Showing posts with label farmhouse. acrylic on canvas. winter scene. Barbara Muir. Toronto. Canada.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farmhouse. acrylic on canvas. winter scene. Barbara Muir. Toronto. Canada.. Show all posts

Monday, August 23, 2010

Slowing down to see


Valentine's Day Blue
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010
(I think this is the final version of
this painting. I changed the doors and
added more pink to the sky. Done.
I think. I just took the photo
again outside. It's still not
completely accurate, but much better!)

When I'm having trouble concentrating when I'm
painting, I like to listen to audio books. We do
the same thing on long drives (like the 14 hour drive
between Pugwash, Nova Scotia and Quebec City).
So today I went to the library to get some audio books
to listen to while I work on my current projects. I
shocked my friend Flora when I told her that 'no I
don't have an iPod. I think I did, but I was never
any good at earphones, especially earbuds.'

I parked about two blocks away, and was just about
to open the heavy library doors when I realized I'd
left my library card in the car. I got it out so I'd be
ready, then didn't put it in my pockets. Yeesh. So I
turned around and suddenly a visual feast popped
out at me on my walk back to the car. A lush spray
of pink roses, a mailbox painted to look like a house,
decorating a house that was exactly like the mailbox,
a woman walking by with a gorgeous sleeping baby
girl, facing forward in a snuggly, her plump legs and
arms hanging slack. A flock of small birds swooped
and flew up again in an impressive flutter of
synchronized flight. And I felt grateful for being
distracted and leaving my card behind.

Slow down the world said, and take a look you artist
you. You know. Open your eyes. So I did. Tonight
I've been working again on finishing the farmhouse.
The door was not quite right. I think that's it for this
winter baby.

Have a slowing-down-and-loving-what-you-see day.

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please 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: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!