The ink disaster sketch

Parrots in the kitchen

Acrylic ink and marker on 

watercolour paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

A short one tonight.  I started this sketch, which could

definitely be improved, to record some glorious rare
yellowy orange parrot tulips before they died completely.
Their shapes intrigued me, and I set to work.

I was working on our ancient two board kitchen table
because the light was good there, and my studio is filled
with large works I'm finishing.

So there I was happily painting away when my cat Timbah
jumped on my sketch and knocked over my very staining
green acrylic ink -- all over the table, my computer, luckily
not the floor (newly replaced last week).

I have cleaned it up as best I could.  Scrubbed the table, cleaned
my computer, and actually went back to the sketch.  Even forgave
the cat.  Poor cat was just trying to say it was time for food not
art.

So this is how far it got.

Have a closing your ink jar lids day.

Packing it up -- One step in an artist's life

Steven unpacking my work when it came

home from the 2009 Florence Biennale.

That was one of the least expensive,

and most fabulous shipping jobs ever.

It was controlled by the Biennale,

and very well done.  Sadly that option was over

for the 2015 Biennale. 

Shipping is not a joke, and I just read an old post of mine about a video

by Seth Godin, who uses shipping as a metaphor.  I understand why.

He says you have to have the courage to get in the game, and shipping

gets you in the game. He explained that what some of us do is stall, and
miss deadlines, and that gets in our way.  Shipping puts the heat on.
You have to ship by a certain date. Period.  There even has to be leeway,
to make sure you achieve that goal.

I packed up four pieces today to send to New York City.  They have to be

there by Tuesday, and the shipper assured me that they will be.  But 

it is still a dicey proposition to pack up four of your paintings that you

love -- understand that the shipping will be expensive, and then send it

off.  

Trust is a big word in the art world.  I have used the same shipper for

international shipping for 10 years, in the same place.  Faces in the

business change, but their work has been excellent, and other than the

galleries, and the curators, they are one of the entry points to showing

internationally.  Without them it could not happen.  So I am grateful.

The other thing people don't mention about shipping art to a show is the

"whew!" factor.  All of the anxiety you've been running on for weeks,

or months since you committed to this insanely expensive proposition,

falls off you like leaves off the trees when the pieces leave your hands

and are taken over by others.  I still have a ton of things to do.  But

that job can go off my list.  

Have a shipping with people you trust day. 

There was a woman in the shop today shipping a suit to Kingston, Ontario

 -- a three hour car ride away.  It had to be there today.  I'm thinking, "wedding?,

big speech?, graduation? Why today?"  And the woman said she would,

"spare no expense!"  so let's say it can also be fascinating waiting for

your problem to be taken care of in the shipper's store.  

Happy Thanksgiving

Untitled (work in progress)

Almost done

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

I hope you have a lovely joyous Thanksgiving with family and
friends.  Our Canadian Thanksgiving happened in October and it was
amazing.  The youngest person at the delicious dinner was
two months old and taking it all in!

I love the idea of a celebration based on gratitude.  In Canada
it's about the harvest, and I love the day because it's about
food, getting together and being happy, and everyone can
participate.  It isn't a religious holiday -- it is wide open.

I am not keen on the major sales push now tacked on to
Thanksgiving both here and in the U.S. "Black Friday" seems
almost criminal to me with our oceans filling up with plastic and
now not being the right time at all for us to need, More, more,
more.

But back to a happy celebration.  Wishing you and your
family and friends a joyous holiday weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to my American family and friends

Tulips for Tucson

Acrylic on watercolour paper

10.6 x 13.8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

Not a lot of time tonight.  It's an early day tomorrow and a whole lot

going on.  I want to shout out to my American family who I love

so much, and to my American friends a Happy, Happy Thanksgiving.

I absolutely love Canadian Thanksgiving and I'm sure you feel

the same.  I love the idea of celebrating the harvest and of getting

together with family.  So much fun.

So have a wonderful day.  I'm putting up this painting because

I have parrot tulips in my kitchen right now, and they absolutely

say -- "Aren't you over the top grateful for us?"  I am, and I am

so grateful for you.

Have a happy day wherever you are.

The rules. Really?

Untitled (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

(This is one of the paintings

I'm working on right now.  I think

it's going to make me happy when

it's finished, because I already 

like it a lot.)

We need rules in life, and laws and information.
But in art we need to learn the rules that can
help us know how to create art, and then forget
all about rules.

This year I've been told a lot of rules.  It
helps that I'm a researcher.  It helps that you
are out there teaching me so much every day.
It helps that I've been doing this for a long
time.  It even helps that I'm a teacher
and have to invent, describe, prescribe rules.
That makes me a good kind of skeptical.

But I've been told -- "no one buys portraits."
"Don't paint your own life."  "Don't use
bright colours." "Don't make your portraits
look at the viewer."  Another one I read
recently was, "don't make your landscapes
about specific places."  I think that's a really
great one.  I sold a painting of a nature reserve
in the Netherlands in Toronto, paintings of
Toronto in New York City.  No one rule works
for everybody.

I've noticed that my most "successful"
artist friends follow their own rules, paint their
own heart and soul and story on the canvas.
Invent worlds.  And although they learn from
artists they admire, they follow no one.

Have a following your own heart and mind day.

The transforming power of kindness -- thank you for yours!

The lane in winter

iPad drawing

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

(As my husband drove me

to school so I could teach

tonight, we drove through 

neighbourhoods brilliantly

decorated and lit for the holidays.

It made me think of

this holiday card from an

iPad drawing I did 7 years ago.

I still like it, and I love the 

festive season.  I can't believe 

we are already moving towards December!

Happy American Thanksgiving, and

very soon Happy Holidays!)

I have always valued kindness, but  my mother's death
6  years ago, and the profound loss I felt then, began my
deep understanding that love and kindness are paramount
in this world.

When I showed in the Florence Biennale the second
time in 2015, it changed my viewpoint on this subject so
radically -- it was in a way like my former self
was eradicated.  I met such wonderful, and exceptionally
kind people that it was as one of my friend's in Toronto said,
"the bar was raised."  Exactly.

Now all of the people who are part of my world are kind -- in
every area of my life.  My new rule was pretty simple when I think
of it now, but I wouldn't have been able to express that
feeling then.  And that is that to be part of my life you've got
to love me back.  I am happy to give endlessly in teaching
situations to people who may not get me, but in my friend
circle, it's fantastic when the affection is reciprocal.

That can be a hard request in a grown up person's life.  People
who can't be kind, who are in fact the opposite, exit pretty quickly.
I don't mean because of one offhand remark, or one unkind gesture.
I mean if people don't consistently work on being kind to their friends,
to my family, to people in the world, to me -- it isn't fun spending time
with them.  And it's not about someone going through a hard time.
People do that, tell you what's up, and are still essentially kind.
Kindness matters.

Enter you!  Every single one of you boosts me up and teaches
me. I grew up in a loving, but critical environment. People
actually thought that it was their right to let me know what
was wrong with me.

Now I feel secure enough, and loved enough to know that I
want to be with people who get me.   I can never tell you enough
times how incredibly grateful I am that you do.

Have a being kind to your friends day.

Transformation in progress -- exciting!

Clouds over the bay

(work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 inches

 Barbara Muir © 2014 - 2019

When I paint an ocean scene I want the beauty in the work
to be overwhelming, like it is in real life.  This painting was not
giving me the joy it needs to.  I see it every day, and half wince.
Tonight I began working on its transformation.  All I've changed so far is
the blue between the clouds, and just below them.  Already it pops
more like a magical sky, but expect more.  The scene I was trying
to capture of Nova Scotia clouds over the bay near the beach we visit
every day -- was not rendered powerfully enough to let the painting
stand.

My colour choices for the clouds aren't completely satisfying to me.
I painted this the year after my mother died.  I was for sure grieving her,
and also changing -- growing up the way we do ideally with the loss
of a beloved, brave person.  So I will be changing the clouds a bit.
But I'm already so much happier with the painting.

I've also been thinking about this practice I decided on of blogging
every day.  It has been a great pleasure, and I'm also aware
of the pressure on artists to be present all the time on social
media.  Thinking about the great works of art I've seen
in major galleries in Paris, New York, and Florence.  None
of the massive, brilliant, detailed iconic work happened
overnight.  Some of those beautiful paintings took years
to produce.

Things have changed for artists.  We do need to communicate
with the world. But that's not why I'm here writing to you. It's
because I enjoy it.  When you comment on what I've painted, or
drawn, or written it makes me feel wonderful.

Have a loving the present moment day.