Saturday, August 4, 2012

Whatever you like is right.

 
 School house flowers
iPad drawing
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2012
What do I mean?  Here are three attempts at the same
beautiful bunch of flowers sitting on my table
at the schoolhouse.  People who draw and paint
actually get addicted to a certain medium.  That
makes sense.  You buy paint and it costs a lot,
so you stick with that paint, acrylic, oil, watercolour.
But what you are is an artist.  If someone asks you what
kind of artist you are, you don't need a long
explanation.  People are tweeting their whole
lives in 140 characters.  So I paint and draw will
do, or I sculpt.
School house flowers #2
Black marker and pencil crayon on
Arches watercolour paper
6 x 9 inches
Barbara Muir © 2012
In this case I wanted to draw because we are
heading out and there isn't time to paint.  And
it doesn't matter which medium I use, or you
use, the main thing is to give it a go.
School house flowers #3
Black marker on Moleskine paper
6 x 9 inches
Barbara Muir © 2012
Keep painting.


Have a using-whatever's-at-hand day.

4 comments:

Melinda said...

It's true that many artists focus on only one medium--and that's fine.

But, I like that you are so talented that you can pick and choose different mediums at will. You are in touch with your artist self and that is the foundation for all the rest.

Your examples are lovely too!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

Thanks -- yes it is fine. I think this idea came to me because while I was away I dreamed I recreated our schoolhouse in Ikea drawing paper. At the Chatterbox Café Norene Smiley suggested making it from cloth. Then as I was leaving Pugwash she gave me some Mylar to experiment with. I am
unlikely to do much with it, because I paint on canvas mostly. But she also intrigued me by telling me about a woman who covers entire buildings in patchwork. I guess my point is that the possibilities are endless. And sometimes we (I) get stuck.

Thanks for this.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoBarbara

Anonymous said...

Hey! I was at that conversation! It's like I stepped into your blog and back out again.
Mylar is great as a printing plate surface for making monoprints too.
I like the 'I am an artist'. or 'I am an artist who paints'. xo

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Flora,

Yes you were! Hey cyberspace eh? Everyone talks about it so much that you just want to hide under the covers with a book and never hear the phrase again, but the reality is that it can be so miraculous. World view. Mine. Loved seeing you and loved the conversation.

XO 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!