My art group picks it up

 Guinevere

Acrylic on canvas

14 x 20 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

This year the art group I belong to, the Don Valley
Art Club, had the rug pulled out from under
them.  The environmental group that took over
The Brickworks, where the club of 170 members
had worked for years, decided to up the rent.  We
had a large studio, great washrooms, good
lighting and equipment.  But as is true with many
art clubs, a good percentage of club members are not
wealthy, and quadrupling the rent meant that the club
would have to multiply its fees by the same amount.

Most of our members could not support the extra
expense.  So after a lot of discussion and negotiations
we have moved our studios in with
another city art group.  The Forest Hill Art Group is
allowing us to use their space in the Forest Hill
Library.  I attended last night for a little while,
and did this painting of the model Guinevere.  She
was lovely.  So were the members of the Forest Hill
Group who were there.  A big thank you to Forest
Hill for welcoming our members.

Have a  keep-on-painting-together day.

(The first post on this topic written July 13, 2011) End of an era with the Don Valley Art Club

 You're joking

Graphite on Moleskine paper

5 x 9 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

Last night I headed out to my art group to the Tuesday
night life session.  I've been so busy for a few months
that I've rarely been able to attend.  Feeling my spirits
lift I parked the car at the Brickworks (where it was
free to park 6 months ago, and is now pay parking),
and started walking towards the building.  But luckily
I met two fellow members of my group who were heading out
with their equipment in hand.  They told me that the studio
room was locked and no one was there.

Right now the Don Valley Art Club, a  group of 170
artists that's been in existence more than 60 years, and
was promised a permanent home in the Don Valley,
has nowhere to meet.  The reason?  Evergreen, the
environmental group operating the Brickworks property,
and the city, have raised the rent on our studio space so high
that the group, many of whom live frugally, cannot
afford to stay in the space.

After a couple of years of negotiations we find ourselves
out on the street, and unable to offer the five days
a week, and weekends too that we have been enjoying.
A committee is working on getting the city to give us
a new space at a reasonable rate, but so far we've had no
luck.

I drove home feeling quite sad, then did this small sketch
in my Moleskine of a friend, it isn't perfect, but it was
something on a night when I'd hoped to paint with
friends.

Have a helping-art-groups-stay-vital-and-giving-them-space day.

In the middle of the night

 August Colours

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

Billy Joel's song "The river of dreams,"
talks about walking around "in the middle of the night,'
and was one of my favorites by him. We used to sing
this driving in the car with the kids in Nova Scotia when
they were little. Last night at a late hour I started this little
painting.  I was thinking about Róisín O'Farrell, and her
dedication to the painting work day.  My day yesterday was
gone before I knew it to the Phone company trying to hook
up my cell, to bills and household logistics.  When I don't paint
I get antsy, nervous, out of sorts.  So after a great
walk with Steven and Zoey, I concentrated on
beginning.

The nasturtiums in my garden were planted late and
are just hitting their stride.  They're one of my favorite
flowers, and the peaches this season are beyond
delicious.  I just have to look at beautiful peaches and
I want to paint them.  So I put a few on the table with
a lovely little jug of nasturtiums, with a random miniature
petunia, and got out the paints.

I've just finished as much as I'm going to do with it for
now, and I'm very happy.

Have a painting-when-the-mood-strikes-you day.

Doggone it. I love dogs

 

 Barney (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 26 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

Yesterday as I drove around doing the errands with Steven
I mentioned that I love dogs.  We'd just driven by an
older man walking a proud little poodle, and watched a
young guy in his early 20s shuffling along with a big
lab.  In both cases the dogs looked so delighted to be
with their owners out for a walk.  "All dogs?," he asked.
Well in essence yes, but I don't like violent dogs, or dogs
that hurt my dog.  Other than that I do love dogs for the most part.

Why?  I have friends who are so frightened of dogs that I
have to put my old, docile Zoey in the basement when they visit.
I do understand, because I was a little afraid of dogs before
I owned Zoey.  But having a dog has taught me a lot.  Dogs
understand the joy of being outside (except in thunder storms),
and of movement. If a dog can't have a walk, it will invent a game
that gets it moving.  I love visiting my friend and watching her big
black lab place his drool covered ball in her lap, over and over
so that she'll throw it.  Plus for the most part dogs are happy,
and love being with people.  I have two cats too, and before
Zoey came into my life I guess I was 100% a cat person.

All pets involve the work of feeding and taking care of them,
but then, in some ways so does every relationship involve
elements of care -- every relationship that matters.
I promise to write about how much I love my cats sometime
soon. 

Have an enjoying the dogs in your world day

The dog days of summer

 Zoey (my dog) against the beautiful tall grasses in the park

If today is anything to go by we are past the period known
as the "dog days of summer."  This was the period running from
about the second week in July until as late as the 25th of August in Roman
times.  It was so named because that was when the Dog Star, Sirius was
seemed to rise just before the sunrise, and it was thought that the
double brilliance brought on extreme heat and muggy weather.  But it's cooling
down here now.

I asked Zoey to take my picture with the 

grasses so you could see how tall they are,

but this is the best she could do -- not bad for

a dog.  Okay I admit she had some help.

My dog days have been incredibly pleasant, both because my dog,
Zoey and I have taken some awesome walks in the nearby park, and
because I've been painting a delightful commission of my friend
Alen's dog, Barney.

Starting the painting.  Working on an orange ground I 

roughed in the snow around Barney and then began painting.
I am crazy about dogs, so this was a pleasure from start to finish.

Barney (Work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas

24 x 36 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

Slowly adding to the piece, I work by feeling, and thinking 

about what will make the layers of fur look right.

Those eyes are a bit spooky, but that will change tomorrow.

(I took the photos on the easel, so the lighting

is not optimal.)

Barney (Work in progress)

24 x 36 inches
Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 2011

Tomorrow I'll give you more of my progress,
and I'll show you the grand finale in a couple
of days. 

Have an enjoying your canine friends day.

My loving family

 The young actor

Black marker on Canson drawing paper

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

My son's off to school working on his Acting degree.
Most students haven't arrived yet, but he's rehearsing for
an early production to be put on in mid-September.
He seems happy and enthusiastic about the play.  We
set up a time to talk on Skype tonight after supper, and we
were both tired from long days working at what we love.
So we laughed and caught up with one another.
The portrait I'm posting must have been from one of
the more serious moments during our talk.  I kept looking
at the drawing and thinking where have I seen those
features before?  It's fascinating watching young adults
grow into their faces.

Have a talking-to-your-family day.

On Canadians' minds

 Jack Layton

Marker on Canson drawing paper

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011
(The image I used is in many places, but 
I found my reference here.)

Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democratic Party in
Canada, died this week of cancer.  His bravery in continuing
to work and campaign with prostate cancer, to win a
major victory by bringing his party into official
opposition in Canada has moved many, many Canadians
deeply.

So many of my conversations in the last two days have been
with people who were moved by Jack Layton's vision for
a truly democratic Canada, and who knew him personally.
I had dinner tonight with a friend who had campaigned for
Layton twice.  I didn't know him, but it would be hard
not to notice his values, ending violence against women,
saving the environment, and when he got cancer, trying to be
a voice of hope to other people with the disease.

I have been working on commissions, and unable to post them
yet, but I wanted to do a sketch of Jack.  So here it is.
the reaction to Jack Layton's death here is unprecedented.
People wrote notes all over a wall and the entire public
square at city hall in downtown Toronto, and there have
been impromptu memorials and tributes in cities and towns
all over the country.  Layton wrote his final message to Canadians
with the help of his wife and colleagues, just two days before he
died.  His incredible courage, and the love letter to Canadians has
touched the hearts of everyone I know. We sat at the dinner table
the other night listening as the letter was read on CBC, and Steven
and I were deeply moved.  It didn't matter that we'd read the letter
in the morning paper. The words resonated and were touching in
their direct simplicity.

My thoughts are with Jack Layton's wife and family, and I hope
his message to Canadians can galvanize all of us, whatever our
politics to create positive change in how we run our country.