Wishing you the feeling of abundance

 December evening still life

watercolour and black marker

on watercolour paper

10 x 6 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

I think it was Louise Hay who used to encourage
 an affirmation, "abundance is my natural state."
Looking at my life today I feel that way.  Here
is this beautiful fruit on the table, sharing the
stage (out of the picture) with roses and candles.
It is the picture of the bounty of this season.

This little watercolour is very different from
the drawing it began with, and I could do it
ten more times and get a different painting
every time.  I hope you are having a lovely
holiday no matter what you celebrate.

Have a feeling-you-live-in-abundance day.

The gift of wonder

 

December evening still life (work in progress)

Black marker on watercolour paper

10 x 6

Barbara Muir © 2013

I'm posting a drawing tonight that I did in preparation

for a watercolour tomorrow maybe.  I'd put the dog
(new hyper dog Sally) to bed, and the cats.  I sat
down to do the drawing and could hear my Siamese
cat complaining.  I am not supposed to work after
everyone's in bed.

Making this simple line drawing I was thinking that
I've painted this same cut glass bowl so many times.
It confounds me and delights me every time I look at it.
And although it's perfectly beautiful, part of what gets
me every time is that it's not a completely perfect
structure. It's not 100% symmetrical And I'm
filled with wonder every time I paint or draw it
because it shows me new facets and shapes every time.

Isn't that the best gift of all of being an artist -- the gift of
wonder? Walking home from a friend's place the other
night, saying goodbye to people on the street who were
with us, I looked up and saw huge flakes of snow lit
by the street lamp as they fell, like sparkling stars. Someone
during the evening asked me if I hated the word "awesome,"
and I said no.  I'm an artist.  The world is.

Have an enjoying one-of-the-best-gifts-of-all day.

Finishing up the year

 

 Toast to the Poinsettias

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

I have no idea why I love Christmas -- I just do.
I have the corniest album of songs playing in
the kitchen, and a friend in Sweden sent me
some Christmas carols sung by a wonderful
choir in Swedish.  So when I want beautiful
music I listen to that.

My son and I have baked cookies, we have some
pine boughs on top of the kitchen cabinet, and
the tree is waiting for us to slow down on our
work, bring it in off the back porch, and put
our decorations on it.  We had so much fun
buying it the other night from Sonny --
a very funny guy who we've been getting
great trees from since the kids were little.

Maybe I do know.  It's the excitement -- everyone
hurrying around trying to get family and friends
presents, people dressing up and toasting the season,
cards and cookies and kindness -- covering the
city like the blanket of snow outside.   And Stephen
Colbert singing Silent Night tonight.

Here's a painting of a poinsettia -- wishing you
all the joy of the season.

Have a -getting-ready-for-the-holidays day!