Monday, November 3, 2008

Sleep please

The concept of settling into some quiet inactivity as
we get older seems really strange to me. My life seems
to crank up to the next level every couple of weeks, so
there is more and more, and more to do. I'm not complaining,
clearly I like it that way. But give me a break --
if I clean the house at all, teach, paint, read, feed the
cats, pat the dog, walk the dog, make dinner, have
intelligent conversations with my husband, remember
to call the kids.... where's the slow down?

Each year around my birthday I look back and think
"Now that was a crazy busy year!" and then boom it
all begins again.

So tonight after a really exciting day at school,
and truly great student presentations, (one of the
skills I'm teaching at the moment) I am ready to
sleep. I wish I could sleep through tomorrow
too, so I wouldn't have to wake up until the
American election was over. Then I'd know,
can I celebrate, or do I get into my bunker?
Just kidding. I don't have a bunker. Just
a basement with a TV. Good enough.



Art workshop sketch
18 x 14 inches

acrylic on watercolour paper

The image today is a sketch I did during an
art workshop. I used reference from another
painting. The face is not right, but the colour
is one of my favorite combinations.
The warm ground makes the blue and
red pop.

Have a out-of-your-bunker day.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi Barbara, must be the nature of our middle years that time constantly accelerates. Makes it hard to find time for contemplation and our art. Yet...

Must say that I am greatly concerned about the outcome of our election here. If we can possible make a step towards hope and justice here...my hopes are we elect Obama and that we find some peace and balance here, to say the least.

take care,
mic

Melinda said...

Barbara,
I'm betting on celebration! Let's envision a dusty bunker that is never visited again!

Really. We just can't take any more of the same.

Looking forward to a happy, dreamy Wednesday...

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Mic,

Peace and balance -- right on. We sure need that as people and as artists.

Take good care of yourself,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

I'll visualize that with you, goodbye bunker.

Take care,

Barbara

Theresa Rankin said...

I could not agree more!! But I also believe that we create the life we want.....so for you and I and millions more....we like it that way. It is exasperating and frenzied at times...but that is the trade off. One of the things I don't do anymore is dust....if I did I would not be able to put things back in place. I need the little dust patterns to coax my brain into remembering where everything goes! A birthday???? when????? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Theresa,

I'm a Halloween baby. You're right, I do like to be busy. I love people, and painting is a bit solitary (unless
the model's there), so that's why I teach.

But we all have our days. I like the
idea of leaving the dust. But with two cats and a dog, that dust can turn into a new housing development overnight.

Take care,

Barbara

Liza Hirst said...

I don't know how you manage to do all that and then find time to paint on top of it! I am in awe...

Barbara Muir said...

Thanks Liza,

I'm afraid I don't always juggle my life all that well. Keep smiling.
That's my motto.

Take care,

Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!