Painting with my art group

Woman in a grey beret
Art Group Sketch
Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023 

Art is a solitary practice, except when it isn't. My art
group, part of the Don Valley Art Club, makes painting
into a shared, and very happy experience. I was delighted
to be able to join my group tonight. I think I had 30 
minutes to paint this, and the model was wonderful.
I also like the breaks, and being with the other artists.

I'm so grateful to the model tonight. She was great. And she
photographed my effort, so she liked it. Which is extra nice.
it was a super night. Thank you so much. 

Have a sharing your happiness day.

Art show at the Heliconian

Light on form
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

I got up this morning at what felt like the crack of dawn to take
my two life drawing/paintings over to the Heliconian. My kind
husband drove me, which is good because I was half asleep.

A cheerful group of women stood waiting outside the door of
the old church -- The Heliconian. The building houses the oldest
women’s art group in Canada. At 9:30 on the dot we were lead in
to drop off our work.

I got all the way home, and realized that I hadn’t taken final photos
of the work. So I went back in the afternoon and did. It turns out that
they’re going to keep both of my paintings for the show -- very happy
news.

This is one  of the finished works, which I would like to call Eloise
instead of Light on form, which sounds a bit cold. But there it is. I
may be able to change the names at a future date. Meanwhile, if you
are interested in going to the show (which is wonderful) it opens on
Saturday, February 4 at at 2 PM..

I will be there on February 8 between 4:30 and 7:30 if you are interested
in visiting me. Otherwise the show runs from January 30 to March 1,
and you can make appointments to go and see the work if you want to.
The address of the Heliconian is 35 Hazelton Ave. in Toronto.

Have a loving your life day.

Crazy busy tonight -- please enjoy my pre-COVID post, reposted

Yield to the Lemon

Acrylic on cradled Birch panel

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017

Hi Everyone I have to get paintings into a show by
9:30 tomorrow, so I am going to give you an edited post from
2017 tonight that I love. 

The Happiness Trick

Is there a trick to happiness?  Yes.  People have written books
about how.  But there is a secret to being happy.  We have to
allow it.  I heard about this phenomenon called the "Nocebo
response".  In medicine it is related to telling a patient that
they will not get better. This message apparently has such
profound effects on the person's mind that she shuts the door
on hope, and may get rapidly worse.

My great happiness magic for today is to talk yourself out of
it.  Of the cold you are frightened to get, and will get if you
sneeze and are told it's coming -- watch out.  Of the depression
you could get because in this city the sky has been grey except
for one hour for what seems like most of a month.  And in
painting of the fear that you can't do it.

Try this.  Instead of freaking out about what you can't do,
start with "This is easy!"  Just repeat that a few times, and
watch your shoulders quit tightening into a vice grip.
I admit it -- given the number of people who have colds
(COVID) right now -- our chances of getting something are good.
(In the case of COVID, if you have all of your vaccines, and
wear a mask in public you may avoid it.) But apparently,
just believing that the hot lemon I drink might stop it in its tracks
 -- could if it's a cold. And as for painting or drawing -- we need to take a look at
how tough things are in the world, and let ourselves know how
lucky we are to be compelled to make something.

Here is my offering for tonight.  When we were in New York
in June, 2016, Steven got a T-shirt he loves at the Metropolitan
Museum.   It says "Yield to the art," which is what installers
say when they're moving big pieces through the museum.
Hence Yield to the Lemon, because the lemon demanded
center stage.

Have a tricking-yourself-into-happiness day."

Snow

Backyard snow (an event)
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2023

From time to time I'm going to post photos here. Right now,
Toronto is enjoying the look of winter – and because of climate
change that look has been rare so far. Toronto just prepared one
of its ski hills to open for citizens for the first time this winter.
That is not normal.

So despite the cold, and the inconvenience of winter, Torontonians
are celebrating it because they have no idea when it will disappear.
Isn’t that one of the rules of advertising? Aren’t things more valuable
when they are rare? Even though I haven't dug my car out yet, that's
how we feel.

Snow of any significance only twice in January -- is definitely not normal.
Here’s a look at the backyard in this beautiful snow.

Have a loving your life day.

Messing around

Is spring coming?
(Work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

This was an exciting day for me, because a friend who has not
visited for a couple of years, took a rapid test, and came over
to have tea.

I spent the day aside from our sweet visit, painting and thinking about
what to do with the pieces I'm working on -- figure drawing/paintings
from quite a while back that I'm reworking for a show I'm entering on
Monday (more when I know if the work is accepted.) Plus I had fun
with this little abstract painting.

Definitely a work in progress.

Have a loving your life day.

Lessons from friends and family

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 © 
(I was thankful to see
that the napkins were on

the left. This is a big
painting. Lol. I've shown
it to you before, and it 
inspires me tonight on Flashback
Thursday.)

Some lessons

#1 I was setting the table the other night, and thought about my very
well mannered friend teaching me that the napkin goes on the left
side.  I'm sure my parents, who were very proper, knew that, but
now I am fastidious about it.

#2 These are not really in any important order. Tidy the kitchen before
you go to bed, so that it isn't a mess in the morning. The day will
be more positive. 

#3 Wash your paint brushes after you use them. An artist friend who does
beautiful work said that she takes care of her equipment, because 
it's expensive to buy new brushes all the time. I hear her voice
every time I almost forget to wash my brushes.

#4 My grandmother-in-law taught Steven and I to make up from
an argument before bed, and always to kiss one another goodnight.
Good advice Oma and we try to follow it. 

#5 One of the best bosses I ever had, and a friend, taught me, and
through his textbook, and teachers on his team, and all of our classes
to love ourselves.  He said you can't truly love another until you
love yourself.  And that was pretty radical teaching for college 
classes, but boy did it ever work.  Compared to the statistics for 
North American college students at the time, (50% of college 
students take 6 years to complete a 2 year diploma) between
75 and 93% of our students went on to get university degrees after
finishing college in 2 years.

#6 My mother taught me to try to enjoy each day as it comes. And
thank you Mommy -- I do.

#7 A friend in Tucson, Arizona, said to learn from the dogs.
Forward, forward. Dogs rarely look back -- they are always 
excited about what's ahead. Smart animals. 

Maybe that's enough for one day.  It is a special day in our
family -- a sweet person's birthday.  And I feel lucky to be 
alive and happy.

Have a loving your life day.

Snow has got it covered

 

The backyard celebrates winter
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022
💖

This painting went home today to a wonderful young woman
in the neighbourhood, and I am so happy for the painting.

I'm working on a number of paintings, all in the transitory
state that comes before the finished products are ready to 
reveal. So I'm happy to show you this, and it's perfect for
today.

We had as predicted about 7 1/2 inches of snow fall today.
For Torontonians, who have been spoiled this winter
with only one other light snowfall in January, this is a
big deal.  Steven and I took a walk tonight through the
winter wonderland, and loved every minute of it, until the
very end when freezing rain decided to join the party.
That stuff hurts when it hits your face!

Get your snow tires, and stay safe.

Have a loving your life day.