Friendship and movie night

Carol Anne and me

(Journal sketch)
Marker on bond paper
6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2022

I love this sketch of me and my friend Carol Anne, who was my next-door
neighbour when I lived in Ottawa as a child. Carol Anne was feisty, funny
and always had cool ideas. 

I am decidedly not cool, and obviously shy in this image taken no doubt from
one of my father‘s beautiful photographs of the time. One of the things I like
about it is the palm tree brooch that’s holding my sweater together.

I had a very sweet aunt who always brought home gifts when she travelled,
and that enamel pin of palm trees was one of those presents. She was a
sweetheart, and I’m sorry she’s gone.

I have no idea what happened to Carol Anne. I lost touch with my childhood friends in Ottawa for the most part when we moved to Toronto. I hope she’s having
a wonderful life.

Have a loving your life day!

A favourite journal drawing

Journal Sketch
marker on journal paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

Painting whenever I could today – which wasn’t for long. I am still having quite
bad back pain. So today’s blog post. Is going to be short again. 

Thank goodness for the sketches I did on a regular basis in my morning
journals as often as possible. They give me something to share with you today.
Take care of yourselves and I hope you don’t have any back pain, or any
other kind of pain. 

,

Have a loving your life day!

Still recovering

Journal Sketch

marker on journal paper

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

Dealing with a super sore back today, and working on recovering. The heating
bag is my constant companion and seems to work.  I tried going for a walk,
and that didn't work.  At least I did see the exceptionally beautiful day, before
we abruptly turned around, and I went back to bed.

I have been doing my journal pages -- three pages a day -- which helps to get
me organized, plus trying to stay off my devices when possible, actual 
writing helps.  I haven't done much drawing in my journal lately, but I've done
the writing.  Here's what I said in a former post:

"Writing 2 or 3 pages in a journal as I drink my morning coffees (3), and do a quick
sketch, gets my day off to a good start. So I'm trying to keep going. 

I like this sketch of a guy sitting in a café in Paris, because he looks so Parisian --
the elegant scarf, tied the way only Parisian men seem to be able to achieve. And
even his winter coat -- what you can see -- is an elegant wool trench coat. Thinking
about Paris always makes me happy." 

It always makes me and Steven happy too.And surely happiness is part of healing
right? 

Have a loving your life day.

Ready for a new day

 

New Day

Acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

(The painting I was finishing

when the Oprah Winfrey Show

producers called, and asked
me if I'd like to draw Oprah via Skype.

My answer? Yes!) 

This is the portrait I was working on in 2009 when I got the call from
Oprah Winfrey’s people asking me if I’d draw Oprah live via Skype.
To say that was one of the most exciting calls of my life is putting it mildly.

Concentrating a bit too hard on painting the other day. I hurt my back! Big
time. I did not paint today — in fact I spent most of the day in bed with a
heating bag on the sore spot. 

But this painting New Day reminded me of the excitement of possibility.
In the art show I was finishing the painting for in 2009, it got hung beside
an artist charging almost nothing for their work.

But the painting literally was the start of a new day for me. Oprah’s call opened
up the doors of my artistic life. Since then I've been on many TV shows,
shown in Florence, Italy, Paris, France in the Louvre three times, and in
New York City, 10 times, and in California.  My thanks to my wonderful
model Shakoya, and to Oprah Winfrey, who I will be grateful to forever.

My life has been a whirlwind of creation and opportunity. So when this
painting appeared as I scrolled today, I knew it was a message from me
to see things in a new way, and to know I will be fine maybe tomorrow.
I already feel a bit better.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy International Dog Day Sally

 

Sally

Photo
Brigitte Sharpe © 2024

Although my pets – a dog, and a cat might disagree about who is the better pet,
it doesn’t matter. This is International Dog Day. And I think after 12 years in our
family, and one year before we had her during which she had three owners, Sally,
our sweet dog, deserves the recognition today.

So we sang Happy International Dog Day to her to the tune of Happy Birthday and she joined in. Happy Birthday is her favourite song, plus she loves the reward of a dog cookie at the end of the song.

Sally is a beautiful dog, and wonderful to be with, and we love her. She is both blind and deaf at the moment, and somehow manages to stay happy and to love her life --which is super. Happy International Dog Day Sally, and to all dogs.

Have a loving your life day!

Break at the water

Swans on the lake

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2025

Trying to finish two paintings has been my challenge for today. And as so often happens I don’t feel like I’m done. 

Sometimes what works is to get away from the studio and the paintings. So I was delighted when Steven invited me to go and walk beside Lake Ontario, at one of our favourite parks. Fortuitously we ended up having dinner at a restaurant with tables out on the patio facing the lake. So I watched the sunset as I ate an absolutely delicious meal with my Sweetheart. Now back to work!

Have a loving your life day!

Enjoying the day -- our wedding Monthaversary

 

Steven's canned peaches (no sugar)
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2025

It was our Monthaversary of our wedding day today.  And of course we wished each other a Happy Monthaversary. It was a beautiful day -- amazing clouds. I worked on one of my paintings today for an upcoming show.  Last night I froze some fresh, organic peaches from the Farmer's market, and today Steven began the canning process.  The jars of peaches look so beautiful! And next February on a cold, dark day -- fresh summer in a jar.

Tomorrow, more painting and another wonderful week of summer.

Have a loving your life day!