A day for memories

 

Wonder Water Image #6

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 

It's a day for medical procedures for a family member.  All is well.
I've done some sketching, but it's unlikely that I will get to paint
today. I came upon this portrait I did as part of my ocean series.
It showed in the Florence Biennale.  I am working on a portrait
now (not today), and I am happy to have come upon this one 
again because I love it.

The painting is of a brilliant woman, the daughter of a friend.
I've been asked about doing portraits lately, and this work
embodies what I was explaining that I want to do when
I paint someone.  I want to honour them -- to make them happy
with the result.  And of course I want to be happy too.  I am 
delighted with this portrait -- one my favourite works,
and part of so many wonderful experiences. It's been
shown in Florence, Italy, in New York City, and here in
Toronto.

Have a loving your life day!

The other part of the job

 

Flowers for my father

pencil crayon on paper

21 1/2 x 26 inches

Barbara Muir ©
(the drawing was photographed
through glass because it's
framed.)

Oddly enough, I looked at my blog from this time last year, and I was doing the
same thing that I’m doing today. I am so grateful to the wonderful friend helping
me add to my website, and my Instagram posts. I know I'm very lucky indeed.

It was a wonderful weekend, and I’m so happy that the No Jets Toronto protest
worked, and got enough people to sign the Federal government survey about the
Billy Bishop airport to have the federal transportation minister cancel the plans
for expansion. I wish I could’ve been at the rally yesterday to celebrate that win.
Amazing. It looked so cool. With boats out in the water, and everyone holding
signs saying no to the proposal.

So back to work -- wishing you a wonderful week. Thank you so much
for your support.

Have a loving your life day!

Message from last year on a busy day

 

Video of me talking about 

Georgia Fullerton's GASP exercise.

It has been a busy and tiring day.  I'm about to have supper with my 
sweetheart (my husband Steven), and I'm almost recovered from my
eye surgery last Monday.  I found both a video and a post that moved

me.  I sometimes feel so down about the world that it's hard to be
creative. We've had a major win this week with the public making 
it clear that we don't want the Billy Bishop airport expansion on
Toronto island. But still this older post (lightly edited) applies"

"The news is, and has been hard for months.  I feel powerless reading
about wars, famine, politicians fighting for positions, instead of demanding 
ceasefires, (and fires in our country and many others), and that food goes
to the people who are starving to death, that we take
care of the environment. Plus as artists, we still need to create.  It is our
purpose to use our abilities even when things are so grim.  

It was a beautiful day here, if way too hot, and I found a post from a few,
years ago with a very bad video by me about how Georgia Fullerton's
GASP methodis somewhat magical, and worked for me. Forgive the
terrible quality of the video. To put it mildly I am not a techy.

"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 (which by the way continues.  Now add measles

and RSV.  Close friends just had COVID) has shut a lot of
artists down.  We keep trying, but the impetus to paint has been
impacted by the facts -- so many galleries being closed, rare
meetings with other artists. 

On June 26 (a few years ago) 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."

Have a loving your life day.

One story tonight

 

Aerial view of Billy Bishop Island Airport

This is a copy of a post by

Jeffrey P. Jones on Facebook

Jeffrey P. Jones added this explanation. Steven and I both filled in a Transport Canadapublic survey about expanding the Billy Bishop, which currently only deals with small planes. Our Ontario Premier Doug Ford wanted to expand the airport into a major airport accepting 10, million people per year. But 87,000 of us filled in the very skewed survey (which slanted towards making us accept the idead),and said, "No don't do it, this is an insane idea," (phrased much more discreetly of course. We held our breath, and then I read this announcement.

Tomorrow there is a No Jets Toronto walk along Lake Ontario across from the island to celebrate this win. Fingers crossed the win lasts. The parks along Lake Ontario's waterfront are beautiful, and the city needs them. As an artist who loves being near water, and frequently takes walks along the lake, I need these parks.

Here's the announcement shortened by me.

"The federal government has rejected a plan to expand Billy Bishop City Airport in Toronto. Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon issued a statement on Friday saying that he would not proceed with the expansion plan suggested by Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

“We will always work collaboratively with our partners in studying the region’s connectivity needs and protecting the interests of local residents,” MacKinnon wrote.

“However, we will not pursue any plans that infringe on treasured public spaces like Little Norway Park or Hanlan’s Point Beach, result in elevated noise, have significant environmental impacts, or hinder Toronto’s ability to build much-needed housing,” he added.

The minister’s comments come on the heels of public consultations which ended Friday after a two-week period and elicited more than 87,000 responses."

So Steven and I are happy tonight, and so are many of our neighbours.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Monthaversary of our wedding!

 

Heart in the sand
B.M. (Barbara Muir)
Loves
S.v.S. (Steven van Schaik)
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022
(The sand is the red sand on the
 beach we love in Nova Scotia
on the Northumberland Strait.)

It is the Monthaversary of our wedding. My blog was messed up, 
and I apologize. I am not a techie, even though I use technology
and love it.  

Today we are working -- me painting, and Steven in his office
downstairs, and then we'll have a candlelight dinner and toast
one another. It's a beautiful day, so perhaps we'll get to walk
by the lake.

This love heart in the sand is from several summers ago, drawn
on the beach I can't wait to see when we go back to Nova
Scotia this fall.  And yes we know we're lucky to be in love.
Wishing you a happy day, and wonderful weekend.

Have a loving your life day.

Missing Florence

 

View from our apartment terrace when

I stayed in Florence the first time

I exhibited in the Florence Biennale in 2009.

There was a church right against

our building, and that's the Duomo

in the distance.

photo

Barbara Muir © 2009

 It is a beautiful day in Toronto today, but for some reason I am feeling
nostalgic about my time in Florence. Florence was such a beautiful city. 
And I met one of my best friends at the 2015 Florence Biennale--the
wonderful Dutch artist Miranda Brouwers.

Here's what I wrote about Florence in a former blog:

"When I taught positive psychology, I taught my classes to carry a little

sign that said Today, and to make a list of what they wanted to do that
day, and cross things off as they did them.  What I didn't say is that
when unexpected wonderful opportunities come your way, take
part in them if at all possible." 

Next time I'd be sure to add that advice. Going to Florence in 2009
and 2015 to take part in the Florence Biennale was so fantastic. 
I saw this photo and had to include it on this very beautiful day.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Anniversary of our first date

 Me and Steven,
Photo
Barbara Muir ©

Happy Anniversary of our first date to Steven. We were so lucky to fall in love
from the first moment of our first date, and to stay that way ever since.  Yes of
course we argue, we are not perfect.  But the love we feel for each other is a 
wonderful gift.

Thank you to everyone who has made our life together wonderful.  Thank you
to my sweet family, and to our friends. We are extremely grateful for this
sweet life.

Have a loving your life day!