The widening circle of Love -- family

The Maharani's Great Granddaughter with 

her Great Granddaughter

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

(my mother-in-law with her great

granddaughter -- Alice)

On this the fifth day of the month of love I'd love to celebrate
my whole family.  That might take more than one post.  The
newest member of our family is my son Christopher and Megan's
daughter, Alice -- who has just turned 2.  She is like a miracle in our lives.
Adorable and smart and insistent on funny already.  That seems
to be a job I perform willingly for her, and am amazed at how
long in her short life one joke can still have impact and get
us both laughing.

Please don't go

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2008
(My nephew Jon and his wife Kathryn)

I wish I had access to paintings of all of my wider family,
and maybe that's a task for another day -- trying to find them
all in the month of love.

Baby it's you
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2008
(My niece Jemma and her daughter,
Quincy)

Today was a spectacularly beautiful day, and I started my Valentine's
Day painting -- a tradition in recent years. I felt inspired.  Here's
the thing about February -- it passes in a flash.  Look at this we're
already at Day 5.  So I better get going on that right?  Okay I will.
The heart is one of my favourite forms.  I love it. I don't think we can
possibly send too much love out into the world.

Woman with her cats

Acrylic on canvas with gold leaf

36 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2008

(My cousin Patricia commissioned this

painting.  One of my favourites.) 

So I am incredibly grateful to my entire family for being loving, kind,
funny and supportive.  I love all of you, and I hope you know it.

Have a loving your whole family day.

Always Exciting -- our family grows

 Connected

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

(This is Megan, our daughter-in-law via

Skype from South Korea)

Megan at The Stork Restaurant
Acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

(Megan )

Yesterday I talked about my sons.  One of the great things about

children are the people they bring into our lives.  In our

case in this month of love, I want to talk about how much

I love my son Christopher's wife, Megan, and my son Sam's

girlfriend, Emily.  They are family -- lovely, kind, intelligent,

compassionate, funny and beautiful women.  

Wonder Water Image #5

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

Emily, my son Sam's girlfriend.

This painting travelled to Florence 

and sold in NYC
(I've only painted one painting of
Emily -- this one.)

What a gift it is to have sweet women like this in our lives.

I feel blessed to know them, to learn from them, and 

have so much fun with them.  Also I have painted them

(of course).  Painters (especially portrait painters) 

love painting their families.  But what could be more natural

than to paint the people in your life who you love? Right?

Thank you to these brilliant women, for lighting up our

lives with their love and humour, and kindness.  You

two rock to the max!

Have a loving-your-growing-family day!

The two best sons in the world -- Loving my guys!

Family portrait

(Detail showing Sam in blue and Christopher
in dark blue and white. I love
their expressions -- somewhat
sulky as they'd sometimes be if asked
to pose back then.)

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48"

Barbara Muir © 2010

February third, and I was so happy to see both of my sons today.
They have been the darlings of my heart since their
births.  Recently cleaning out a room we were having
painted I found a project my older son did when my
youngest was a baby.  It was illustrated with very
funny drawings of what's wrong with having a baby
(the crying, and the vomit), but on the plus side
he printed sagely -- "Now we are a family."

After the dance reading the paper

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 20 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

(my older son Christopher was

the model for this painting in

my Dance series)

Yes we have been since the beginning.  And these
fantastic boys inspired a lot of my art, attended my shows,
even buy my art sometimes now that they are adults.
I am so proud of them.  They are funny, smart, kind,
truly wonderful men.

Spring Break Shoreline

Acrylic on Canvas

30 x 30 inches 

Barbara Muir © 2007

(This painting of Sam on

the left and Christopher on the

right -- with me in the middle

is one of my favourites.)

My family is lucky to be big on humour. So family
get togethers are special with them around.  My oldest
is married to our wonderful daughter-in-law, and
they have a beautiful little daughter.  My younger son has
a great girlfriend, and both men are happy.

Sam on Mother's Day

Black marker on watercolour paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2009

So today -- thank you to my sweet sons who have
made my life so joyful, and are there in a second
if we need them. They are the best.  I love you guys.

Have a loving-your-children-day. 

Love is something else -- My man!

I know that I'm a lucky woman.  I love a man who
suits me -- who gets what I mean most of the time.
I am married to a wonderful man with a great sense
of humour. I know as a funny person in the world --
that just his sense of fun is a very lucky break.  Not
everyone  likes funny people, or better yet -- loves them.
Add to that the fact that he's a really good cook, which is
wonderful, because I can cook, but don't love it, or care
about it, the way he does. Plus he loves me -- a wondrous
miracle in my life.

I've drawn and painted Steven many times over the years.

At the dance in the yellow chair

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2008

It's high time I do another portrait of Steven. I like this one because
 it reminds me of David Hockney, whose work I love.  I don't
 think that was the influence then -- it was probably a painting course
I took with Skip Lawrence and Toph Schink in California.  Steven was
not a patient subject -- I painted this from life.  I hope I can get him
to let me paint him again.  The white building in the image behind
 him is our school house in Nova Scotia. 

Missing you too

Skype drawing

Charcoal on bond paper

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

The two of us in Quebec City

watercolour and marker on

watercolour paper

9 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

A fall bouquet at the window

Charcoal on bond paper

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

Napping with the cat

Watercolour and marker 

on watercolour paper

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

It seems fitting at the start of the month of love to talk about
the love of my life.  Enjoy day 2.  Another day to let someone
 know you care about them, and to make the world a happier place.  

Have a loving your life day!

I LOVE February!

Spring Waterfall
Watercolour on Arches watercolour paper
15 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir ©
(available)
Everything about February is good.  Okay in Canada the
weather might not be the best (it is here today -- a gorgeous
Tom Thomson winter scene), but you know you have at most
two more months of winter!  What I love about it is the
celebration of love.  And I don't think that is just about
romantic love, but love of life, of friendship, of beauty --
love of love.  It's such a rewarding emotion.  So I'm going to
go for it this month.

My first surprise of the month, was going into the darkest,
coldest recesses of our house -- the cold room -- a storage
room at the front of the house that holds our Christmas
decorations, old furniture we haven't decided to discard yet,
bicycles -- a host of stuff we need to sort through. And right
at the back -- covered in boxes and who knows what -- some
old art drawers that have not been used for a decade.

Woah!  I moved a few things last night, because this room
has to be organized this year!!! (I hope).  And opened one of
the drawers to find this! Wow!  I was so happy.  I think I did
it in a fantastic course at least 10 years ago.  It isn't my normal
colour way, so maybe I dismissed it because of that.  But I
love it now.  I just stared at it in delight when I found it.  It
has the energy, movement, joy that I want to feel this month.

I dedicate this month to everyone in my life who makes a
huge difference to me.  And that means all of you as well.
Thank you.

Have a wonderful Month of Love!

Happy Robbie Burns Day

Robbie Burns

Black marker on paper

6 x 9 1/2 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017

I drew this portrait of Robbie Burns last year on January 25, officially

Robbie Burns day, a day to celebrate the poet and all things Scottish.

Some friends of ours introduced us to the great tradition of Robbie

Burns nights at the Caledonian in Toronto, and we're going to hear

the pipes (bagpipes), see the Highland dancers, and eat a traditional

Scottish meal -- with (yes) Haggis tomorrow.  This has become a

thing -- and a great treat it is.

I found this delightful animation of a Robbie Burns portrait saying

his famous poem To A Mouse.  I hope you enjoy it.  I've spent

my painting day with my head in the clouds -- a place I seem to

be very happy with.   Coming soon -- to a blog near you -- a very

large landscape with clouds -- 6 feet tall, and 4 feet wide.  Your

painter friend is 5ft. 4" -- so it is bigger than I am.  And built well

on a very hefty frame.  So far an absolute treat to work on.

Work in Process (detail)

Acrylic on canvas

6 ft. x 4 ft.

Barbara Muir © 2018

I'll toast the Scottish in you tomorrow night.  

Have a Happy Robbie Burns Day.

Being alive -- let's share the joys in life

In a park by the lake -- happiness

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2018

(available)

This painting is certainly about loving life.  I think maybe
that's what all of my art is about.  It isn't that I don't know
the downside of life, I'm well aware that there is so
much to be sad about in this world.  But I do feel that those
of us who are lucky enough to see the beauty around us,
to appreciate small things,  to love what nature offers, and
to care about the people who make our lives magnificent --
need to share our bounty.

That doesn't mean we have our heads in the sand,  or that
 we don't take action against cruelty, wrong doing,
the ills of this world.  It means as artists with an ability
to create and record the vitality of this planet and
its people -- we want to share what we see.

Today's painting is still in process.  And the process has
taken a long time -- since last summer.  But it is sooo
close and I want to share it now.  Thank you for being
out there, and being my inspiration and support.

Have a telling your good stories day.

P.S. if you have a good news story to share, please
write about it in the comments section.  1 would
absolutely love to read it!