Happy Birthday -- David Cohen

Silver salad servers at work

Black marker and watercolour

on Fabriano watercolour paper

4 x 5 1/4 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017

On March 1 as I was getting ready to go to bed, thinking
about teaching, and the three large paintings I'm working
on, and at least a dozen other topics I stopped mid-thought,
and said out loud -- "Tomorrow is David Cohen's
birthday -- March 2!"

That might not seem remarkable to you, but I don't remember
anybody's birthday.  Okay my own close family.  And maybe
that's how David ranks -- because I've been friends with his
beautiful, talented wife pretty much all my life.  I could
easily call her and David family.  David is a brilliant writer,
a passionate activist for every cause that matters, and a
wonderful, kind and loving person.

So Steven and I and our dog Sally (who David loves) sang
Happy Birthday to David over the phone, and we all enjoyed
it.

A few years ago I put this painting of a salad on the blog for
David. It seemed appropriately festive.  Steven makes a
magnificent salad on his night to make dinner
(we alternate nights, although he does more than his share).
I usually serve what remains of his salad on my nights, because
I hastily heat something up for dinner, and don't enjoy cooking.

Tonight was my teaching night, and although I did paint
today, the work is at a very early stage.  So enjoy the salad.

Have an enjoying your salad days day.

March -- the month of exuberance and expectation

Detail -- The Stars that Shine

3 x 4 feet

Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 2020

Tonight I'm showing you a small detail of one of the paintings

I'm working on this month.  These are peaches on peach trees.
The painting is a large portrait of a mother and baby I started
about six years ago.  I don't know why I didn't finish it,
but suddenly I want to, and I know I can.  Ideas of what to
do keep flooding into my mind, and what seemed much too hard
now seems like no big deal.

Strange in art isn't it, how that can happen?  Sometimes a
word changes everything.  I came up with the title for the
peace -- The Stars that Shine, and I knew exactly what to do.
So you will see more.

I wish you a wonderful and healthy March. I may condense
this title to the Month of Change.  But you know what I mean.
And speaking of peaches, my wonderful husband put up
a bunch of jars of peaches last fall, and I am enjoying them
as often as possible.  Yum.

Have a loving your life day.

Moving into spring and thoughts of travel

Salad for two at the MoMA

Black marker and watercolour on drawing paper

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

We talked about travelling today -- do we want to?  Of course we do.  In some

ways this is just dreaming because both of us have so much work to do.

And our family is here, both in the house and in the city.  So. Going through

my old photos looking for a particular image for a large painting I'm

completing I found this sweet watercolour of lunch at the MoMA.  I used

to absolutely love the restaurant at the MoMA in New York City.  It

looked out through glass windows onto a huge open section which let 

the customers inside see beyond the space to the city.  So exciting.

I love travelling, and got invited to show in Spain today.  I would love

to go there, but the reality is that travel is expensive. I will probably be

teaching one night a week, and it's still a very exciting idea. 

Sometimes at night when I'm sleeping I give myself permission to walk

out of the doors of my hotel in Paris, across the Seine on the Pont des Arts,

over to the Louvre, or just down the street to the  Maison De Haute Couleur
Charvin art store, or around the corner to the café with the waiter Moustafa 
who served us two of the best omelettes I've ever eaten.  In the morning I wake
up in my own bed. Steven brings me coffee while I read my book, and I'm so 
happy to be home.

Have a traveling in your mind day.

Happy Birthday to my Dad -- I owe so much to you

My Dad (from his own self portrait photograph)

Charcoal on Canson Mixed Media paper

13 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017

This is my father's birthday -- but he hasn't been around to celebrate 

for years.  I miss him.  As I said in an earlier post, this was my Dad's

relaxed outfit.  He was a very dressed up person.  He would 

probably be shocked at my indoor clothes, mostly worn for painting
 -- covered with paint, dog and cat hair.

I love everything my father taught me.  I most definitely walk in his

footsteps.  He was a very strict father for small children -- but as

we grew, he enjoyed us more and more.  I think I described our

connection best a few years ago, so I'll quote myself:

"It's appropriate on this almost last day of the Month
of Love to think about the meaning of love on
a deep level.  And here's what I know.  Not only
is my father visible in my face, and in my way
of talking, my love of humour, and the fact that
I have been both a journalist and an artist, like him. 
But the main connection I have with my Dad is in my
heart.

The powerful message he would like me to convey
if he were alive on this the final day of the Month
of Love, is that love lasts.  It never goes away.  And
my Dad's love for me, and mine for him is a
wonderful thing, and always will be for me.

Isn't that comforting to know?  I think so."

Have a loving the people in your world day.

Don't go February! -- Thoughts on happiness and winter

End of a perfect day (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

The painting I'm showing you tonight is a work in progress.
I know some painters can paint really quickly on a small
work.  I am not that artist.  This is more of the clouds I love, at the
end of a summer's day.  I love summer, but I'm really enjoying
this winter so far.

I have had a good February. Lots of walks with a dear
friend and her very obedient dog. Great conversations with
artists all over the world. Paintings in two shows in New York
City. Plus a fun trip to Ottawa, Canada with my darling to see
family and friends.

As a Valentine's Day fan, I feel happy when the house is
decorated with sweet red hearts for the day and the month.

The look of winter on a sunny day is every bit as
beautiful as summer in the same light -- it's just not as warm.
(the operant word is layers -- big time.)  In summer you
see many more colours.  I know it's beautiful, but winter
gets me too.

Sigh.  Deep breath, welcome March in a few days --
and  of course the excitement of spring coming. I know
I'll love it.

Have a loving where you are day.

The joy of flowers in the Month of Love

Late evening tulips 

Acrylic on birch panel

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

SOLD ♥

Through every season, flowers are a necessity for me.
I paint them, I revel in their presence, I need them,
-- they are an essential part of my life.  It's great
in summer when we can just go outside and pick them,
but in winter they are such a supreme delight.

For reasons I can't explain I am very tired tonight on this
the 26th day of The Month of Love.  It has been a
snow coming down day (after almost no snow this month)
that makes me think of sleep, and want to curl up with a good
book (got one).

I love this painting and am so glad it sold to an appreciative
collector a couple of years ago.  At that time I was trying to
paint one of the biggest paintings I've ever created. Then I broke
my wrist tripping on my cat, one night when I got home
from class.  My husband was away. Not good.

But you know what got me through the night until I
went to the emergency ward?  The gorgeous flowers in
our house. Today I'm appreciating how nice it is to be
healthy, whole and happy.  And to have flowers -- an
Amaryllis coming out -- tulips.  Now it's Nap time.

Have a loving your life day.

Great night with my art group

Art hero (art group sketch)

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 16 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

We had a wonderful model tonight -- he looked like a 

superhero. I worked for just over an hour on this, and it 

came together so easily, because the model knew how to

hold a pose and stay interested in what was happening.

I'm so sorry I didn't get his name.  He was funny too.
Grilling us about celebrities.  So here's my art group
painting sketch from tonight.  Thank you to the
marvellous model.

And thank you to the DVAC art group for being fun and
engaging, and making me want to go and work with
them at the end of the day.

Have a doing what you love day.