Reading a book about Bonnard a week ago The Man and the Woman, by Helen McLean, I
was encouraged by the way Bonnard described
work. The expectations were so different
100 years ago. The entire idea of instant results
had not materialized in any aspect of life.
That reality I think gave artists a degree of
peace that we don't have todayif a painting
takes weeks, or months to complete. It would
never have occurred to artists a century ago to
worry about producing work in a day.
All this is what I've been thinking about as I
continue to work on this painting. It is almost,
almost done. But perhaps at least another day in
the making -- and I think I've decided to be fine
with that!
Saturday was a glorious summer day, and we went to
the market. My first purchase, an uncharacteristic
purple bouquet from PegAnn, because my artist
friend, Franco Mbilizi is helping me like every
colour -- and purple is first in line for colours I
am learning to like.
Market flowers
Then I bought peaches, and following a method
my mother taught me, have frozen some of these
perfectly delicious fruits for the cold, winter days.
And as I worked cutting up the delicious fruits
to freeze I knew I wanted to remember the day.
To be able to look back in deep winter and visualize
the wonderful garden, some poppies
still dotting the view with gorgeous red, huge
white cosmos, purple cosmos, night blooming
nicotiana -- geraniums and nasturtiums in pots,
perfect.
Peaches from Beamsville, Ontario
The cats Timbah and Fiona, and Sally the dog
sat outside admiring the view, with Steven,
while I cut the peaches dripping in
juice, and froze cookie sheet, after cookie sheet.
Ah summer. And as I say to my students,
"Be Here Now!"
It's a bad week for my blogger friends, artists on
Facebook, and artists on the net, because
Wallpart.com has stolen images, and is selling
posters of the work of most of my artist
friends. Please sign the petition by clicking here, and help reverse this situation.
The young woman I'm painting now is
certainly a reason for hope for the future.
She is a valiant worker for important causes,
and has worked since she graduated with her
masters 5 years ago in government, advocating
for women's involvement, and women's rights
in Canada.
I am still a long way from finishing this painting,
but I thought I'd show you the current stage. This
is stage 4 or 5 and is where I'm at. I just miss you
too much when I don't blog.
Have a stopping-the-rip-off-artists-and-enjoying-hope day.
Two weeks ago I started this painting after
buying an amazing bouquet at the Brickworks
Market here in Toronto from my friend Pegann.
I loved the bouquet, but it was unfamiliar in many
ways. I didn't know any of the flowers, I am not usually
a fan of purple, and I just wanted to be fast and
loose in preparation for a big portrait I am working
on.
I was a flower painter first and foremost which
should have made it easy -- but post trip exhaustion,
then a horrific cold got me off track.
I was talking about all of that to an artist friend
today, who challenged me to do a painting in
purple, green, brown, grey, black and yellow.
Huh! I thought. What am I some kid just out
of art school? Do I need assignments?
Well apparently yes. Because working on that
little painting, with colours I would never choose
first, gave me my resolve, and I went back to
nearly finish the flowers. Doing what was so
not me, gave me back the me of me. Thank you
to my friend, the great artist, Franco.
Here's my most recent portrait commission of a
darling little boy. The collectors have bought and
commissioned quite a few of my paintings and
I love working with them.
Two weeks ago tomorrow we flew out of Paris and I
was really sad to leave. But just so I remember
and to share my thoughts with you, I'll tell you
some of what I loved about the place.
1. I love the people. Everyone was so
helpful, and kind, and funny. Just so much fun.
2. I loved the people at the Carrousel du Louvre
show (my reason for going to Paris). The man
who worked at the entrance, the docents at the Louvre,
the women on the information desk
who gave me a candy that tasted like a strawberry
Macaron, and the people running the EA Editore
section at the show. My thanks to Francesco Saverio Russo,
Salvatore Russo,
Sandro Serradifalco and Alessandra Mascitti. You are an awesome team.
Alessandra Mascitti and me
3. The city, pulsing with life all the time. We
walked out of the Louvre one day to see
the street filled with people rollerblading. Then
later saw a rock group performing by the Seine for
some event about the car, and right by the stage
was an area for children, where some little girls were
dancing in a circle to the music.
5. The architecture. Everywhere we went in Paris the
architecture was so beautiful. So much thought went
into the buildings, and so much care is spent on
maintaining them. Parisians are aware that their
gorgeous public spaces attract people from all over
the world, and they take pride in that.
6. The museums. I have not been in good walking
condition since I hurt my knee last winter, and it
was sad not to be able to stroll in Paris. But we took
taxis everywhere. The Louvre of course is wonderful,
and huge. We wanted to see the Musée D'Orsay, which
is amazing, but we could not get in. We also went to the
Pompidou Centre, but I could not stand in the long line up.
Still for you my friend these and many, many more
museums are a must-see when you visit Paris.
7. The Seine and it's beautiful bridges. We were
beyond lucky to be staying across the street from the Seine.
This meant we could cross at the light, walk down
a ramp and be sitting on the wall at the edge of the
Seine in a matter of minutes. We loved watching the
people picnic all along the river.
8. Coffee. There are places that don't understand or
value coffee, Paris is not one of them. On one of our
loveliest afternoons when we couldn't get into the Pompidou,
we rested on wooden lounge chairs that looked
like sculptures in front of the Hôtel de Ville and then walked around the corner to a café and had perfect coffee in small glasses.
9. Stores: The stores in the sixieme arroundissement where we were staying were exquisite. They looked so artistic that I kept walking by them thinking they were like galleries for clothes. And they were tucked in between cafés and art galleries. But when we finally went into the beautiful shirt store to get shirts for the men in our family -- it was both a perfect gallery of shirts on display, and a superb and charming store.
10. Waking up and knowing I was in Paris! Could there be a nicer way to wake up. To know that for the whole day I would see Paris. It started with opening the curtains and seeing the pretty courtyard in the hotel. I do like being in Toronto. And I love New York City too. Still I love the sound of the French language, the courtesy, Notre Dame Cathedral. There's so much that I can't include it all.
Friday night was the opening of the Carrousel du Louvre
show which is huge, and down a hallway from the inverted
glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris. Now that's exciting.
There are 450 artists in the show, and a vast variety of
work from abstract to realist.
Left to right: Francesco Russo, one of the organizers
of the EA Editore exhibition, Letizia, his fiancée (I
did not get her last name), Me, and artist Deborah Anne Nero.
I met some of the artists, and we had wonderful discussions.
EA Editore, the gallery representing me here, hold shows
all over the world, and last year held one under the Eiffel
Tower in France. The artists in the section where
my painting is hanging were telling me all about their
experiences in the art world around the world. Fascinating.
Me and Steven at the inverted glass pyramid,
about to go into the show.
We've moved over to French time, which will be dangerous
back in Canada. I'm always amazed at how quickly we
adjust to new environments. Vite -- very fast. Now what's
not to like in Paris? Not much that I can see. Great wine,
great food, amazing restaurants, shops and galleries within
steps from our hotel.
The show ends today, and I feel sorry that it's over, yet
so glad that I came. What a wonderful time. Thank you
to all of the staff at EA Editore for your work
promoting me.
I am quite moved today thinking about reuniting
with my painting Breakfast at the Skylight Diner
at the Carrousel du Louvre Art Shopping show
this weekend at the Louvre in Paris!
Most of the time I am thinking 15 steps ahead
of myself, and don't often reflect on how amazing
this painting job is. But it's quite delightful that
a romantic breakfast with my husband in a
diner in New York City on Mother's Day a
year ago is taking me right across the ocean
to Paris.
It seemed to take forever to paint that breakfast.
I agonized over the French toast. And I know
I kept thinking -- it's one breakfast (but
such a beautiful one).
A few years ago I painted one of my favourite
models in a work called First Stop Paris,
thinking that it might somehow come true
for her. I hope it did, because she grew up
and I lost touch. But now I am going. In
fact today. You may be reading this as I
cross the wide Atlantic. I hope that I can
blog from Paris.
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!
