Simplicity

Thinking
Inktober sketch
Marker on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

One of the things I appreciate about Inktober is that the focus
on line simplifies an artist's choices -- like in this drawing.  

On a day filled with decisions, this is simple. And clear. 
There is mood, personality and a hint at character.  You get
the feeling of a conversation in progress, all from a minimum
of bold lines.

Have a being your bold self day.

A wonderful friendship

Left to right Marnix, Rolf Leemeijer, Miranda Brouwers, Hugo and me.

in front of my painting Dream Selfie -- Wonder Water Image #7
Photo
Steven van Schaik © 2016

So much has changed since this photo was taken of my friend
Miranda Brouwers family, and me at the Louvre. Miranda and
I showed in the 2016 Carousel du Louvre, and we loved the
experience. Tonight I’m thinking about the great memories we
had there.

What hasn’t changed? My friendship with Miranda is one
of the loveliest relationships in my life. We talk on the phone
across the great Atlantic Ocean once a week whenever possible,
and always enjoy one another. (She's in The Netherlands, and I'm
here in Toronto, Canada.)

I’m thinking of Miranda today, and of her two sons in this picture
Marnix, and Hugo. They are wonderful young men and I feel so
lucky to have met them. And Rolf, Miranda’s husband is a total
sweetheart. So here’s to all of our wonderful friends, and our happy
experiences.

Have a loving your life day.

Finding joy in my blog. Thank you my friends.

 

After Breakfast

Black marker on bond paper

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

I was once told by an art blog adviser never to talk
about joy because it's too corny. It might have been good
advice -- when? Five years ago? I'm not sure, but it
doesn't hold up now.  Those of us who have come through
the first couple of years of the pandemic alive, who are 

not in an area of severe flooding, or famine, or wild
hurricane damage, are well aware of the importance of
joy, and how hard it is to find. I'm sharing a post I wrote
on the subject in 2017.  It made me happy to find it today on
another hard day, and the drawing of one of my all time
favourite sources of joy -- a beautiful hotel room service

breakfast with my sweetheart.

"Joy (or happiness if you like) is most potent in the

heart of hard times.  When you lift your eyes up 

out of sorrow and look around, it's there waiting 

for you.  I think perhaps it's the force of nature

saying -- "Look! Look at me! I'm always here 

to make you happy."  

These are harsh times in many ways.  The news

is brutal.  Anxiety is rocketing, and instead of

crawling back under the covers, joy beckons us

to keep going, call a friend, and make our

voices heard, donate, volunteer and join

a vast joyous choir across this beautiful planet. 

What do you do to express your joy?  Do you paint, 

write letters to friends (or politicians), spend time 

with family, or go for a walk?  I'd love to hear your ideas."

What do I do? I come here and spend time with you. I 
call a dear friend or two, and I settle into read a book,
and dream big. 

Have figuring-out-the-joy day.

Beautiful weather, a hard day's work -- and 10 (11) reasons to be happy

Coffee with milk in
a cup
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(This painting seems perfect
for today.  And I like that it
went to live in
Texas with my friend, 
the artist Susan Carlin.)  

Whenever I get down, or stressed I remember an exercise that
I learned, and taught when I taught Positive Psychology. You've
seen it here before.  But today was one of those hard working
days when you just wish the world would give you a break.
As a happiness teacher, this exercise really works. So here 
goes.

10 Reasons to be Happy 

1.  It was a beautiful day and I sat out on the
back porch looking at the sky for a few minutes.
2. I am happy because I have a loving husband.
3. I am happy because I have a loving family.
4.  I am happy because I have kind, funny friends around
the world.
5.  I am happy because I'm an artist, and I love making art.
6. I'm happy that I get to teach, and that I meet amazing people
every year in that job -- even with one night a week.
7. I'm happy that I live in Canada -- deliriously happy about that.
8. I'm happy that I've learned how to be happy, and am
still learning, and think I will learn more, and more for the
rest of my life. And I'm grateful for all that my blog friends
and Instagram, and Facebook friends have taught me on the subject
9. I'm happy that I've learned to love myself enough to
choose only to be with kind and happy people.
10. I'm happy that I don't believe in horoscopes, superstition
or most dogma.
11.  I'm happy that I love to read and I have a wonderful
novel.

Have a helping yourself be happy day.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Flowers from our garden on the
kitchen table

My Happy Thanksgiving wish to you.

Happy Thanksgiving
Photo
Barbara Muir © 

We had a delicious meal. Steven cooked all weekend, and then...
our whole family was sick.  So sad.  But we dressed up ourselves,
dressed up and set the kitchen table, and had a Happy Thanksgiving
dinner, complete with home made pie, turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes,
salad, home made cranberry jelly. Amazing. (Not in that order.)

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. 

5 reasons I'm grateful

Pegann's flowers

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2009

(Pegann was a wonderful woman

who used to sell flowers at the

Brickworks Market in Toronto.

We haven't seen her for a

few years.  I hope she's well.)

For us tomorrow is Canadian Thanksgiving.  One great thing about
having written more than 3,000 blog posts is that I frequently come
upon work I'd forgotten, like the painting I'm showing you today. I enjoy
thinking about what I'm grateful for all the time, but this weekend is about
reflecting on what's great about our lives:

1. I'm grateful for my wonderful family. Thank you for your love.

2. I'm so happy to have wonderful, kind, supportive, funny friends.

3. I'm grateful for my health. 

4. I feel so lucky to be an artist, and to be part of a vibrant worldwide
     arts community.

5. Every day the news makes me more, and more aware about how
    lucky I am to live in Canada.

What are you grateful for? Even in the midst of an ongoing pandemic,
I feel so glad that I have an optimistic nature. Thank you Mommy
for teaching me that skill.  

Have a great Thanksgiving Day Canada. 

The art of the apple

Freshly made applesauce
created today

Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

The good thing about living with, and loving a driven human
being when it comes to making food, is that you reach the 
freezing cold of February (we're getting a hint of that today)
with canned peaches that taste like they were fresh picked. 
And today the artistic focus is on applesauce, which is quite the
production. 

There's the cleaning, the chopping, boiling the apples,
and heating of the jars, then putting all of the mixture through
a Foley Food Mill -- hand pressing the applesauce through by 
turning the blade. OMG!

The result is delicious -- no sugar -- so if you get a gift of a jar, and
like yours sweet, you'll have to add it.  And there it will be for
Thanksgiving dinner, and all of the upcoming (masked, or rapid
tested) celebrations.

Have an enjoying the art of the day, day.