The art of warm

If the halo fits
black marker on bond paper
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

I've been really cold for the past two weeks, one in Florence
(sorry) and the other here. In fact although our house is
heated in theory, and our apartment in Florence did not
have central heat -- in our bedroom where I write to you,
it is as cold as it was in Florence.

Which is why (I can hear the English teachers -- never start
a sentence with which), I went to Ikea today (didn't get to the
one in Florence) and bought a new ultra thick duvet. So how
does this connect to art? As my mother keeps asking me about
my blog. Sitting in Ikea with my friend eating a delicious
inexpensive lunch and reminiscing about the visit Steven and
I made to Stockholm in 2006, I thought about Fra Angelico's
halos. What was cool about them was that when he painted
haloed beings from behind, the halo didn't circle the back
of their heads, but disappeared in front of the person.
My friend and I talked about how to do lettering
on a halo, and she was thinking maybe acetate letters over
gold leaf. Aha we said together. Cool. Deep art in Ikea.

My drawing tonight is of one of my favorite models,
Shaneice. If there was a word in her halo, it would
be reading, an almost saintly activity.

Still much to do before Christmas.

Have a thinking-about-reading day.