A long day's journey to our boy

Sam and I fool around practicing silly walks, while
Steven snaps a photo.

We spent ten hours in the car today driving to
Windsor, Ontario and back to see Sam. We
brought him three boxes of groceries, and stuffed
his tiny residence room with food, then took him out
to lunch. We went for a bit of a drive to see
where I lived as a child (I spent my first four
years in Windsor), and then took him to his
rehearsal.

Sam teaching Steven some of his steps.

When we arrived the girl who is his rehearsal partner
for a Commedia dell'Arte scene hadn't arrived,
so Sam practiced his funny walk. Steven
and I joined in and played in the beautiful
voice room at Jackman Hall at the University
of Windsor. We took these goofy, blurry photos
which I love, then tore ourselves away for the long
drive home.

Sam and me. I always hate to say goodbye.

The drive away from Windsor -- vast views of farmland.

I used to dread reaching the flat land that stretches
for miles between Windsor and London. Now I
love it -- the vast expanse of it, which I can't
record properly with the camera.

sunset at Port Stanley

We walked on the frozen beach at Port Stanley,
grabbed dinner, then sang the rest of the way
home.

Another view of the beach at sunset. That's
winter fencing and frozen waves. But we
still walked in sand.

Have a having-fun-with-your-family day.

Early morning tomorrow

Oprah and Sadie
charcoal on paper
14 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

We're heading out to see our youngest tomorrow
on a day trip, so I can't talk to you for long. We
saw an incredible movie tonight, An Education --
brilliantly acted and extremely moving to anyone
raising, or working with teenagers. Steven sat
with his hand going over his face in parts of it.
Sometimes I was holding my breath. I won't give
away the plot, but it was a very good film.

Tonight I'm showing you the sketch of Oprah
I donated to the Heartbeats of Africa auction.
It was the drawing I did to show the Oprah
Winfrey Show team that I could draw Oprah back
in May when they asked me to be on the Skype
show. I suggested I do a drawing, so they'd have
a sample of my work. I found the story of her
two shelter dogs Sadie and Ivan very touching.
Oprah adopted the puppies, and then they got
sick. Ivan didn't make it through, but Sadie did.
So I did this sketch of Oprah with Sadie.
I hope you enjoy it.

Now I've got to shut down for the night.

Have a going-to-see-your-family day.

Two gifts in one

Flowers for you
acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

In the middle of a strange day, trying to find out in which
direction to travel this weekend, there was a knock at
the front door. Lo and behold someone was giving my
neighbour flowers -- a gorgeous arrangement from
Demarco Perpich.

Years ago when I used to be editor of a glossy corporate
magazine, the art director for the magazine sent me
this type of lovely arrangement for Christmas every
year and it made me feel like a million bucks.

So today I brought the lovely arrangement into the
kitchen so it wouldn't get chilled in our somewhat
cooler hallway, and then sitting far enough away
that I wouldn't get paint on the lovely cellophane
wrapping, I painted this romantic arrangement
very happily, and with great exuberance.

The result is the painting you see before you. I
skipped the cellophane and made up the vase
because it was sitting in a small cardboard box and
I couldn't see it.

When I'd just finished and put the flowers back in
the hallway anticipating that my neighbour might be
home from work any second to pick up his gift,
there was a knock on the door again. And were the flowers
a Valentine's gift, or in celebration of his anniversary?
No. They were sent as a thank you for a very successful
business deal. I said "good for you!" very enthusiastically
indeed, and then said "do more of that! The flowers
are great."

And the painting? That can be our little secret.

Have a loving-everything-you-see day.

Reading with heart

Reading with Heart
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir 2010

My painting Reading with Heart is finally done and I dropped
off that painting, and my drawing of Oprah and her dog
Sadie, that I did before I drew Oprah via Skype for the
taping of her show in May. I am giving the drawing, which is
nicely framed, and the little painting Reading with Heart to
the Heartbeats for Africa art show, and auction that is being
held next weekend in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

When I learned that approximately 2 million people die of HIV/AIDS
in Africa every year, and that every three years that amounts
to the number of people who died in the Holocaust, I was
astounded and deeply saddened. I would like to be rich, and
to have millions of dollars to give to get the antiretroviral drugs
available in North America to everyone who needs them in Africa,
so that people with the disease could be treated and continue
to live instead of dying senselessly. So my little painting is
supposed to be tied in to Valentine's Day. The idea of Valentine's
Day linked to this sad world issue, is that on Valentine's Day
we give our love. So it makes me feel wonderful to know that
I've given my work, and work I treasure (my drawing of Oprah)
to a cause I believe in. I admire Stephen Lewis, and his passion
for trying to wake the world up to this grievous need. In my
mind Stephen Lewis is one of the true heroes on the planet,
although he is a completely kind, gracious and humble man.
He is a man who cannot turn away and pretend this disease
is not killing millions every year.

Have a thinking-about-how-you-can-help day.

Acting like a traveller

View inside the Cathedral in Pisa, Italy

Most of the artists I know are not wealthy, so the
opportunities for travel are rare. For those of
us in the northern part of the country, the many
grey days of winter can become enervating.

Is there an Rx (prescription) for artistic ennui?
I've been thinking it's to act like someone new
to your city or town. What would you be doing
differently if you had never been there before?
Steven and I started talking about this when we
were in Florence -- wondering why you have so
much more fun when you're travelling than you
do sometimes at home. We decided that in part
it was because you are so much more experimental.
You have to be. So you eat at unknown restaurants,
you visit every possible museum. You are a culture
hound, constantly looking for new opportunities.

I know -- now you're saying -- well okay. That's in
Florence, where there is great food every five steps
or so, museums galore, and so much art you can't
not see it. For goodness sakes one night walking home
there was a girl dressed up standing alone in the middle
of a lit piazza singing opera in a gorgeous voice!

Okay but what about where you are? I feel very
lucky to be friends and colleagues with Frank
Daley who teaches a theater course at the college
where I teach. I've seen more theater in the past
few years with Frank and his family and friends,
and students from his theater class than I had
for years before I met him. Tonight Steven and I
went with Frank and his crew to see Jersey Boys.
What a wonderful musical about the Four Seasons
and Frankie Valli. The music, staging and acting was
superb. The show's been in town for a long time, and
I've wanted to see it, but I do lead a fairly busy life.
Frank made it easy to go, and it was like being in a
brand new city, and yet my own, to go out for
dinner to a new restaurant and see a hit show.

So treat yourself like a tourist. What would you
do? What are you missing?

I don't have a painting tonight, and it's an early
start tomorrow.

Have a living-like-a-traveller day.

Tuesday night at my art group

Art Group Sketch
acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

It's been a long day today starting with my early
morning class. There is always at least one student
trying to lean against the wall, or catch a few more
minutes of sleep in some way, and as I'm not
a morning person, I have to really work hard at
not following suit. Instead I am wildly enthusiastic
to keep everyone motivated, and after class I feel
like I've been dancing the can can for a couple of
hours. Not true of course.

We finally have a little snow, a layer about a half inch
thick that sparkles in the light at night, and makes the
whole city look newly hatched, or redecorated. If we
don't get tons of it, this will be just ideal.

So tonight I went out to my art group and painted
from the model. There are some great painters there,
and a few who paint in a superb, strong, dynamic
style. If I'm lucky I pick that energy up almost
instantaneously and whip up a painting with some
punch. Tonight was one of those nights. I was so
happy to be there. The pose was good for me with
strong shadows and light, and I felt fantastic until
I stopped. I reached a place of -- okay time to quit
and went home to talk to you.

Have an it's-great-to-paint-with-friends day

P.S. I think posting my paintings here and
looking at everyone's paintings on the net
is the closest thing there is to painting with
friends. The only thing missing is the tea and
the music.

Not my night to cook

Reading with Heart
Next stage (still working on it)
8 x 10 inches
acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2010

As I write this I smell the delicious stir fry that
Steven is making downstairs in the kitchen. He is,
as it happens, a much better cook than I am, and I'm
so glad we traded nights last night, so that I don't have
to cook after an afternoon of teaching. Listening to
him, I realize I've become a bit like our cats and dog,
in that I know when he'll call me to dinner, because
he makes the salad dressing last, in a small glass bowl,
and when I hear him mixing it, I know he'll call me.

I usually read to relax, or mark papers while he cooks.
Then because all that prep wasn't my problem, I can
clean up and paint. We alternate nights, and have for
quite a few years now. Before that there were a few years
when Steven cooked every night, and then we talked about
fairness, etc., and we started our present habit. About
three, maybe four years ago we made a rule that there
had to be salad at every meal, which added a layer of
complexity I sometimes feel is overwhelming. But
if I argue with myself, I'll realize I can do it easily
enough. I do cook, but it is not a passion.

How lucky I think we are -- first to have food, and dry
shelter, and warmth, and then to be able to think
in a problem solving way about how to arrange these
tasks. I know so many women who work, paint,
clean and also make every meal in the house. But
a growing number of men in our immediate friend circle
are the keen cooks in their relationships. And both of
my sons can cook.

What am I rambling on about? And as my mother so
frequently says, "what does any of this have to do
with art?" I guess it's about balance. "Ah there's
my call --"Honey supper's ready " pure music to my ears.

Tonight I'm showing you the progress on my Heartbeats
for Africa painting. The theme is tied in to Valentine's
Day, as the show happens on the Valentine's weekend.
So I thought this girl could be getting ready to go
out to a Valentine's Day dance, sitting in the kitchen
drinking her coffee, and starts to read about Africa,
and to think about it as she gets ready.

I'm not quite done, but will be tomorrow.

Have a thinking-about-your-good-life day.