alnDLYiMUDS8bf9ZzdvnpAkZfMgN4JXbrZqHy36TNy0o0pRUOuR8doa1PB-WppbE7KCErS-mbzwOMl5MSQPkKZTwZulR_i3A_pIm6x5ut-Oi2anxUUdC4RYAWh4oBLqf_PsmrHNYgf62_3zSgeeL6En1V_FIC55oICn4voi01CfaO=w419-h640" width="419" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24.64px;">Portrait of my father</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;"> <br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">black marker on bond paper<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">7 x 9 inches<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Barbara Muir © 2010</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">Every year this is a hard day. My father is always in my thoughts. His birthday <br />was today, and he has been gone too long.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">My posts from the last couple of years on this day say it all:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6478206988911740530" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 718px;"><p>"Happy Birthday to my father, who died way too young. I found an<br />old journal of mine talking about his love of photography, and how<br />he bought himself the best equipment. I passed some of his gear<br />on to my older son, and to a neighbour who was studying photography<br />at Metro Toronto University. My father's photography is amazing and<br />does stand the test of time.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0Ns6tzLvi83WLEBK07AdMxaXyntLtMdoVv9wV3PGIgcya4oIHb09R2P-ftI-lUmZJqSXsV2kXNp-PgeynRF6FiDzprXjpO4zbiqCSx5eMi5Shcvw9hFFmzUl5n8LBIrRvLhiaI_cnCwqJOKLwQGe42zDVRWk1bUkcbeqKmUQDaLZeHoYWqtQOLBOgRTLy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="478" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0Ns6tzLvi83WLEBK07AdMxaXyntLtMdoVv9wV3PGIgcya4oIHb09R2P-ftI-lUmZJqSXsV2kXNp-PgeynRF6FiDzprXjpO4zbiqCSx5eMi5Shcvw9hFFmzUl5n8LBIrRvLhiaI_cnCwqJOKLwQGe42zDVRWk1bUkcbeqKmUQDaLZeHoYWqtQOLBOgRTLy=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Girl pretending to smoke</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> a chocolate cigarette</b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;">8 x 10 inches</div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo</div><div style="text-align: center;">W. W. Muir</div><div style="text-align: center;">(One of my all time favourite</div><div style="text-align: center;">photos by my father.</div><div style="text-align: center;">He worked almost</div><div style="text-align: center;">exclusively in</div><div style="text-align: center;">black and white.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chocolate cigarettes are not</div><div style="text-align: center;">cigarettes -- just candy. And yes<br />you can still buy them. They<br />call them candy sticks and they are</div><div style="text-align: center;">wrapped in white paper, and look<br />like cigarettes.)</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span><p>And his art was also wonderful. I only have one piece, which is in our<br />front bedroom, and every time I look at it, I marvel at his talent, with<br />no instruction whatsoever. He read books about art, and that was that <br />was how he learned. I wish he was here. He was a complicated<br />man, a harsh disciplinarian in our younger years, and a staunch <br />supporter of me and my art, and writing when I was starting out.</p><p><i>Have a loving your family day."</i> </p></span></div></div></div></span></div><p></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-49965673084992996302024-02-27T14:50:00.000-08:002024-02-27T14:50:17.529-08:00Journal sketching makes me happy <p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPjqbhLsE9pQ3LyZDiFRMFWh7OeB_HTGpE0brWgIPvk4HG1iyXGSmZ7inPuqoDYiUIBt1yEMcUaWEwUV9rCcqhH9e7-GjLHb_zlY67InaFMj9KWymc7HjFe3IXQaY0C8fTve13iUSgI7-EiK_cfOR66AhlUDlzQFNrKTrDbd72aF_dNgYCHZFclBkeug_/s1049/%25b1UbI8iQf+JDa3OKxjP7Q_thumb_983.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="749" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPjqbhLsE9pQ3LyZDiFRMFWh7OeB_HTGpE0brWgIPvk4HG1iyXGSmZ7inPuqoDYiUIBt1yEMcUaWEwUV9rCcqhH9e7-GjLHb_zlY67InaFMj9KWymc7HjFe3IXQaY0C8fTve13iUSgI7-EiK_cfOR66AhlUDlzQFNrKTrDbd72aF_dNgYCHZFclBkeug_/w456-h640/%25b1UbI8iQf+JDa3OKxjP7Q_thumb_983.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Journal Sketch<br /></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">(from today, Toronto)</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">marker on journal paper</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">6 x 8 inches</span><br style="font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px;">Barbara Muir © 2024Th</span></p><p>Getting back from our short vacation in Ottawa, I have lots of<br />reference photos, and am filled with ideas. I’m working on finishing<br />a painting for the <a href="https://torontoheliconianclub.wildapricot.org/event-5581587">All That Jazz</a> exhibition at the Heliconian Club, <br />which opens this Saturday, March 2. And to get started on my art I <br />do a journal sketch in the morning.</p><p>Here’s today’s. What I love is watching the person emerge. Happy Tuesday.</p><p><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-32775118812960305242024-02-26T21:52:00.000-08:002024-02-26T21:52:59.894-08:00A sweet winter road trip<p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtd5DVuqfXyWr6rIRyCPri3MQIioc1Adpgr16Pf1fwasaDS9YoJL26Um8URx7w9j4-2_7Qv3pNKfVs8G-Pgab2gwvBaat4h8RBrUfE8jKacUa-x12I-sPczf__exMb7kWhSoRJWl-dNzNIQ4BEFtOMKvpoT2A_OFo07OY5y1K6WOVS2cZhrYnrnG9P4Kue" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="640" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtd5DVuqfXyWr6rIRyCPri3MQIioc1Adpgr16Pf1fwasaDS9YoJL26Um8URx7w9j4-2_7Qv3pNKfVs8G-Pgab2gwvBaat4h8RBrUfE8jKacUa-x12I-sPczf__exMb7kWhSoRJWl-dNzNIQ4BEFtOMKvpoT2A_OFo07OY5y1K6WOVS2cZhrYnrnG9P4Kue=w640-h324" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px; text-align: center;"><b>Winter Road Trip</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">24 x 48 inches</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">Barbara Muir © 2019</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">(available)</div></div><p>Profound thanks to our friends Marcia Labelle and David Cohen,<br />for taking care of our house and animals, and to <span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">Shiobhán Mulcahy,<br />Raylea Lambert, and Leslie Fink for helping with our dog, Sally,<br />so we could get away. It does indeed take a village.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">All is well, and we are back home after a truly wonderful<br />weekend, seeing friends in Chelsea, and hanging out in<br />the hotel enjoying the respite from subzero weather and<br />all of the normal tasks of our home life. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">One small flaw. I was putting a bag in the back seat of <br />Steven's car in front of our hotel, misjudged the entry to the <br />back door of the Ford--and whacked my cheek bone hard <br />against the metal door frame. Not a great way to end my visit. <br />Steven immediately got me ice, and I held it on as long as <br />possible. But I have a quite dramatic shiner. Not a good look.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Aside from my appearance I am happy as can be that we got<br />away, and had so much fun -- and I am being very careful<br />of leading with my face. The scene I'm showing you today<br />from a painting in 2019, is one we saw mostly in the Ottawa <br />area where they had snow last night. <br /><br />In Toronto there is no snow.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></span></span></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-69251997509388439082024-02-25T19:07:00.000-08:002024-02-25T19:07:40.747-08:00For the love of snow in the Month of Love<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFILli6sHJ0AZwx6WNGYQQW6KJhajqc7NwqP4DtLdZtRu3IPKR6W4nGlNWWcBmPoef2HFVB-kYZCG1NT7Tm0XMEFjdLJ6xGEQWGJty10Oa0jvqYD-e0WbKT4ILOxwXkkYGeZaW2HSuPlAzdpC_5PPLc62mAXTfPRNawVXK3VaGVKVJ3fJP1Zvqjl7ImSLx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="479" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFILli6sHJ0AZwx6WNGYQQW6KJhajqc7NwqP4DtLdZtRu3IPKR6W4nGlNWWcBmPoef2HFVB-kYZCG1NT7Tm0XMEFjdLJ6xGEQWGJty10Oa0jvqYD-e0WbKT4ILOxwXkkYGeZaW2HSuPlAzdpC_5PPLc62mAXTfPRNawVXK3VaGVKVJ3fJP1Zvqjl7ImSLx=w480-h640" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: white;">Snowy day in Toronto</b><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">iPad drawing</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">8 x 10 inches</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Barbara Muir © 2019</span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">A few years ago I talked about how our winter had been devoid of<br />snow. This year in Toronto we had what was called a "snow<br />storm" in January -- on January 7, and have not had any snow since.<br />This is not good. Driving to Ottawa there was almost no snow in <br />the fields, or anywhere until we were just outside of Ottawa. This is<br />serious. Normally in February the whole province is deep in<br />snow. Maybe we'll get big snow storms in March -- that would<br />not be unusual. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">But people who </span><span style="background-color: white;">acknowledge the seriousness of climate change<br />(and there are frightening numbers </span><span style="background-color: white;">of people who don't, or won't), <br />know that the current lack of snow is not right. We need </span><span style="background-color: white;">snow for t<br />he spring crops. Yes we </span><i style="background-color: white;"><b>need</b></i><span style="background-color: white;"> it.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">I grew up in Ottawa, where deep snow is the norm in winter. <br />There is snow here thank goodness -- but not enough. And when<br />I think about the thousands of acres we drove by to get here<br />with no snow, I worry. I love this drawing done with my finger<br />on my iPad, because it captures the feeling of snow coming down.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><i>Have a loving your life day. </i></span></span></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-22022474793370923302024-02-24T19:00:00.000-08:002024-02-24T20:55:05.455-08:00A Lucky Monthaversary<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhLJ6ScCM8UWpaG6_6JntGvGHaaInCevcWOGd5Utg6TjomULkZnjyzn42Nu8V6uxFMi0JpBscVGO6dH9oBz7SRc9PO9jSNLRAVrIYFdrabQEAJovh9na4dlkSCogTd9MsywkZ4Vm6_R87ONK3kiprv9cAwf0JVsI53AGJL_9ez1IXPfP0Up3Rrv4oDQ17y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="827" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhLJ6ScCM8UWpaG6_6JntGvGHaaInCevcWOGd5Utg6TjomULkZnjyzn42Nu8V6uxFMi0JpBscVGO6dH9oBz7SRc9PO9jSNLRAVrIYFdrabQEAJovh9na4dlkSCogTd9MsywkZ4Vm6_R87ONK3kiprv9cAwf0JVsI53AGJL_9ez1IXPfP0Up3Rrv4oDQ17y=w517-h640" width="517" /></a><br /><b>View through my sister-in-law<br /> and brother's back door </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(I didn't notice the screen when<br />I was taking the photo! Lol.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo<br />Barbara Muir © 2024</div><p></p><p>For this Monthaversary of our wedding day, in the Month of Love,<br />we took the chill off the minus 12 degree Celsius weather by visiting<br />my brother and his wife in Chelsea, Quebec. That was fun.<br /><br />We are staying in Ottawa, enjoying the views out the car window.<br />It is not walking weather unless you are a lot more hardy than we<br />are. The get away is a gift indeed after a month and a half of<br />family health problems. <br /><br />It's Saturday night and as we happily eat our delicious take out<br />Thai dinner in our room we hear the rythm of drums coming<br />from a nearby pub. Very celebratory. <br /><br /><i>Have a loving your life day.</i></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7855482737695202500.post-48368874946594615822024-02-23T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-24T09:40:29.458-08:00The Love continues<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipGXnKkZKWcbRhyUkgPimRREuNrBKpdPB4TQmHnp0sPITMKY_ZzR3k1JiYnwhRPe2Y0ksJQUZw88Ebvl6TwnQg9aIh0ZIJm2Psh8O9pr-7jI_f_LHaHx1uQ0aXRtuKN_3p6Rl38iaUTwcWjE1bESDZMlXpqQhiRH3Kuk5TCGo6zZuVe1ewfTb0ra8_V5xy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="496" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipGXnKkZKWcbRhyUkgPimRREuNrBKpdPB4TQmHnp0sPITMKY_ZzR3k1JiYnwhRPe2Y0ksJQUZw88Ebvl6TwnQg9aIh0ZIJm2Psh8O9pr-7jI_f_LHaHx1uQ0aXRtuKN_3p6Rl38iaUTwcWjE1bESDZMlXpqQhiRH3Kuk5TCGo6zZuVe1ewfTb0ra8_V5xy=w496-h640" width="496" /></span></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Catherine Scott</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Acrylic on canvas</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">24 x 36 inches</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Barbara Muir © 2009</span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">I am in Ottawa visiting family this weekend. When I am here I feel<br />the presence of my mother and father, both no longer with us.<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">I found this post from a 2022, and it seems perfect for </span><span style="font-family: times;">tonight:</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">"I could not talk about The Month of Love as an artist, without talking<br />about the paintings we artists create because they matter so much to either<br />the subject or the family.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">I decided to quote myself today because I like my message from an <br />earlier post in 2018.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">"Love -- the lasting kind -- is a deep feeling, compelling,<br />nourishing, and rewarding. Some of my favourite portrait<br />commissions were created to add significance to the sitter's<br />life, and to capture who they really were.<br /><br />In the case of my portrait of Catherine Scott -- one of<br />my favourites -- her friends wanted to fulfill her dream<br />of having a meaningful image of herself to live on and<br />represent her after her death. She was dying of cancer.<br />I was honoured to be picked to paint her.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIZfUwkHiC7xhjtHqKXbfQA7e8CIGBhyPHPsEiZBXQwj9tz2euWtKWuLLvbhe9_fEvihECxV7tqtpuGNcvnYNrXBmzQeXfH8taccT8-s0WzRj35s0k7VtBC0XrEF95EudhowGFxCRk0fijyYAGrlE9RcX6QQa2jVoMuYnro2FhA8ILRID7uT1UYYgb_9re" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="392" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIZfUwkHiC7xhjtHqKXbfQA7e8CIGBhyPHPsEiZBXQwj9tz2euWtKWuLLvbhe9_fEvihECxV7tqtpuGNcvnYNrXBmzQeXfH8taccT8-s0WzRj35s0k7VtBC0XrEF95EudhowGFxCRk0fijyYAGrlE9RcX6QQa2jVoMuYnro2FhA8ILRID7uT1UYYgb_9re=w627-h640" width="627" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Detail from the portrait of<br />Catherine Scott showing her favourite earrings</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">She sat for me, and was so vital, funny, present --<br />that I really thought there was no way she would die.<br />Her portrait was the special gift her friends gave her<br />on what turned out to be her last birthday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Every item she wore, every piece of jewelry, every<br />detail in the painting was to her specifications. And<br />I was more than happy to make her happy. She<br />was delightful to work with, and sat posing for me for<br />many sessions so that I could get it right. I know<br />that tired her out, but she was a brave woman.<br /><br />I was at the birthday party when her friends<br />unveiled the portrait, and that moment will<br />stay in my mind forever."</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">That was my blog. I was moved by reading this<br />and remembered again what a special time this<br />was. A student the other day asked me if it wasn't<br />easier to paint someone from a photo. I explained<br />that when you paint from someone posing for you,<br />their energy comes into the painting quite easily.<br />It happens with photos too, but it's different --<br />like having a conversation on Zoom, and<br />talking to someone in the same room.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">Have a loving your memories day"</span></i></p></div><p><br /></p>Barbara Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342757136485853833noreply@blogger.com0