Rushing to Colbert

Next step of Mother diptych
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
(Still working on it -- need a new photo)
Barbara Muir © 2009

Sorry Nation -- but the truth about why this photo
of the mother I'm painting in the diptych isn't
perfect is that I really want to watch the Stephen Colbert
and Jon Stewart shows. I've blown the time window now, and
have to watch in reverse order, but I'm cool with that.
These two shows are my little treat for myself at the
end of a long working day. I just love both programs.
Because some of the comics are Canadian on Jon
Stewart, the show is always slipping in jokes geared
towards Canadians, and that cracks me up. Plus of
course Colbert thinks Canadians are a scourge, and
is always including us in the Threat Down.
I'm sorry. I'll replace the photo of the next
step in the small mother portrait tomorrow, and
I'm throwing in a two minute sketch of the huge
pansies I have to plant, in a little cream jug.

Pansies
ink on bond paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Have an enjoying-what's-funny day.

The joy factor

Step Three in the Skype diptych
starting on the little girl in
Mother and child.
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(roughing in the girl's face and hair,
putting in the basics of the background
shapes, beginning to think about light).

Our apple tree now is thick with white blossoms. I stood
between the lower branches today and watched as huge
bumble bees enjoyed the flowers. What exquisite joy.

This morning I found a section in my journal that I wrote
last December about what I'd learned last year.
2008 was a very hard year. We had illness in
our wider family, and I broke my ankle. And yet it was a
magnificent year too. Here's what I said, and I
thought I'd share it with you.

My writing classes do a journal exercise on what they are
proud of, so I was trying out the exercise.
"Most of all I am proud of myself for letting joy be the
dominant factor in my life -- for seeking it, finding it, enjoying
it. This year I discovered that joy is spiritual, that joy
is visceral, it is the backbone, the bottom line, the
highest achievement -- the driving force, the ultimate
goal, the kindest gift, and readily available by opening
your eyes to the bounty of the universe."

The way the paintings look together at this stage
still lots of work to do.
Mother and child
8 x 16 inches
acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2009

That seems like a good thought for today

Have an enjoying-the-bounty-of-the-universe day.

Artists need friends

Art Group Sketch
acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Talking to a friend today about the blog world
I was so touched that he remembered the 1987
movie, 84 Charing Cross Road, about two
people who send letters back and forth to one
another (in this case a British man and an
American woman) and develop a deep,
lasting friendship although they never meet.
I sincerely hope that one day I'll meet my blog
friends face to face, but the point was that our
blog comments are the modern
equivalent in a way to the role letters played
between friends, before email, and easy access
to long distance phones. I think the way blogs
build communities is no small miracle.

Tonight I went to paint with my art group. I'm
afraid I had very little time, and was almost too
far back to see the pretty model. So I decided
to play with colour and not worry about the
details so much. I am happy with the colour
results.

Have a playing-with-paint-colour-is-the-best day.

How did you do that?

Step Two
Skype Diptych Mother and Child
The Mother
8 x 8 inches
acrylic on canvass
(unfinished. Working on the face,
hair, background.)

I've been working today on a small painting that will be
one half of a diptych (two paintings that can join together).
Someday I will do a very complicated painting with 10
or more pieces that work together. So far I think the
maximum number of joined pieces I've painted is five.
I'm a big fan of Larry Rivers, as I've said before, and I'm
really sorry that he died before I could meet him, because
I had a lot of questions when I started reading about him --
Mostly -- "how did you do that?"

That's probably the number one question I'd like to ask
any artist I admire. How? How did you get that light,
that luminosity, that mood, that colour, and on and on.
In Larry's case it would be, " how did you make things look
3D, and how did you join so many paintings together?"

In the blog world I'm learning by looking. I stare at
the work of favorite artists, and the lessons leap
out at me. That doesn't mean I can do anything
approaching what you do -- but it does mean I can
ask fewer questions when we all meet.

Have a looking-is-learning-and-loving-it day.

Happy, Happy Mother's Day

Prep drawing for Skype portrait diptych
charcoal over acrylic on canvas
Mother and child
8 x 8 inches x 2 = 8 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

I remember sitting in the doctor's office on my first visit
when I was pregnant with Christopher. The doctor,
put her hand on my knee, looked me and Steven in the
eye and said seriously, "what happens now is a cell
explosion. It's a miracle when it works, but if it doesn't
you can't beat yourself up, it's not your fault." The
first time I saw each of my children will be emblazoned
in my mind and heart forever. I had never felt that kind
of love before they arrived. Now every single day they
surprise me, teach me, change my world in ways I could
never have imagined when we decided to have "a baby."

That said I know many people without children whether
by choice, or circumstance, who are motherly, or fatherly
in the best sense, both male and female. I think it's worth
honouring where we came from, and honouring the ability to
nurture, encourage and give support to children, friends,
colleagues and the community at large.

My own mother has been a beautiful woman all her life.
She was there to rock us to sleep, read us our bed time
stories, cook our suppers, listen to our triumphs and lows,
and steer us on the path to the grown up lives we chose. She is
a mainstay, an inspiration and a strong, vibrant, intelligent
woman. I love her and she knows it, and she loves me
and I know it too. And that's major.

The picture tonight is the first step in a painting
of my neice and her little girl.
She is one of the best mothers I've ever met, as is her
mother, my sister. I've learned so much from both of them.

Got to go now, my sons, Christopher and Sam and my
husband Steven are taking me out for dinner. It's been
a sweet day, flowers, breakfast in bed, and even time to
think about and start a new painting (s). I really
love the diptych format.

Have a loving-to-be-nurturing day.

Morning thoughts -- Happy Mother's Day

Kitchen Tulips
8 x 8 inches
acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2009
(Still not quite finished but
the face is more like
my kitchen guest's pretty face)

I had a different message here, but I read it and thought,
"who do you think you are?" So I took it off. The
important message to all my artist friends is have
a very Happy Mother's Day. To all the mothers and
all the children of mothers I hope you have a lovely
day.

Let's let love be the order of the day, and be
happy about all the people we love, and who
love us. Flowers, chocolates, meals with
friends and family -- it's all good.

Have a love-rules-the-world day.

Much Love,

Barbara

Painting until the wee hours

Kitchen tulips
8 x 8 inches
acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2009
(not finished yet, and I'll replace
the photo tomorrow.)

Here's a little painting I've been working on tonight. It still needs
more time, but I have to go to bed.

Have a working-until-you-are-tired,-but-happy day.