The week of the yellow Iris

Iris in the kitchen
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

I don’t think I got a good photo of the Irises, which is too bad.
We have incredible yellow Irises in the garden. and beautiful
purple Irises.  

Nature is a constant mystery -- a good one to focus on in these
trying times. When I look out our basement door window at night
the yellow Irises are highlighted by the garage lights and glow against
the dark night. So dramatically beautiful. 

Summer teaches us to love each moment. Most flowers have their
time in the garden. Frequently brief and then something new captivates us. 
Wishing you a happy week.

Have a loving your life day.

A wonderful story from my artist's life (there have been so many)

 

Portrait of the Artist

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I love this story from one of the few juried art shows I participated in with
the Don Valley Art Club in Toronto.  It's Saturday, and I'm a bit tired after
our big trip yesterday. So please enjoy this:

"One of the most exciting evenings of my life as an artist happened
 the night I won Best Portrait, for this odd little painting submitted to
 the Don Valley Art Club spring show. That year the judge was a man
who travelled extensively for Windsor Newton. In choosing my painting
he said that he had just been to a show of portraits at the Tate in London, and
that my work was equal to anything there.

Wow! There were oohs and aahs from the crowd, and a friend of ours rushed away
from the room and purchased the painting on the spot. The evening was not only
wonderful, surprising and a hit on every score. But the funny thing was that because
it was a self portrait, it never occurred to me that someone would buy it. I had
painted it more or less as an artist's joke for my family, because my true artist's
costume, is a pair of paint covered jeans and an old sweater. But this was funny.

The moral of the story? Have fun painting, because the art world is full of surprises.

Have an exciting and surprising day."

Great day with our family

After the Dance

Sam sketch

Acrylic on canvas

30" x 30"

Barbara Muir © 

Today despite the fact that I'm still recovering from the wicked cold, we 
helped my son and his wife move.  It's a big move, out of town
and into their first house.  Pretty amazing.

It's late, we just got home from a long drive, and it's time for bed.
I'm sharing a portrait of Sam that I love.

Have a loving your life day.

Bride on the bridge

Journal Sketch
Marker on journal paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

When we stayed in Paris, our hotel was just across from the Pont Neuf
-- a beautiful old bridge, with elegant, curved built in benches along the
sides, so you could sit down and gaze out at the river.

We were there at the beginning of May, and wedding season had begun.
This is a fast sketch of a bride-to-be getting her wedding photos captured on
the bridge.

Have a loving your life day.

Enjoy the pansies

Pansy bouquet
Acrylic ink and marker
on watercolour paper
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

I realize that I’m missing pansy season. At this time of year, I normally
create some pansy paintings, but this year I have been hit by a super
bad cold. The pansies in the pots at the front of the house are a bit
shocked with how cold the weather is, but flourishing anyway.

Here’s one of a few pansy paintings I did last year. You know where to
come if you’d like a pansy painting. I have many even though I haven’t
been able to make any this year. Meanwhile, I hope you are enjoying the
pansies you see in your neighbourhood, they don’t like heat. So once the
full summer starts their season season is finished. 

Thank you for your beautiful art and your posts on Instagram, Facebook
and in the blog world helping me get through this rough patch.

Have a loving your life today.

Memories from two years ago

 

At this time two years ago I was in the Food For Thought virtual show
put on by the San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center.

I'm still fighting this horrible cold. Here is some of my piece from that time.
That was a wonderful experience for me.

Upper left corner: Stand Back for the Pie 

Acrylic on canvas 24 x 24 inches Barbara Muir © 2013
(First place in the show)

Upper right corner: The King's Breakfast 
Acrylic on canvas 
24 x 24 inches Barbara Muir © 2015

Lower left corner: Good news Clementines
with Lemon friends
Acrylic on cradled birch panel
 8 x 8 inches Barbara Muir © 2019 

Lower right corner: Breakfast at the Skylight Diner, NYC 
Acrylic on canvas 
30 x 30 inches Barbara Muir © 2014

This was my fourth entry:

Breakfast in the hotel

Acrylic on canvas

6 x 8 Feet

I had five entries in the show, and won First Place with my painting 
Stand Back For The Pie. 

That was a big thrill. A very happy memory.

Have a loving your life day.

Thank you to my husband

Tree by the lake
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir ©

This is here because it's cheerful. It is a sad, sad day in the world, and
we need some cheer. I have a miserable cold, with vicious coughing, 
and today a very nice doctor came to the house.  He said he thought
I may have broken a rib from coughing -- hence the pain.  Although
I do feel a bit better, the coughing in the middle of the night continues,
and it is bad.  Steven has been taking care of me, the house, the animals,
and he has been more than sweet. So thank you Steven.

So what I hope for going forward is peace -- an end to the disgusting,
inhumane wars happening.  And if you are lucky enough to live somewhere
peaceful, as I am.  Enjoy the beauty.

Have a caring for others day.