Happy Holiday in a Zoom world

Sisters in a Zoom landscape

iPad drawing

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

Such a strange time to be alive in the world.

After class tonight, partially on Zoom, I thought

about how much we long to get out of these

computer boxes, and to see one another.  The

urge is overwhelming, and yet where it's

happening too fast things are rolling back,

and restrictions are increasing.

In any summer before COVID, I would be with

friends or family on this holiday. We would be

travelling to see my brother.  But none of that makes 

sense.  So on the upside, we can see one another in the

lense of a computer, or phone camera.  My

drawing is about how this doesn't tell the

whole story.  I miss my sister.  It was a 

friend's birthday today.  I miss my brother. I miss

my children.

Happy holiday.

Thinking about my baby

The Life Changer

Black marker on drawing paper

11 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

This week is the week of Canada Day on July 1.  Fire crackers are
already going off in the neighbourhood at sunset.
People are putting up Happy Canada Day signs on
their lawns.  We're wondering where we put our flag, because
we'd like to hang it up.  The front of our house is already
white, with red shutters, (white and red are the colours of
the Canadian Flag), so we've got the theme going.

But for me Canada Day will always mean something infinitely
more important.  Because Canada Day was also the day I
went into the hospital because I was having labour pains.
I had my baby boy, Christopher, the next day.

This image is of a mother and child looking at one
another after the birth for the first time.  That mother
and child are me and Christopher.  Yes I wasn't always
blonde.  The drawing is far from perfect, but I think
it gets that shock, absolute love, and wonder on the
mother's face, and the shock of being in the world --
and "who are you? " on the baby's face.

And what a delight that baby, now a grown man, is in our
lives.

Happy Birthday Week Christopher.

June = peonies and nectarines

Peonies in a Victorian jug 

Black marker on bond paper

12 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 

We should tell ourselves this in January or February
when it feels like winter will never end.  June will
come in Canada -- and with it the most beautiful
flowers -- peonies, and one of the most delicious
fruits -- nectarines.

For artists there is the extra thrill of trying to paint
these beauties before they disappear for another
year.  Our kitchen has been filled with peonies
given to us by our neighbours for the past two
weeks.  How exquisite.

And in a deep blue bowl on the counter there
have been nectarines. It has been one of the busiest
months of my life, with teaching online, and
overlapping courses.  But there have been these
lovely pleasures -- the gorgeous days outside, and
a feeling of infinite abundance in the kitchen.

I love peonies.  And I love this image I found
working on drawing them in line. This was
in preparation for a painting, that I've shown
you before, and I'll show you again another
day.

Meanwhile, July is coming, and so much
work is heating up.  I went to the art store today
for the first time since March.  Masks, hand sanitizer,
masks, and on me gloves and a mask. And what a delight
to talk to some of the people there who I have
missed in the past four months.  More to come.

An addiction to -- coffee

After Breakfast -- More Coffee?

Black marker on Moleskine paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

As addictions go, coffee is a good one.  It gets you up,
moving and thinking, tastes amazing, and usually is
served, or you serve it in wonderful cups and mugs.

I am a fan.  I've been blessed with drinking my favourite
beverage (yes!) all over the world.  And I know
we frequently return to coffee shops and restaurants
where the coffee is good.

Of course now, we can't travel, and still in Toronto
restaurants aren't open for sit down meals. But I
can dream.  Coffee in Paris, Florence, New York City --
all good. Wonderful. Because like everything else,
atmosphere and surroundings, and people make
it better.

Best coffee?  Oh -- a hard choice -- I would say coffee
at home. And after that I do love drinking coffee
in the morning in a hotel room with my sweetheart.

A wonderful art event -- The Gasp Experience

This is one stage in the GASP process.

I was photographing the paintings

in progress with my phone,

on my laptop screen so the 

photos only can give you an idea of

that was happening.

Watercolour on paper

Georgia Fullerton © 2020

This is a later stage in the process.

The painting is wonderful,

but I photographed the image

on my computer with

my phone, so you don't quite

get the full beauty of it.  

Tonight Georgia Fullerton hosted a Zoom celebration to introduce her
GASP Expressive Art Therapy process.  GASP stands for Georgia's
Art Story Process.  Clients fill out a questionnaire about themselves --
their wishes, and what they believe is holding them back.

Georgia explained the process to her guests on Zoom, and then began
a Gasp painting for one of the people in the audience.  As she painted
she described the meaning of the colours and lines she was putting
on the paper.  It was magnificent to watch her in action.  She is
a beautiful painter, but also every line, every colour had significance,
because it was about the person she was creating it for.

One guest put people's reactions perfectly at the end of the evening
when the prices for the process were presented to us.  She said
she'd much rather book a group Gasp for her family, than pay for
another set of Walmart family photos. With GASP each client not
only comes away with a beautiful painting, but also with a deeper
understanding of themself.

Thank you Georgia for a wonderful night.

Happy Birthday to my friend Georgia Fullerton -- June 26!

Continuous Play

Watercolour

Georgia Fullerton © 2019

Happy Birthday Georgia,

By the time this blog is published -- after my class is over, and dinner, and
marking and chores, it will be your birthday.  For those of you who don't
know Georgia's wonderful work, check it out. You will love it.

For her birthday Georgia is holding a G55 Forum live.  There will be
writers, theatre people, and major figures in the arts speaking on
Zoom.  Plus Georgia is going to reveal her GASP process -- Georgia's
Art Story Process, (you will get to watch her paint) and I know you will
be amazed. There may still be tickets left.  You can register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/g55-forum-live-tickets-109547700120

I am going to that forum via Zoom and looking forward to it.
The link for that is:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2579946578

Happy, Happy Birthday Georgia.  You are amazing, wonderful,
the best artist, a super friend, and I wish you a superb day.

Happy Anniversary Steven

The two of us in Quebec City

watercolour and marker on

watercolour paper

9 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

June 24 is a special day for Steven and me.  It's the day we got
married, and we'll always remember how happy and excited we
were to fall in love, and to celebrate that love with family and
friends at our wedding.

Today I had to work, but took frequent breaks to enjoy the
day with Steven.  It was a magnificent summer day,
switching from cool, to warm, cloudy to sunny, dry to rain, and at
one point the day served up a gorgeous rainbow.  Steven
and I of course felt lucky to have that happen on our
anniversary.  We knew it was meant for us.

A gorgeous rainbow over 

the school playground 

across the street helped

us celebrate

I feel so happy that this wonderful man loves me, and I
love him.  Thank you to the universe for the gift of
lasting love.

The two of us in Paris by

the Seine five years ago.