A Royal Visit

 

 Sam in front of one of the Maharaja posters

that decorate Walker Hall at the AGO

Today we took Sam to see the Maharaja exhibition
at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).  It's a fantastic
show that's come from the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London, England, and no expense has been spared
in mounting it.

On Sunday we had Christmas dinner
with my husband's side of the family (a big one -- he
comes from a family of seven children) in Stratford,
Ontario.  The town has seen some deep snowfalls, and
it is always picturesque, but looked like a Christmas
card as we drove through. During the evening I had a long
talk with my mother-in-law.  A few years ago she showed
us a picture of her great grandmother who was a Maharani
in Indonesia. She was the second wife of a Maharaja, but in
the audio information I listened to today at the AGO,
I discovered that that would not have meant she
had no power.  Her daughter married my mother-in-law's
grandfather.  So he married an Indonesian princess.
And my husband, and children are descendants of the
the Maharaja and Maharani.  In other words descendants
of a king and queen.  This is rarely discussed in the
family.  I only heard about it a few years back, and
Steven and I have been together quite awhile.

I think the reason is that the princess married a Dutch
man, and converted to Catholicism, so the whole
emphasis was on being Dutch.  Not sure.  But looking
at the beautiful detailed artwork and treasures of the
Indian Maharajas today, I felt sorry for the loss of that
culture in our family.

Have a getting-in-touch-with-your-past day.

A blessed feeling

 

Thank you for a superb year to everyone.  To my family,
friends and neighbours who are sweet to me and support
my art -- thank you so much.  To the wonderful friends
I've met at events in Florence and New York City, thank
you for all that you've taught me. To the blog world friends
who have changed my life, and encourage me on a daily
basis, thank you for everything; I wish everyone wonderful
creative times in the New Year. To my gallery in New York,
and to the galleries I'm taking part in, in Ontario, thank you.
To my fellow teachers and the staff at school where I teach
part time, thank you for giving me fascinating work, and for
your kindness and humour that make an always
worthwhile, sometimes difficult job even more meaningful.

It's been a great year -- joyous in the main, with lots of adventure.
Looking back on the artist I was a year ago, I think I've learned
a lot.  I don't mean about technique, or style, but a lot about
the lives of others, about parts of the world.  And this learning
has been a rewarding discovery.  To my friend, and fellow artist
Gill Cameron, who is currently in Tanzania volunteering her
time teaching school at the elementary level, the merriest
of Christmases, and a very Happy New Year.

Thank you all for helping me to be happy.  You mean the
world to me.

Have a-getting-ready-for-a-great-year day.

Small things matter

 Untitled at the moment

(Work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

What do I mean by the title?  I mean that artists are
affected by small things in the way of what happens
in a day.  When the details are positive, we feel better,
and we're frequently tipped into dysfunction by
what might be insignificant irritants to other people.
So Christmas and its attendant delights and stresses
is a huge distraction for artists, and I could not wait
to get the dining room table covered up with my work
table plastic, and get back to the business of art.

I loved Christmas, and will thoroughly enjoy New Year's
Eve and day, but there is work to do.  So what were the
small things that turned today into a productive day?
I got time to drink my two coffees and read some of the
wonderful book Christopher and Megan gave me for
Christmas.  There were nectarines at the store.  I went for
a short walk with Steven and the dog, and saw a spectacular
sunset.  I had a nap, and dreamt about this painting.  In
my dream it was nothing like this, but I knew I wanted
to do a close-up face.  Alyson Stanfield said to clean up,
so I went through my reference shots, and even some
drawings I didn't like and turfed them into the Recycle bin
with a giant sigh of relief.  I knew I was looking for a
reference for this painting, found it and began.  Et voila as
they say.  It is a long way from done, and I see a million
things that need changing, but thanks to Steven, Zoey the dog,
the beautiful and delicious nectarines, and the sunset, it's
all good.

My message is simple, take care of yourself and the rest will
follow.  I see that the forehead has to change and get higher,
the teeth are too white and not right exactly, and much more,
but I feel ecstatic at this beginning.  In fact I have big news
for you coming up.  I apologize for not keeping my word and
posting through Christmas.  It just turned out to be impossible,
so I let myself off the hook.  I hope you had a very Merry
Christmas, and I wish you all a happy holiday.

Have a taking-care-of-the-small-things-first day.

A boss dinner

 

 Dressy pear on red

Acrylic and marker on watercolour paper

glazed with acrylic gloss medium

5 x 5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2008

Tonight we had dinner with our friends Patti-Anne and

Frank.  Frank used to be my boss and got me started
teaching one of the super courses I teach.  This fall
he had open heart surgery, and this is the first time
we've seen him.  He looks great, and he and Patti-Anne
made a delicious supper (boss as in excellent).
The courses kept coming and coming, and I could
not stop eating.  Yikes.  Luckily I may walk it
off shopping tomorrow. Frank and Patti-Anne
are great appreciators of art, and own among many
other pieces, several of my paintings.

This little one of the pear is one I am fond of.  I love
the colours, and the jolly, jaunty air the painting has.
I'll show you how it was supposed to look, and how
Patti-Anne and Frank display it, which looks great too.
We had a heck of a time taking a shot of it, because
it's framed in and under glass.  Also the painting is
done on 300 pound watercolour paper, and glazed
with gloss acrylic, so it was impossible to eliminate
the shine.  But you get the idea.  This dressy little
pear is ready for Christmas, and no doubt Patti-Anne
will entertain lots of people at her gorgeous dining
room table, and the festive little pear will enjoy
herself. 

Dressy pear at Patti-Anne and Frank's place

A different viewpoint

Have a getting-ready-for-the-festivities day.

The tree comes into the studio

 What a beautiful tree!

My studio is in our former living room/dining room.
At certain times of year (like right now) the room has
to revert (for the most part) to its other use.  And the
only possible room in the house to put up a Christmas
tree -- especially a huge, magnificent Fraser fir like this
year's tree, is our living room.

For the past week whenever I've had a minute I've been
moving the big paintings around, Steven's been putting new
hooks up in the rest of the house so we could clear
a space, and protect the paintings that have been living in
that corner of the studio.

Success.  The tree is in, the lights are on, and tomorrow
perhaps my family will add the decorations that make
a beautiful tree like this one, even more spectacular.

If you are wondering how the Christmas shopping is
going, it has not really begun.  School finished for me
last night, and I am still working on commissions.  So..
watch out stores, in the hours allotted to me on Thursday
and Friday I will be shopping.

I may not be able to show you any work for the next few days
but I'll keep in touch.

Zoey in the garden in her new winter coat

She wants you to know it is mighty cold out,

and her feet are going numb.

Happy Holidays to everyone.  It is a lovely time of year.
And to James Langston in Florida.  Yes you have warm,
lovely weather, but you can't corner the market on warm
hearts. Canadians are a mighty friendly bunch too.
Today on the news one of our politicians said that Santa
Claus is Canadian. So there you go -- eh.  

Have an enjoying wherever you live day,

Missed the eclipse? Don't worry

 

 At the party

Black marker on bond paper

9 x 6 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

We spent the wee hours of yesterday morning watching
the total eclipse of the moon.  This exciting event slipped
by quietly while most of the world slept -- but not my
science oriented husband and son.  The house was on
eclipse watch.  I saw the start of the eclipse, then went
to bed waiting for the big full eclipse.  However, no rest for
Steven. He was out in the 7 below zero Celsius weather
photographing this phenomenon.  There will not be another
full eclipse of the moon on the winter solstice until
2094.    I'd like to be here to see it, but I can't be certain
I will be.

Here's what we saw:  Drum roll -- the moon and sun perform,
brought to you by the universe with help from Steven.
.

Starting the eclipse

It progresses

And progresses

And progresses

And woo!

This is what you stayed up for!!!!

Whee.  Too bad all the sleepers weren't

up and celebrating with crazy parties.

But no.  You see this in the freezing cold, you

marvel, and then if you have any sense, you

head off to bed and dream sweet dreams of total

eclipses of the moon.  Awesome.  

Merry week of preparation.  I am taking my own

advice, after a long work day, and more festivity,

the night advances.

Have a nothing-can-eclipse-your-happiness day.

The great holiday vanishing problem

Sandra at the party

Notebook sketch

black marker on bond paper

9 x 6 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

(In the middle of  a conversation 

at a party I had a sudden urge

to capture this friend's face.

I have in no way done it justice,

but I am indebted to the host, who

gave me paper and a pen,

and to my subject.)

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for my disappearance.  I have been shut in with
a stack of exams a mile high, and only released to
out in fancy clothes to head out to a party, and to
put on warm clothes to buy a tree.

Jennifer and her tea

Notebook sketch

black marker on bond paper

6 x 9 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

(My friend's Christmas party

is a lovely one.  Most of the same

guests come every year, and the hosts

serve a delicious meal.  It always

features seafood, and then other delicacies

-- a wide variety of goodies.  Good

conversation and good wine flow

dependably.  I quickly did this sketch

at the end of the evening when Jennifer

had a moment to sip a cup of tea.)

Here I am again, and weather, Christmas preparations
and family permitting I will try to stay blogging right
through the holiday.  My friend Marcia Labelle posted
a warm wish for peace and happiness to those of all
faiths and non-faiths.  In Canada, whatever your
celebration, or non-celebration, you have a holiday
at Christmas, and another one for New Year's Day.  So
whether you string lights around your house, light
candles, or eat special foods, there's a fairly good chance
you will be invited to a party, or hear choirs singing in
the malls.  And that's a good thing.

Tonight, or this morning we're seeing a total eclipse of the moon,
which will not fall on a Winter Solstice until 2094.
I'm not sure I can make the next one, so we've watched some
of this one, and will be wakened by our son Sam at 3:15 a.m. to see
the grand finale.

Have a reveling-in-the-Solstice day.