Happy December

Breakfast in the hotel

Petit-déjeuner à l'hôtel

Acrylic on canvas

4 canvasses

36 x 48 inches

6 feet x 8 feet total

Barbara Muir © 2012

I don't have a new painting tonight, but I wanted to
wish you Happy December.  Alyson Stanfield wrote a
Thanksgiving weekend piece called A Feast for 
the eyes: Food in Art this past weekend.  She asked
artists to share their food paintings and I posted my
painting of Breakfast at the Skylight Diner NYC there.

Whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs,
December's a lovely month.  Lights are starting to
show up in the dark.  Fantasy and fun is in the cold air.
The decorations in store windows are astounding
and inspiring.  It's a beautiful month -- and
at the end the inspiration of a whole new
fresh 12 months, stretching out full of promise.

I am a fan of Christmas, even though I'm not
religious.  I love the music, the presents, the
food, the parties and seeing friends.  Plus a short
break from work for all of us is a treat.

Have a getting-ready-for fun day.

More on clouds and wanting lights

 Untitled (second and third stage)

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 36 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014
(I'll try taking a new shot tomorrow
in daylight.  It will be better.)

One of my friends with a birthday near the beginning
of December, decorates with strings of tiny, white lights
around the inside doorways in her house at Christmas.
It's a sensational touch, and makes her house look
fabulously upbeat even in a snowstorm.  I unpacked a
new bunch of little, clear lights today, circled them around me
after I plugged them in and sang a very corny version
of You light up my life to Steven as he came into the
kitchen.  Time to decorate!  I hold off until December
first, but it's hard because I love the smell of pine,
and the look of the lights on the porch shining
in the front window of the studio.

Our flower store friends have told me what kind of
wreathe I like (pine) and have ordered one for me
without asking me. I can check that off the list.

A few years ago my daughter-in-law decorated
with white star lights from Ikea -- beautiful.
I bought some too and I plugged those in in
the studio today, because they are
there as decoration year round.
So we're off to the races. The holiday feeling
is creeping in.

Tonight I'm showing you the next stage
on my cloud painting, and here are some guests
visiting my work at Studio Vogue Gallery
yesterday.

Guests check out my cloudscapes

at Studio Vogue on Friday.

Have an enjoying-the-moment-day

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 

 Untitled (first stage)

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 36 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

Happy Thanksgiving to my American family,
and to all of you, my wonderful American friends.

Thank you for your support

Thank you for your kindness

Thank you for this community

Thank you for the inspiration

Thank you for your determination 
to keep on making art

Thank you for all that I've learned from you

Thank you for your humour

Thank you for your successes

Thank you for your beautiful and 
magnificent art

Thank you!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Snow helps -- but wind is harsh

The backyard celebrates winter 

(work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

Tonight we lost power for awhile, and it's
messing up my posts.  Sorry for that.  Here's
a little painting I started a couple of years
ago.  It's amazing how much an artist's
approach can change in that short time.
For that whole time I've looked at this
painting, and looked at it, and not even been
sure what I was seeing, although it's loosely
based on the view out my back window in winter.

So a few days ago I picked up the canvas again.
We had snow on the ground and the rooftops.
I snapped some pictures on my phone and
went back to work.  There's still more to do,
but the wind keeps cutting the power out,
so more tomorrow.

Have a using-your-power-wisely day.

Never nothing going on

Reading the dessert menu

waercolour, and black marker on 

watercolour paper

9 x 12 1/8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

Yes.  It's a double negative.  A complete no no!
(Another double negative.)  But it's true, in an
artist's life, there is never 'nothing going on.'
We might fake that -- pretend boredom, answer
the question, "what's up?" with "nothing much."
But trust me, we're not telling the truth when we
say that.  We're attempting normalcy, we're trying
to blend in.

The truth is that our eyes and brains, and at best our
hands are at work full time.  As long as we're awake,
and even when we're sound asleep we are like full
time movie cameras recording measuring, trying to
hold onto and remember all that we see.  For the
most part we don't need to drink, or do any mind
altering drugs, because our minds are always on
high.  That's why we get so tired, and have to lie
down -- and then there are dreams!

I say we're lucky.  But if you ask an artist what's
happening, and hear a pat answer meant to
escape the spotlight, just say "oh" and move on,
maybe it's best if we all pretend artists aren't
different.  But here's another thing -- every single
one of us is an artist in one way or another.  Like
the guard at the art gallery yesterday who told me
she wasn't an artist.  When I asked her what kind
of artistic thing she did, she said embroidery, and
then, she started talking tools, the kind of cloth,
the kind of embroidery thread she uses.  Definitely
an artist.

Have a nothing-going-on day.

Could this be my favorite day?

Reading the dessert menu

preparatory sketch

red pencil, and black marker on 

watercolour paper

9 x 12 1/8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

(Looking at Colville's work

gave me the idea to do a preparatory

sketch in pencil, then the marker,

and tomorrow the paint! Alex

Colville was big on preparing.

I thought I'd try it.)

I'm big on loving life as it unfolds, and I do
enjoy most days, but how I love Saturday, especially
when like today it can just happen --  no fixed agenda,
no one needing anything, no work appointments
for me or Steven.  That is incredibly rare.  In fact
it's been three months since that happened!

So out we went, happy as clams, listening to
Christmas carols on a CD from Starbucks in the
car, and singing.  Imagine!  Well actually we sing
together a lot.  We went to the market, and
snatched up two delicious loaves of home baked
bread.  Then decided on the spur of the moment
to go to the Art Gallery of Ontario, for lunch,
and see the Alex Colville show (for the second
time for me).  I knew Steven would be moved
because Colville's landscapes are all familiar to
us, part of our second home in the Maritimes.

 Plus I ran into a former boss who I think of
as a friend, and we made friends with a fellow
as astounded by Colville's work as we were, who
turned out to have a summer home near Lunenburg,
one of our favorite places in Nova Scotia.  What
an excellent day.  I bought my roses at the flower
shop that shows my work.  Hugs all 'round, and
headed home to write to you.

Thank you to the universe, to the art world, to
the AGO, to Colville, and to you for an excellent
day.  It just happens to be the month-a-versary of
when Steven and I met, so it was appropriate to be
moved by the love story of Alex Colville and his wife --
a marriage that lasted 70 years!

Have a loving-your-dearest-loves day.

Deep thought -- the benefit of meditation

Missing you -- write again

watercolour and black marker on 

watercolour paper

9 x 12 1/8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013/2014

It was a gorgeous day today -- the kind
you want to record and keep for all time.
North of the city it's a winter wonderland,
but warm temperatures are predicted
for next week.

I wanted to post even though time was
limited, so actually made the 20 minutes
work by using a drawing I'd done a few
years back and popping a watercolour wash
over it.  I'm sure it could use longer, and
I may do more another day.

I love her pose.  She was a superb model,
but grew up and got too busy with her work.
Her thoughtful posture, and contemplation
holding a letter, made me think of meditation.

I was feeling sad today, news of a relative's
illness, and a friend's work situation.  Then
I remembered how great I felt when I was
meditating every day to support a friend in
California with a meditation challenge.  

Ten minutes later the world changed, just
from the act of breathing and listening to
a great guided mediation.  Not bad, plus
I was astounded that 10 minutes passed so
quickly.  Have a great weekend.

Have a having-a-deep-thought day.