Pansies in a silver bud vase
Pen and ink with coloured pencil
on watercolour paper
81/2 x 11 inches
© Barbara Muir
(date unknown)
I met someone in the park the other day when I
was walking my dog, and realized that we probably
weren't on a wavelength when she said it was good
that I like painting, because I had something to look
forward to....
This statement confused me at first, and I walked
down the path overwhelmed with the thought --
what? But the truth was so far from that sentiment
that I might have required a full orchestra and a movie
crew to describe it. Yes I do have something to look
forward to. I realized as that phrase washed in and out
of my brain that I really, really do! For instance on
that walk, each flower, each leaf, each shade of green,
and brilliantly coloured stem, the sky, the other dogs,
people like the woman I met on the path, every
single bit of it was something to look forward to.
In fact each day, despite the odd bit of fatigue, and
sadness for others, and bone weary sorrow over the
world's ills, and some of our tendencies to not want to
see them, is so filled with things, events, joys, songs,
laughter, love and detail, detail, detail, all absorbing --
that the very phrase left me gobsmacked.
The drawing I'm showing you tonight is of a little
bud vase I used to own, and some pansies showing off
their beauty in that vessel. I love silver I have to admit,
and most things shiny. I recently re-plated a fake gold-plated
charger a friend gave me with real 24 karat gold leaf,
because it had lost its shine.
This drawing is from my early flower drawing sales period.
I am so grateful for that stage of my life, which led me to
watercolour, and classes, which led me to acrylics and classes,
which led me to California, and eventually to Florence and New
York. Do I have something to look forward to???? Uh yes.
So much so that it's hard to go to sleep at night. My
excitement never ends. Thanks for being part of it.
Have an overwhelmingly-exciting-in-a-good-way day.
Stunning, spectacular, gorgeous work, Barbara!
ReplyDeleteReally eye-popping.
People can say the oddest things to artists. Makes us wonder how they view art without ever making any. And, I get that you could have made a movie with full cast in your response.
Of course, there is also the fact that we would be very sad campers if we didn't have our work to do, even if no one sees most of it.
I'm looking forward to more of your crazy fun art and all the work that inspires you!
Hi Melinda,
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is so old that it almost doesn't feel like mine. It belongs to that girl I was. It's true people do say surprising things. We would be sad little campers without our graced lives wouldn't we? So we are blessed, and just need to enjoy that fact.
Your work inspires me big time. Sooo beautiful.
Take care,
Barbara