Hey Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Pumpkin

Today is my birthday, my second birthday on the blog.
What a super year this has been, and I can only hope
the coming year will be even better (hard to imagine!).
My day started off with breakfast in bed, French toast
with fruit artfully designed on it, a small white pitcher
of Canadian Maple syrup, a little Japanese anemone
(there are still a few left in a tiny glass) and coffee served
by my sweet husband, Steven. Yum.

Our pumpkins lined up for me for a group
shot. They were adorable.

My family started calling, my mother, sister, brother and
brother to sing Happy Birthday to me. Friends called
from across the country, email cards started coming in.
My son at university emailed me Happy Birthday and I
phoned him to hear him sing. My husband went out and
came home with armloads of my favorite peach pink
gorgeous roses. My sister turned up looking like a fashion
model carrying a pile of wonderful presents.

Stop I need to catch my breath. Then we carved the pumpkins.
Children came to the door as they always do, and we
handed out candy as if our lives depended on it. I love
seeing the kids, little kids dressed as bunnies and lions, and
princesses and older kids as Goths, Vampires, characters from
movies. Then the 12 and 13-year-olds who don't dress up
at all and just stand at the door not knowing what to say.
Adorable.

Halloween candy waits for Trick or Treaters
This year's costumes were fantastic

My son and his fiancée Megan came over for dinner and
helped hand out the candy. My mother-in-law called from
Ottawa. My family in California called to sing to me. More
presents arrived until I started to feel like the Queen of Canada
or something. Then friends dropped by and we had champagne
-- Veuve Cliquot -- what seemed like gallons of it, or should I say
flagons, delicious chocolate cake and coffee. I am still flying high
on my broomstick. Amazing. Before I settle down to watch a
movie, my art tonight is just the pumpkins. I did draw them
and carve one, and Steven cut out my designs on the others.
I do not like any of the scary parts of Halloween, but I love the
chocolate, presents, and children. And friends. And champagne.

Have a loving-each-new-year day.

Watch me on HGTV on Tuesday, November 10!

Portrait of a designer
charcoal on watercolour paper
12 x 14 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Hi everyone,

In case I forget to tell you in the rush of school starting again
and all the painting work I have to do in the next few
weeks, I will be the featured artist on HGTV's Pure
Design on Tuesday, November the 10th at 9 p.m.
The show's host Samantha Pynn will come to my studio
to talk about a painting I did for a room featured
on the segment. I'll tell you more about the whole
delightful experience, after it airs. I have no idea
how long the piece about me will be, (probably
a minute or two at most) because it fits into the
entire show, which is about decorating a room
in a young couple's house.

And of course I can't post the painting, until after
the show has aired. Let me just say that I'm really
pleased with the result, and it was a lot of fun. So
program this into your iCal please.

Today's charcoal sketch is of my neighbour
Davide Tonizzo, who lives across the street.
It isn't a completely faithful sketch of Davide,
who I think has more character than this portrays,
but I still like the drawing. You can watch Davide's
new videos about his fabulous designs for
everything from trucks, to furniture, even
tableware by clicking the link on his name.
We joke a lot about the Cherryhooders, because
there are quite a few creative people on our street.

Have a very Happy Halloween!

Down the lane

Autumn in the alleyway
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

The little painting I'm working on tonight is a scene
of the lane way my dog and I turn into, just before we
cross the main road and walk to the park
entrance. I've turned down this alleyway hundreds
of times, and I always love the look of the colours.
The sheds and garages, especially the older ones,
without the zippy automatic remote doors, are painted
in bright contrasting colours, and at the end of the lane
a huge spectacular maple dominates the view in all
seasons. I turn the corner and the view hits me.
I'm trying to use a bigger brush and stay loose like
my friend Liza Hirst suggested.

Have a loving-where-you-live day.

Quick Update more to follow

Dear blog friends,

Thanks to Cold FX I am all better today! There is so much
talk of sickness in this city, that you could get sick
just from hearing it. I am fine. I'll post again
later tonight after I get some artwork done. In the meantime
here's where I'll be -- maybe one day I'll paint this.

Trees in my local park

Have a guess-what-I'm-fine day.

The happiness conundrum

Field poppies. My all time favorite flower in a jumble of weeds.
(I am fighting off a cold/flu -- not H1N1 today and
only got out of bed to get Cold FX and write
the blog -- more painting tomorrow when I'll feel
much better no doubt. My apologies.)

I teach a course that tries to help students figure out
who they are, and what they want out of life. Naturally
our primary goal is helping students to improve
their marks -- the program succeeds on that front.
But we also want them to learn how to be happy.
This is not a mindless, smiley face, emoticon
happiness, but the rich vein of choices that inspires
a life with joy at its core.

There's a lot of discussion about the folly of pursuing
happiness now, but I continue to be on the side
of up. Positive thinking. Trying to stay sane and
to enjoy life. Some people suggest that this point
of view imposes cheer on the cheerless -- walks into
a room of deservedly sad people and asks for
smiles. Maybe I am doing that at school, but I
don't think so.

My thinking is that finding out what makes you happy,
and doing it with all of your brain power, talent and
energy leads to a deep sense of satisfaction, and I
want every kid I teach to have that option. Sometimes
that may mean giving up the sadness that lurks in
the cracks in the sidewalk, that comes to us from
frightening events all over the world, that is just
one side of the facts of our existence here. We can't
all be happy, we can't always be happy, but we
can try to figure out what makes us enjoy life, and
spread that enthusiasm. It's like a hymn I used to have to sing at
Sunday school. Forgive me because I am no longer
following a religion, but the hymn was about light,
something I've always enjoyed, and the message
was something to do with the positive effect we can
have -- as painters I think this is especially true --
"you in your small corner, and I in mine."

As a side note, Beyond The Fringe, a British
Comedy Group my parents loved, did a very
funny bit about a minister and a banal sermon
that rambled on and... If you want to hear the
routine, hit the link. (Spoiler alert. This bit
is sound only with still photos -- there was
a time before video -- shocking as that may be!)

Have a finding-your-own-route-to-happiness day

Working on a change in direction

At the dance in the moonlight
acrylic on canvas
36 inches x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Here's a photo of one of the paintings I'm working
on right now. It's very close to finished. And that
has been a process involving almost miraculous
faith and love, and constancy on my part and
the client's. The man in the couple has changed
massively since you last saw him. The face
was lovely, but it was the wrong face. This
face has been approved, and I am just refining
the face, adding in some detail, and moonlight
on the water.

The photo does not do the work justice because
I need to photograph it outside. I'll do that
tomorrow, and hope to finish it up. When I
do I'll show you the final image. This is a very
large painting, done exclusively from very small
snapshot references. I am feeling very happy
with the result at this point. When I finish
the water in the background you will be amazed.

Have a loving-the-work-you're-doing day.

MIssing my boys

Sketch, Sam and me
marker on bond
Barbara Muir

I worked on a little drawing tonight, but I am powerfully
distracted because I'm putting documents together
for an international show I'm taking part in and I didn't
finish it. It's my first time shipping large works, and filling
in customs forms, and so on for my work. The task seems
endless and in fact I've been working on it on and off for
more than a month! So...tomorrow a big chunk of it will
be completed and I'll feel like I can breathe. It's all
learning, and it will be really exciting when it comes
together.

My son went back to school today, and I was working
hard when he left. I know I'll see him soon, but I
miss him, and our cat Timbah is sitting in a box
looking a bit bereft. Where is Sam?

Timbah in the box
waiting for Sam to play a game.
Sam's gone back to university
out of town.

Tonight's drawing is a little partly done sketch I found
of Sam and me in front of our schoolhouse.
Tradition has it that we take photographs in front
of the door before we leave each summer. Those
photos over the years show a progression of the
boys growing up. I always cry when one of the boys
leaves to go away. I know I'm fine, but there's a catch
in my throat when we say goodbye. Today I had to
get right back to work.

Have a-loving-your-family-big-time day.