From Paris to Pugwash

 

 Missing Fiona

Black marker on Moleskine paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

We've spent the past five days in Pugwash, Nova
Scotia in our little 100 year plus old school house.
You couldn't contrast our living conditions much
more here to Paris where we were in June, if you tried.
But what has our place in Pugwash got?  I don't think
that's something many people would understand.
We have to bring our water from a tap at the beach,
 it has an outhouse for a bathroom, and we have
minimal electricity.

The structure itself is the charming child's drawing
house shape -- which is my favorite.  I am in love
with all the white clapboard houses here, many
originally exceptionally well built by shipbuilders
a century or more ago.

And what we do here is visit friends, eat lunch at
the Chatterbox café and in good weather go to the
beach.  A bath involves the Degas women in the
bath technique.  And I think the smile on my
sweet Steven's face tells you how worth it the long
drive has been to get here, and our lovely five days.

Steven at the beach in Pugwash, Nova Scotia

There hasn't been much reliable computer time,
and hardly anytime for art.  I drew this drawing
of me with just the ear of my cat Fiona coming
up over my face.  It was International Dog Day
yesterday and I missed my dog and my cats.  When
I think of home in Toronto, I think of my family,
friends and our animals, and I know I'll be happy
to be home there too.

Thank you to the Maritimes and our friends here

for a wonderful vacation!

 

The final final (I think)

 Wonder Water Image #6

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

We are heading out for the coast today, but
I'll keep in touch when I can. This is the final,
final, I'm pretty sure of my painting of the
beautiful Etana.  Beautiful, brainy, and
committed to helping the planet, through
her work with women, and her volunteer
work.

The concerned, thoughtful expression on her face
inspired both her portrait, and the one
that followed of Emily.  People talk
about passing the baton.  These are two
women I would gladly see watching out
for our world.

Have a working-on-your-final-final day.

Art on the move

 

Wonder Water Image #5

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

I've been working on this portrait for the past
while, destined for a show in Europe.
The young woman is my son's friend,
and a delightful person.  She is kind, funny,
and super smart, and was happy to pose for
me for this portrait -- part of my ocean
series.

We are heading out to the ocean for the next
few days, and I'll try to post during our travels,
but I know the internet can be spotty, especially
in rural areas.

Thank you to Emily for posing for me.  The
ocean series is about both the joy in living
near the ocean, and the worry about what we've
been doing to our planet and these vital
bodies of water.

Have a taking-care-of-the-planet day.

Steady in an instant world

Untitled (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

 

Reading a book about Bonnard a week ago The Man
and the Woman, by Helen McLean, I
was encouraged by the way Bonnard described
work.  The expectations were so different
100 years ago.  The entire idea of instant results
had not materialized in any aspect of life. 

That reality I think gave artists a degree of
peace that we don't have today if a painting
takes weeks, or months to complete.  It would
never have occurred to artists a century ago to
worry about producing work in a day.

All this is what I've been thinking about as I
continue to work on this painting.  It is almost,
almost done.  But perhaps at least another day in
the making -- and I think I've decided to be fine
with that! 

Have a taking-your-own-sweet-time day.

A day to remember

 Cosmos for the cosmos (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

Saturday was a glorious summer day, and we went to
the market.  My first purchase, an uncharacteristic
purple bouquet from PegAnn, because my artist
friend, Franco Mbilizi is helping me like every
colour -- and purple is first in line for colours I
am learning to like.

Market flowers

Then I bought peaches, and following a method
my mother taught me, have frozen some of these
perfectly delicious fruits for the cold, winter days.
And as I worked cutting up the delicious fruits
to freeze I knew I wanted to remember the day.
To be able to look back in deep winter and visualize
the wonderful garden, some poppies
still dotting the view with gorgeous red, huge
white cosmos, purple cosmos, night blooming
nicotiana -- geraniums and nasturtiums in pots,
perfect.

Peaches from Beamsville, Ontario

The cats Timbah and Fiona, and Sally the dog
 sat outside admiring the view, with Steven,
while I cut the peaches dripping in
juice, and froze cookie sheet, after cookie sheet.

Ah summer.  And as I say to my students,
"Be Here Now!"

Have a luxuriating in summer day.