Miss you Chloe

                         Before the Dance in the White Dress                     

 Acrylic on canvas

 24 x 24 inches

 Barbara Muir © 2008

After the Dance in the White Dress
Acrylic on canvas
 24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2008

My niece Chloé died suddenly on this day 8 years ago.
She was beautiful, kind, intelligent -- a wonderful young
woman.

She posed for these two portraits in my Dance Series, and
I will be grateful to her for doing that forever.

Miss you Chloé. We loved you so much.

Love the people in your life! 

The beauty of flowers

Joyous Anemones

an Inktober drawing

Black marker on
Canson Mixed Media paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

What with one thing and another we didn't really finish our garden 
this year.  But the anemones, which a friend warned me are 
invasive (thank goodness for that) are at the height (taller than
me at 5'4 inches -- probably six feet) of their glory.  So incredibly
beautiful that every peak out the back door, or coffee on the back
porch makes us think that somehow things will turn out right.

I'm working on a painting I'm enjoying.  Decisions come swift and
happily.  Plus a wonderful person helped me organize a critical 
set of shelves in my studio. How satisfying it is to see a little 
order in the chaos of my creative space.

One of the smartest things Steven and I did a couple of years ago,
was take a year round white wicker couch off our neighbour's lawn
when she was throwing it out.  We put it under a couple of 
trees with low branches. And when we sit there in our small
yard we have a fantastic view of the huge gorgeous trees growing
up the street, and a feeling of complete privacy.

Nature really does help us in this very strange time in the world.

Have a loving your life day! 

I love Inktober

 

Me as a child
Self portrait journal sketch

Marker on journal paper

5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

I learned about Inktober a few years ago. I've never officially joined,
and don't need prompts, but I love drawing or sketching with a marker.
This sketch is of me as a little girl.  I like it. I think you can
see how shy I was, and also a hint of my determination to keep
going.  That's something that comes and goes, so I appreciate
that it was there when I was a little kid. I think I'm two or three
in this drawing inspired by a small photo taken by one of my parents.

Today I had a wonderful day working on a painting for a future show.  I'd been
thinking about it for a week, so it was so much fun to draw it on the canvas,
and then start painting. Wonderful.

At the end of the work day Steven and I went down to walk by the lake.
It was magnificent there, and it was a beautiful walk.

Have a loving your life day!

Here it is -- my quick art group sketch

Art group sketch

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir © 2025

Here it is.  It's been a crazy busy day, so I didn't have time to do more 
than put more gold on the halo.  Thank you to the wonderful
model last night -- Michra Joseph.  I felt so motivated.  I was on fire
with delight for the 35-40 minutes I had to paint her.

Have a loving your life day!

A Magnificent Day

 

A beautiful day at

Sir Casimir Gzowski Park

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2025

Steven was delighted to find out this morning that he had a day off.  Today 
is a holiday in Canada in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

So we went down to sit by the lake and enjoy the beauty. 

Tonight we had a super model at our art group who is actually a professional
fashion model Michra Joseph.  If I spelled it wrong Michra, please correct
me.  She is a fabulous model. I had about 35 minutes to get a portrait done,
and it is close to complete, but I don't have time to spend a few more minutes
on it tonight, so I will tomorrow and I'll show you then.

Have a loving your life day!

This painting went home today

 Apples on a fancy dish

watercolour on Arches 

watercolour paper

with black marker

12 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 

This painting -- done quite a few years ago -- went home today
to a sweet collector, The Blue Jays won yesterday, and I tidied a
couple of bookcases with excellent help.  We took the books to local
small book libraries set up on neighbourhood lawns.  And all in
all an awesome day.  

Now the studio gets tidied. And I begin some exciting new
work. 

Have a loving your life day

The opening for Georgia Fullerton's exhibitiion at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

Happiness Expression

Gouache and ink on paper

Georgia Fullerton © 2025 

(This is one of my favourites.  Forgive

the bad photo with the photographer

reflected in the glass.)

Georgia sharing her happiness about

her solo show with the audience

earlier today.

Today Steven and I went to Oshawa to see the opening of Georgia
Fullerton's exquisite exhibition Being In and Moving Through at
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.  

It was a super opening with visitors from Georgia's university
days, art collectors, fans and gallery visitors.  Georgia delivered
a great, moving, funny, warm speech, explaining her 
inspiration, and process, and thanking everyone who had helped get
the exhibition up and running -- including her daughter India 
who was in the audience, and proud of her mother.

If you're in the Oshawa area, make sure to visit the exhibition.  It's
a beautiful show in a superb gallery.

Have a loving your life day.