The kindest thoughts

 Happy on holiday

Charcoal on bond paper

12 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

(Another sketch for a 

Skype series painting.

I am enjoying the images

of this couple up against

the computer screen.)

I do get wrapped up in my own world sometimes,
trying to keep track of my family and friends.
What with art and school, I don't always get time
to explore the blog world, or even to read the posts
that turn up on my blog list.

I just took a look at Marilyn Flanegan's blog
Flanegans' Muse.  She is an incredibly sensitive
artist, portraying animals in a way that elevates
them to high art.  She also does abstract pieces.
Scrolling down I see that she wrote about me on
October 23 and said how much she liked my blog.
That was last fall, and I had no idea she'd done that.
Please Marilyn if you ever write about me again, please
let me know so I can thank you.

Her blog makes me think about the dignity and grace
animals always portray.  They share our joys and
sorrows wordlessly.  I always feel when Steven is
away that the animals are my team.  When he is home
we share their love, and they put on little acts and
games for us.

Thank you Marilyn for both your kind post, and
to everyone else who shares their kind thoughts
with me, and who spreads joy by creating encouraging
comments to send to their circles of artist friends.

Have a-discovering-the-kind-things-people-have-said day.

Just be yourself

Ready for joy

Charcoal on bond paper

12 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

There's a lot of pressure on all of us to live up to
some ideal.  I think about this quite a bit. The reality
of my own life is that I am mother and wife,
a friend, an artist, and a teacher. Every role is
demanding, and every one matters.  I am far from
alone in this.  Most people I know in this city juggle
multiple roles, both at home and in their working lives.

It's the end of the semester, and looking back it
feels like a success.  Now I can devote myself
exclusively to my art and my family for awhile.
Compared to the job of balancing art and school,
balancing art and Christmas is a snap.  Tomorrow
after my client leaves, we'll go and get the Christmas
tree, set it up in the studio, and dedicate part of the
studio to the holiday.  We'll decorate the mantle,
and drape pine and cedar boughs around the doorways
and windows.  The place will begin to smell divine.

I am tired, partially because it's very late as I write this,
and because I've been working very long days lately.
But I am also energized by the thought of a bunch of
new art projects on the horizon.  Tonight I'm
showing you a sketch, that may become part of one of
my paintings for the new year.  The model is doing the
whoop exercise from Mike Dooley, expecting all good.
And that's what I wish for you.  Put your arms in the
air and imagine it happening.  Then get ready -- all good
is coming your way.

Have a getting-ready-for-pure-joy day.