I like this now, and working on the behind the scenes

 

Toronto Man

Charcoal, acrylic ink, and

acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

I showed this Acrylic ink drawing on canvas in the Drawing from
Life show last year at the Heliconian Hall. At the time I was not
happy with it compared to the sketchbook drawing that inspired it. 
I like it now. 

The man is wearing a trench coat, because last year at this point
in the winter we had had mostly rain.  This year in January alone

we've had 88 centimetres of snow.  And that's a lot.

Behind the scenes in art for me? -- preparing canvasses with two
layers of gesso, searching through my references for inspiration,

organizing an art show. All good.

Anyway Toronto Man -- thank you for being an inspiration.

Have a loving your life day.

A short one tonight -- Happy rest of the week

 Ken's flowers

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Sold

A lot going on today -- plus painting, but the current piece is not
quite ready.  I dug my car out of the snow, which was quite a 
task.  Plus after work Steven helped me with the rest.  Hey I got
my steps -- so great.  

There will be more to say soon.  We're trying to organize an
April show.  Still a few details to sort out.

Have a loving your life day!

Snow, snow, snow

 

Snow in the backyard

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2026

A couple of days ago we had two feet of snow. Although it makes
many things more difficult, it's a good thing because in recent
winters we've had almost no snow in Toronto, and that is not 
good for the environment.  We need winter.

So despite the cold, and the inconvenience, Torontonians are of two minds, because they have no idea when it will disappear.  I haven't dug my car out yet, but the side roads are not much fun right now.  Two lanes don't exist, so each trip is a matter of intense negotiation.

Here’s a look at the backyard in this beautiful snow. Of course we
artists are enchanted, but it sure is cold.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday to a great person and allow yourself to be happy

Market pansies in a cream jug
work in progress
Acrylic ink and marker
on watercolour paper
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

Today was an amazingly beautiful day after 2 feet of snow fell yesterday.
And today was our young family member's birthday. We're glad she's
a winter freak, and had a wonderful day!

I'm thinking about happiness because aside from constantly finding in
research that it's good for your health, it feels like a form of resistance
now.  As I say every time I express this, I mean that if we are living in
comfort -- have a roof over our heads, food to eat, enough money to
pay our bills -- we are blessed in a world full of turmoil, and need to
be grateful.

As artists our rebellion involves sharing the beauty we see. As people
we can rebel by doing everything we can to help others, and by
appreciating our joy.

It feels like a good moment to share this information from
a former post.  I taught positive psych as a college prof for
10 years.  Loved it and learned so much. I edited this a 
bit for the current moment.

"The Happiness Trick

Is there a trick to happiness?  Yes.  People have written books
about how.  But there is a secret to being happy.  We have to
allow it.  I heard about this phenomenon called the "Nocebo
response".  In medicine it is related to telling a patient that
they will not get better. This message apparently has such a
profound effect on the person's mind that she shuts the door
on hope, and may get rapidly worse.

My great happiness magic for today is to talk yourself out of
it.  Of the depression you could get because in this city many of
our cars are buried in snow banks, and digging them out takes a 
long time. It's been quite grey but today it was quite sunny for a while in

Toronto. And in painting of the fear that you can't do it.

Try this.  Instead of freaking out about what you can't do,
start with "This is easy!"  Just repeat that a few times, and
watch your shoulders quit tightening into a vice grip.
As for painting or drawing -- we need to take a look at how
tough things are in the world, and let ourselves know how lucky
we are to be compelled to make something, and to have the
 freedom to create."

Have a loving your life day!

They weren't kidding about the snow

Snowy day in Toronto
iPad drawing
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2019

Today the snow in Toronto is not a joke.  The weather people
projected 15 1/2 inches of snow, and I think we've got at least

that.  We've shovelled, neighbourhood kids shovelled agaiin,
and still the snow on our sidewalk to the house is about a foot

deep.

We had a wonderful family pre-birthday nonetheless, and it
feels wonderful to come inside after being out in the deep
landscape.

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Monthaversary of our wedding day!

 

Steven and me in the lights
of Times Square in 2015.
We love New York City,
and hope to visit sometime
again when things change.  

Today is our Monthaversary of
our wedding day.

No we weren't in Times Square.

We were here in Toronto in

the freezing cold.

It's our Monthaversary of our wedding anniversary.  So what did we do?  
We went to the market this morning.  Our farmer we order everything
from is off for health reasons, so we met some new people.  The ride

through Rosedale Valley Road going home is exceptionally beautiful
with the trees and snow.

Thinking about happiness with so much frightening news, I found
this list of how I work on having a good day:

1.  Making a list of six things I want to accomplish in the day
really helps me to get them done.

2. If I write 2 - 3 pages in a journal, and do a sketch in my journal
I feel like the day has begun well.

3. Drinking a lot of coffee. Minimum 3, maximum 5.

4. Taking time to read.

5. Looking at what other people are doing creatively on Instagram, 

and YouTube.

6. Going into the studio, turning on music I like, and painting.

I have music I like on now while I write this.  So music helps
with so many things. 

Have a loving your life day!

Thursday in the freezing cold -- concentrating on being happy

 

The feeling of pink
Acrylic on birch panel 
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2019

It seems like the ideal day to try an exercise I used to do with
my positive psychology class -- 10 reasons to be happy.

So here goes -- it's minus 15 Celsius here, feels like minus

25. That's cold my friends.

So here we go:

10 Reasons to be happy

1. I did a good drawing today.

2. Instead of walking I stayed inside reading and planning.
It was still a bit chilly.

3. Our brilliant red Amaryllis bloomed again. Two huge 
flowers opened up today.

4. I got a wonderful card from my friend in The Netherlands
to celebrate that we've been friends for 10 years.  We met at The
Florence Biennale, and we talk once a week.

5. I have a couple of great books to read.

6.  Our dinner was delicious.

7. We have heat and hydro.

8. I have a sweet husband who loves me.

9. I'm planning some art shows for this year, and feel so excited. 

10. It's time to go and watch our delightful TV show with our animal
family (a cat and a dog.)

Have a loving your life day!