You must know the theory, and I taught it, so of course I do. If you can write three pages in a journal at the start of a day, you will have a better day, than if you don't. I can't prove that the theory is correct, but it is an excellent practice for writers, artists, college students. Anyone.
This year I started adding a drawing on at least one page, when I do write in my journal. If I want to. Today's drawing is of a little girl. It was a fun, very quick sketch. And yes. Today was a very good day.
A friend wrote on Instagram that even though she was a mother of 2 young children, she wanted to dance. I get it. Maybe sometime soon we will get together with friends outside, when it isn't 98.6 Fahrenheit, or raining, and dance. That would be fun.
Meanwhile, I love this drawing. She was right for this day last year, and is perfect for today. A day spent on the road again. Yes I know the song. A friend sent it to me.
The title of this blog says it all. We spent our day on the road passing through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Canada. Check us out. The trip was a constant source of, "Wow! Look at that!" And "It is so beautiful here."
It's late now. I'm tired, and there's going to be more of this tomorrow. So I will just share a picture of one of the views we saw, and call it a night.
We've been on an unofficial holiday for the past little while. One treat we enjoy when we're trying to take some time off, is eating at some of our favourite restaurants, especially if they will let us sit distanced from other people.
At one of our favourite restaurants last week we were sitting against a window, looking at a table on the deck right outside our window. The couple seemed to be arguing, and I got out my tiny sketchbook, and drew this sketch of the woman. It later looked like, after a delicious dinner, the couple were happy. Steven and I were too busy talking to one another, and our friends who work there to keep watching.
I had fun sketching this, and then it was dinner time. There was a big SUV parked against the deck. It's in the background. Artists eh!
It's been another crazy busy day, as most Saturdays are. We were lucky to see dear friends, and to sit drinking coffee with them looking out of their beautiful living room at a view of deep blue water.
Back at the family get away place I played around with some paint colour samples and made this little collage. This is a view I've been seeing over and over. Love it.
The news is, and has been hard for months. I am at our family get away place, having trouble connecting to the Internet, but when I do, I feel powerless reading about war, famine, politicians fighting for positions, instead of demanding ceasefires, that food go to people in famines, that we take care of the environment. But as artists, we need to create. It is our purpose to use our abilities even when things are so grim.
It is a beautiful day here, if way too hot, and I found this post from last year, with a very bad video by me about how Georgia Fullerton's GASP method is somewhat magical, and worked for me. Forgive the terrible quality of the video. To put it mildly I am not a techy.
I have been busy today, so wanted to find something meaningful from the past.
"2020 was when this long, long pandemic began. We had no vaccines, and new variants kept coming at us. One of my friends, the wonderful artist Georgia Fullerton, held a GASP session for artists on Zoom, to try and inspire us to keep going. I will quote that piece tonight, and show the poor quality video I made to go along with the blog post.
"COVID -19 has shut a lot of artists down. We keep trying, and doing this and that, but the impetus to paint is impacted by the facts -- most galleries being closed, no meetings with other artists, no workshops in person, and the endless sad stories connected to the virus.
On June 26 Georgia Fullerton held a Zoom event to introduce her GASP method of painting people's emotions and histories. She had wonderful, inspiring guests. And I don't know about the effect on other artists, but it got me back into the studio in a pre-COVID-19 way. I'm not saying the art I'm producing is great, but I feel super painting. The joy of doing it has come back to me. I credit Georgia. Oh and of course my husband Steven who came into the studio and said he liked the painting I was working on. We need that support."
What a wonderful day seeing friends, having exciting conversations, driving through incredible beauty, talking to family members on the phone. I found this older post about envy and it makes so much sense to me. I love our 15 ft. wide semi-detached house in Toronto. I know we are lucky to have it. Yes it needs work. Show me a house that doesn't. But it is in the colours I love, and has a sweet backyard, and covered back porch. And the street is great. Super kind people to talk to.
When she was alive, I was a big fan of Louise Hay. So my blog from 2009 talks about something I enjoyed reading tonight.
"I was thinking about art and life today and this topic came up in my mind. I've mentioned Louise Hay before and I remember listening years ago to a tape of hers that cautioned never to envy another's good.
The idea -- and I think it's a sound one -- is that if someone you know, does well, is happy, gets rich, gets excellent work, it is almost as if that happened to you too. She suggested that when you hear about a super thing happening to a friend or loved one,
say, "that's for me!, that's for me!"
I'd amend that in 2024 now to "How amazing for you!"
I'm absolutely devoid of envy, and maybe Louise is part of why.
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you?
Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada.
Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!
