Tide coming in by the farm
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2014
I had to dress up yesterday in a dress and stockingsto go and teach a class. And that's when I noticed
dark blue paint in a splashy stripe on my foot.
Not a big deal in the current environment. Everyone
has body paint and tattoos. But a happy symbol
to me of being back in my Toronto studio where
space is tight and my concentration so intense when
I paint that I forgot a brush fell on my foot.
Tonight's painting is another view of the beach
and coastline, where I have spent part of my summers
for 20 years. This landscape is part of my psyche.
It belongs to me. In the words of one of the
characters in the Joshilyn Jackson novels we
listened to full time in the car out east. "Mine!" She
even writes about a baby who wants the ocean in
A Grown Up Kind of Pretty.
On one of my old Louise Hay audiobooks,
(I don't know which one), she talked about
enjoying other people's good fortune, beautiful
houses, every kind of luxury, and she said,
"we never really own anything, it is only on
loan to us." I loved that idea, because of course
it's true.
You are not allowed to claim the beach in
front of your cottage as private in Nova
Scotia where we walk on the beach.
My school house is a 25 minute car ride
from the beach. I don't own that beach,
but my eyes, heart, memory and spirit own
it inside out.
Market flowers, and peaches.
Starting to prep for the long winter.
I miss it but love Toronto too. We went to themarket today, and came home laden with
peaches and flowers. I thought of my friend
Flora, in Bear River, who grows a huge garden,
cans and freezes endless amounts of veggies and
fruits and paints giant, gorgeous paintings. My
admiration for all that energy knows no bounds.
oh I LOVE your sky in this one, the rolling clouds! that beach looks just about perfect to me, it's amazing how the beach draws us to it. such natural energy is present at the seaside. Those peaches look spectacular and so do your market flowers...they look fresh from of a shabby chic decor mag. Great idea to freeze those delish peaches...think I'll do the same!
ReplyDeleteHi Sally,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. It's true. When the tide is out that whole body of water is gone, and the beach is many city blocks deep, so inspiring.
I hope you are having a lovely time with your new grandbaby.
XOXOXOXOXO Barbara
Another great sky/beach-scape Barbara! I understand your attachment to the beach. I grew up in the bush and rarely saw the sea as a child but for the last 25 years I've lived just a couple hundred metres from it and now I can't ever imagine being able to live away from it. You will be pleased to hear that there is no such thing as a private beach here in Australia. Every inch of our coastline belongs to everyone! I had been shocked the first time I heard that it was otherwise in some other places.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy visiting your blog!
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to hear that. I think it's the same in Nova Scotia. Lucky you living so close to the beach. Every year when we come back I think about living that way with great longing.
I'm glad you enjoy my blog. I love yours and promise to catch up soon.
XOXOXOXOXO Barbara
Nova Scotia is a special place in my life and I have my husband to thank for bringing me there.
ReplyDeleteThose are Nova Scotia clouds for sure.
I can smell the sea.
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteMaybe sometime we'll meet up there. I would love to smell the sea. Glad you approve of my clouds.
Thank you so much. Love your work.
XOXOXOXOXO Barbara