Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The spirit of celebration

 The best conversation
Skype sketch
Black marker on bond paper
81/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 2011
(No time to paint today.  I like the intense
concentration in this portrait sketch.  When
conversations are that good -- they are like
a celebration.)

Last week I found out via Helen Fisher on TED TV that
animals fall in love.  And last year listening to talks on crows
I discovered that crows have vast family gatherings -- or parties.
We know that crows have a sense of humour.  What
I'm leading up to is that wanting to celebrate -- to gather together,
eat wonderful food, drink champagne, or our favorite
beverage, dance -- is part of our inner nature.  So why do we
make celebration difficult, or suspect sometimes?

I have always liked being at excellent parties, learning new
things, listening to people's stories.  I am really lucky
that the courses I teach encourage people to share
their stories, because I love knowing more about
how people live.  We are all so different.

As artists and painters we need to connect with
the joie de vivre and delightful happy events
outside our studios.  We need to dance, sing, and
have a blast.  So if your social calendar isn't popping
with activity, and the heart of February is getting you
down -- plan an event -- even a dinner for two, and
start the celebrations. 

Happy month of love -- February.

Have a getting-ready-to-celebrate day.

4 comments:

Melinda said...

Oh, how I love your pen and ink drawings. Excellent work here, once again, Barbara. You've caught a likeness, for sure.

Yes, I like it a lot.

I agree with you wholeheartedly and wish that we all could have crow-like community. We could learn something from the beloved animals, now couldn't we?

So glad you're celebrating this month.

word verification: 'matie'

Marilyn Flanegan said...

I like how you think, Barbara. Sounds like it's time for a happy hour with the girls!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

Thank you so much. I am more than delighted that you like my drawing. We could learn a lot from our beloved animals. I was thinking that watching my cat and dog licking out the same bowl, and not fighting a bit over it.

I hope you are having a much better month this month. I thought of you yesterday when it was unusually warm here. The Christmas tree in the snowbank fell over. The cats were crazy. We actually sat for a few minutes in the sun on the back porch holding each one of those crazy felines so they could smell the outside air, and they said spring is coming. Then last night it snowed, there were howling winds,
and today we took the dog for a walk again in winter.

So Matie. That's the news from here.

Love your work,

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Marilyn,

I was thinking I'd love to have a dinner party -- men and women, maybe potluck, no formality, just music and talk and fun. But wait. I'm going to a party -- and it will be mostly women artists in two weeks. Can't wait. Now that will be a fun one! Blog artists getting behind a cause and meeting through their art.

One day we will party together. Guaranteed.

XOBarbara

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!