Monday, August 3, 2009

The importance of light



The Promise
acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(I'm posting this again because it has
not ever been shown properly here.)


One of the things I really enjoy about our blogging community
is the way we teach one another how to do things. This
painting is going to be my catalogue work in the Florence
Biennale in December, and the photo I sent in does not do the work
justice. My bad as they say. The other day after reading
peoples' comments on how their photos did not compliment
their work, I took this painting outside to photograph it. It
was a brilliant, sunny day and I propped it up in the shade and
took the shots. Wow! I thought, this is an even better painting
than I knew!

Now come on, you've got to forgive me. Sometimes we have
to enjoy a tiny moment of pride. And I had my fall last year with
the broken ankle if you remember. I do absolutely love this painting,
because it does everything I'd like to accomplish all the time. I love
the colour (which I realized I'd never seen properly because she
was a winter creation, and my house, even with great lighting
cannot compete with a summer's day for light.) So I'm giving her to
you again.

Thanks for all that you're teaching me. It's impossible to
photograph work outside in the winter, or even in the fall and
spring when wind might whip a bigger work like this around
like a sail. But on the perfect summer day, I'll be taking more
of my work out.

Have an enjoying-your-work-in-good-light day.

at

10 comments:

  1. Liza HirstAugust 3, 2009 at 1:18 PM

    Yes, it is beautiful, Barbara!
    I have experienced that sensation myself - sometimes when I wasn't very pleased with a painting I'd done, I realized that it was much later and darker than I thought and that I simply wasn't seeing it in the right light anymore - time flies by so quickly when you paint! And then in good light - ah! there's what I thought I was painting!

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  2. Karen BrusonAugust 3, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    Barbara, Love the blues in the dress. It is just lovely.

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  3. Gwen BellAugust 3, 2009 at 9:17 PM

    Thank you so much for the encore, Barbara! This is spectacular! Her face is so gorgeous and the expression is so delightful. Love your use of primary colors to surround her and bring the focus front and center. Really breathtakingly beautiful!

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  4. Barbara MuirAugust 3, 2009 at 10:33 PM

    Hi Liza,

    Thanks so much. The crazy thing was I was perfectly happy with it not knowing how it looked in proper light. But now! Silly me. We've been listening to Winnie the Pooh in the car, and I have to say --"silly old Bear!" only it's silly old me.

    xoxoxoxoxBarbara

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  5. Barbara MuirAugust 3, 2009 at 10:35 PM

    Hi Karen,

    Thanks I'm so glad you like it.

    I was working in the dark, but that was still okay.

    Take care,

    Barbara

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  6. Barbara MuirAugust 3, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    Hi Gwen,

    I'm reading this very late in a hotel room in Fredericton while Steven watches Jon Stewart talk about American Health Care scares. To us this whole scare campaign is bizarre.
    I'm glad you like my painting.



    xoxoxoxBarbara

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  7. AnonymousAugust 4, 2009 at 4:08 AM

    it's a beautiful painting Barbara.Glad you were able to get a good shot of it to show us all.

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  8. Barbara MuirAugust 4, 2009 at 9:24 AM

    Hi Sally,

    Thanks so much. I hope you're having a fun vacation.

    Heading to Pugwash today.

    Take care,

    Barbara

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  9. Mitzi EasleyAugust 5, 2009 at 7:10 PM

    She is stellar Barbara - well done!

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  10. julie davisAugust 17, 2009 at 8:21 AM

    It IS gorgeous, Barbara--I love that you found a spot with good light outside--it does often make a difference.

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Your thoughts and positive comments make my day. Thank you for stopping by.