More Paris -- straight up addicted

My plan was to photograph the wonderful postcards I had

of my painting Dream Selfie in the Carrousel du Louvre show,
 in different venues around Paris -- giving my model Regan 
the Paris experience from a distance -- but I ended up being too 
busy in the moment to remember most of the time.  Here's one with Regan
metaphorically enjoying a glass of delicious Sancerre with us
 when we ate at Khao Thai, rue Dauphine on more than one evening.
I did hand out many, many postcards of Dream Selfie both at
the Louvre and around Paris in my travels. Everyone loved them,
which made me super happy.

Yes it rained, and it was still beautiful.

Okay I confess, I have thought about Paris more than is
probably healthy since I landed back in Toronto.  I have
pined for it, longed for it and missed it.  Too much?
Go there for me this weekend, and report back.  Meanwhile
I'll give those of you who can't go a bit more exposure.

Clouds reflected in a bus window outside the Musée d'Orsay

Doing the happy people pose at

the Orangerie Museum in Paris.  This is

the museum specially made

to house Monet's waterlilies, and it

is beautiful.  I am a devoted fan of

Monet's.  I have seen his work in

Stuttgart, Germany -- where I fell

deeply in love with his poplars,

in New York City, where I rush to

see the Monet water lilies (also

magnificent before the museum closes, when

I arrive), in Ottawa, Canada -- last year

his bridges, and in Paris -- Oh Monet!

Steven at the Orangerie with the

beautiful Monet Waterlilies

More of Monet's Waterlilies at the Orangerie. 

Detail from Monet's Water Lilies

Is there more?  So much more.  But I don't want to lose your interest.

Here's a picture of my wonderful friend Miranda Brouwers

 with her painting, Morning Mist

at the Carrousel du Louvre show.

A typical view in our neighbourhood

And that is all for now.  I miss you Paris.  Things have happened on this

side of the Atlantic that make me want to catch the first plane into CDG.

But the truth is I'd feel that anyway except for my wonderful family and

friends, who keep me grounded and sane and happy back here at home --

in Canada.  

Don't sleep in Paris

Down the street from our hotel -- the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral

A friend at George Brown College cautioned me before
I showed in the Louvre last year, not to waste time sleeping in
Paris.

Visiting for the show two weeks ago in the Carrousel Louvre
I knew what she meant.  The city is always alive.  A friend
who lives just outside of the city told us he thought there'd
be nowhere to eat late on a Sunday night, but right in the
neighbourhood on Sunday evening there were people sitting
 out at cafés with heaters overhead -- it was cold -- restaurants
and bars open at midnight.

 It sunk in in this past visit.  If you visit Paris more than once,
you can anticipate the ache you'll feel when the trip is over
 and you're back on home ground, and you don't want to miss
a thing.

But as I told my colleague -- smart people sleep, otherwise the
city is overwhelming.  Soooo much to see. And do.  And eat.
And drink.

Un coin d'appartement (A Corner of the Apartment)

Claude Monet,

Oil on canvas, 1875

One of the things I love is discovering paintings by favourite artists that

I've never seen before like this super detailed, and mysterious painting by

Claude Monet.  It's in the Musée d'Orsay.

The gorgeous restaurant in the Musée d'Orsay where

we ate with my friend Miranda Brouwers 

her husband, Rolf Leemeijer, and their sons Marnix and Hugo.

A superb surprise in the Musée d'Orsay is the beyond gorgeous restaurant above.  

The food was wonderful and we had so much fun with my friend Miranda's

family.  The staff were warm and gracious, you don't need a reservation --

incredible.

This man and his daughter were visiting the Carrousel du Louvre

and I asked if I could take their picture with my painting.  
"Mais oui!" he said, and I did.  

These very expressive sculptures of geese 

were in a gallery window.  I love how they look.

Eclipsed 

Coffee and black marker 

on Clairefontaine watercolour paper

4.5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

The artist Barbara Muir (yes me) painted this on a small watercolour pad 

while having coffee in the Orangerie café -- but the Orangerie discussion

is for another night.  I was thinking of William Wray and his movie

Gamma Wray, and of a blogger friend I knew I'd meet back in Toronto Verna Vogel,

and this is the result.   A lot of fun I must admit, though you may not get the

connection.  They were in my mind.  Love (do I say love too often?  Is it possible

to love too much?) well I do love the work of both of these artists.  And in this

crazy world I think it's vital to love  art, and beautiful cities like Paris. 

Have a loving art Day!  And have fun! 

Paris -- in my heart and soul -- some memories as promised

Night one -- the bridge across the Seine across from our hotel, built in 1607!

Dear friends,

I don't think I did any drawings in Paris, but if so I'll include
them.  Here are some images -- far from perfect to show
why I love the place beyond measure.  The people we've met
are fantastic, funny, encouraging with our bad, stumbly French,
and kind. I'm tempted to start like the annoying birthday toast that
I might make that begins with the grown child's birth,  and
continues with the first smile, and so on.  But instead maybe I'll
break this into two or three blogs.  Bear with me (that's
what I might say when I move from the first smile to first toy!
And if there are 20 more years to cover the birthday guests will
definitely need more champagne).

Rain out our hotel window.  Yes that's rain.  It rained quite a bit,

You don't care when you're in Paris!

The Neighbourhood we stayed in

A Painting I loved at the Musée d'Orsay

Gustave Caillebotte  

Les raboteurs de parquet (the floor scrapers)

1875 Oil on canvas. 

I love the mood, the very French room, the light,

what looks like a bottle of wine (excellent plan).

A beautiful pillow in a store window

The butterfly and ladybug are

embroidery and loose - they

can move on the pillow!  So cool.

The store window

Okay I've decided it better be a Paris weekend.  Artistically I admit the

city resonates with me so powerfully.  And if I keep writing (I could go

all night) I will wear your Paris passion out.  Stick with me.  If you haven't

been there, you will have to go, and if you have you will understand.

Going to take my cough medicine and go to bed -- yes -- to dream of Paris.

More tomorrow I hope. 

Have a being inspired by where you are day.

Our Neighbourhood moves -- to New York!

A Magic Day in the Neighbourhood

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24

Barbara Muir © 2016
SOLD ♥ 

Today I sold one of my favourite street/cloud scenes -- A Magic Day
in the Neighbourhood -- to collectors in New York City.  This intimate
painting of the school yard up the street from us in Toronto, was one
of a pair of paintings I did about where we live.  The one that struck
the collectors was a view of an idyllic day right here at home,
and the other one is of the view across the street from our school house
in Nova Scotia.

Yes I am pumped about the sale.  The buyers loved my clouds, and
the mood, and even the title.  Wonderful.  My thanks to Director Ruthie
Tucker, Torie and Diego at the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery for
showing my work so beautifully!


I meant to tell you more about Paris, and New York -- last
month was jam packed with travel and art, but I have a horrendous
cold, and the rest will have to wait.

I hope you have a magic day in your neighbourhood tomorrow. 

 I love my own neighbourhood, and the family and friends nearby make
it extra special.

A delightful opening -- (vernissage) at the Louvre!

Left to right Marnix, Rolf Leemeijer, Miranda Brouwers, Hugo and me.

in front of my painting Dream Selfie -- Wonder Water Image #7 

Here we are in Paris, a bit tired after a hard week, but
how exciting to be in an opening at the Louvre and to
see my wonderful friends from the Florence Biennale,
Miranda Brouwers and her husband Rolf and to meet their
 sons -- Marnix and Hugo.

Me and Miranda Brouwers with 

her beautiful painting,
Morning Mist

Plus the super funny interpreter for the show, along with Directors
Francesco and Salvatore Russo, Alessandra Masha Mascitti is there
all weekend, and it was fantastic to see her last night.

The Carrousel du Louvre exhibition is huge -- massive, and
last night so packed with people that it was a challenge to
get photos with our paintings, so please forgive the bizarre
angles, we had to bump our way in behind the crowds.
Which of course is wonderful!  I've never seen so many
people at an art show. More to come on Paris, and this super
event.

Me with my painting.  

Great show in New York City -- Next stop Paris!

Me with my large diptych, Heading Home, at the beginning of the opening

The painting is done in Acrylic on canvas,

and is 4 feet x 6 feet 

Barbara Muir © 2016

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone,

Our Thanksgiving is about the harvest and giving thanks for the good
things in our lives.  I feel so happy today about my life, my family,
and my friends.  I've just returned from New York City, where
my large diptych Heading home, and two smaller landscapes --
Across the highway, and A magical day in the neighbourhood are
beautifully displayed.  The paintings are on view there for the month
of October, so if you're in New York, check them out at the Amsterdam
Whitney Gallery.

As soon as the delightful champagne opening started the room my work

was in filled up with people who clearly felt at home in front of

Heading home, and my two smaller landscapes, Across the highway,

and A magical day in the neighbourhood.  

I met some wonderful artists who are in the group show I'm in, Luminita
 Gliga, from Roumania, who was there with her sister the writer Dana Gliga.
I loved Luminita's work, and we had a great conversation about acrylics --
she paints in acrylics too, and we both like David Hockney's paintings.

Luminita Gliga, and her beautiful paintings.

 They are glorious.

I also met and enjoyed talking to Alice Cescatti all the way from London,
England.  She does gorgeous pieces on wood with real silver leaf --
some abstract and some landscape work.  And I loved the paintings of
Sally Ruddy, and  John Peters' work, and the powerful abstract sculptures
by Jim Keller.

My thanks to the ever wonderful and dramatic Gallery Director,
Ruthie Tucker who orchestrates a super champagne opening, is
kind and considerate and generous, and to her husband, Alton
Louis Amsterdam the 4th.  Thank you to Diego for hanging my
work perfectly, and to Torie for helping with everything.  What
a team!

My next stop is Paris and the Carousel du Louvre the weekend
after next.  Just home in Toronto to catch a breath and then off
to more art excitement.

Happy Thanksgiving -- I am grateful to all of you for supporting
me in this creative world.

Have a being thankful for the good things day.

Showing in New York CIty!

Heading home

Diptych -- 4 ft. x 6 ft.

Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 2016

Tomorrow (Saturday October 8, 2016) is at 531 West 25th Street,
Ground Floor, Suite 4 in New York City.  The show
runs for the month of October.  If you're in town and want to
see it, you can call the gallery to get an invitation to the
special opening between 3 and 5 tomorow, or visit the gallery any
 time in the next month to check it out.

I am exhibiting a large diptych landscape called Heading Home,
and 2 other landscapes -- A magic day in the neighbourhood,
and Across the highway.

We landed in New York yesterday and have been to the MoMA,
and Rockefeller Square, where people are skating in the warm
weather.  New York is always exciting, with hits of beauty around
every corner.

Our first stop at the MoMA gallery is always the Monet Water Lilies on
the 5th floor.  Cannot get enough of them.  This time I read
that Monet started those huge paintings when he was 74 and
kept working in a large format until he was 86, when he died.
New things hit me about the paintings every time I see them.
This time I noticed that they are not framed.  That made me
happy, but each time I notice more colour surprises.
Wonderful.  I also love talking to the docents.  One measured
the large Matisse of the women dancing by walking in front
if it, and counting his one foot long steps.  13 or 14 feet wide
he said.  Amazing.

Have an enjoying  the art day.

Something I'm proud of -- one of my son's early films

Chris Muir on the set of his short film "Bye"

Watch it here: 

As Alyson Stanfield points  out it's good to share the work of other
artists.  I had planned to share the work of William Kentridge but
that can wait for another night.  Five years ago on this date
my son Christopher Muir directed a short that received great attention.
Thanks to Facebook for reminding me about it.  I thought I'd
share the memory both here and on FB.  It's a fun film to watch.

Steven and I played the young woman in the story's mother and
father -- and as the whole drama is very fast, I am just a whirl
of hair, and Steven is in the hallway and may not show.

I had forgotten all about this project which was super fun to be
part of.  I love the theme, all revolving around the word
"Bye" and all of the different meanings and emotions conveyed
by that word.  So I am sharing it today.

I hope you know that when I say "Bye" to you tonight,
I am going to be back another day when time permits.

Having a saying "Bye" with meaning day.

New work and the balancing act -- not always perfect!

Heading home

Acrylic on 2 canvas panels

4 x 6 feet,

Barbara Muir © 2016

Dear friends,

I do live by lists -- something I learned to do from my dear friend
and former boss Frank Daley.  In fact we taught list making as a
strategy in a positive psychology -- school success course.  But even
the lists, and their near magical perfection could only propel me so far
 last week.

I did. 1. Sit a show of one of my major pieces and two other
              landscapes for all of Friday and Saturday night.
          2.  I had just sent a painting, Dream Selfie -- Wonder Water
               Image #7 off to Italy,  to travel to the Louvre for a the
               Carrousel du Louvre Exhibition opening October 21 in
               the Louvre Museum, Paris.
          3.  The weekend before that I was in the Worp exhibition in
                Hooge Zwaluwe, The Netherlands with my painting
                 In the right place at the right time.
          4. I did get a large, rather glorious diptych landscape, Heading 
              home,  finished for a group exhibition opening at the
              Amsterdam Whitney gallery in New York City on October 8.
              And shipped it and two other landscapes to New York last Thursday.
         
But.... I did not manage to take a decent photo of that painting.  So
I apologize.  I was rushed in the last half hour before shipping the work.
The photo I'm showing you gives you an idea of the work.  I am
pretty pleased with it.

Now when I talk about people helping me, and how wonderful the
world is.  I should flip this list and start with that.  My friend
Miranda Brouwers in The Netherlands got me into the Warp
show, and stretched my work that I shipped off the stretchers for
me, in addition to working on hanging the whole show and
finishing her own huge and beautiful work!

My dear friend Raylea Lambert helped me sort out what to put
on my list for the Louvre show.

My over the moon kind gallery director in NYC offered to
photograph my work properly for me when it's hung (it arrives
tomorrow), and prepare postcards for me from that high res
photo.

My dearest husband, knowing I was over the top with work to
do and obligations and tasks still to stick on the list, brought
me home a dozen roses using the water container on his bicycle
to carry them on Friday night.  All of my loving family hung out with
me on Friday and on Saturday and made me soooo happy.

Now it's back to the lists.  And I've learned new lessons about
how to function under pressure -- always handy. I'll use
that when I teach Creativity at the University of Toronto
in November. More news about that coming up!

Have a making really good lists day.

Kindness powers this international artist. Thank you!

Dream Selfie -- Wonder Water Image #7

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016
SOLD ♥ 

Last week there was a lot going on.  I'm sure some artists

displaying internationally pull all the pieces together,

get the art done, and ship and the list goes on -- all

by themselves.  Take a bow if you are one of them.  I am

blessed to have people help me every step of the way.

I finished my painting -- Dream Selfie --Wonder Water Image

#7 last week, then needed to ship it to Europe where it

will eventually appear in the Carrousel du Louvre

exhibition opening on October 21 in the Louvre, Paris.   So

here is my list of supporters, starting with Regan, my

gorgeous model, a busy writer, mother of three sons, and wife
to a fabulous musician.  She supplied me with photos, posed for me,
and encouraged me. Thank you so much Regan.

My husband Steven helped photograph the piece.
Heather, Jen, Mike, Nicole, Nikkole, John and Courtney
at the De Serres Yorkdale store, helped me buy the canvas
and paint.  Plus they packed the painting in a bubble wrap
envelope, and foamcore box they custom made to fit the work!  

The shipper Mehrdad at UPS, and truck driver Robert,

helped with the next step of packaging and getting the

work processed, then the truck drove away and voila she is
gone!  On the other end Francesco Saviero Russo, the
art director of EA Editore and his team will receive it,
courier it to Paris, hang it and be there on opening night
with champagne and smiles.

Thank you every one of you, and all the people who
helped in a hundred other ways.  I wish you could all
be there at the vernissage, and we could toast one
another!

Here's to the wonderful people who help artists every day!

Huge week in art!

Thank you to C. U. Slater for taking this video of his friend, sculptor

Bert Jackson doing the 22 day challege in front of my painting

Breakfast in the Hotel at the MUSE Show opening at Super Wonder

Gallery on Saturday night here in Toronto, Canada.

It has been such a week of art adventures!  Thank you to
everyone who came out to the MUSE art exhibition at the Super
Wonder Gallery, 876 Bloor Street West (near Ossington)
in Toronto.  And if you haven't seen it you owe yourself
that pleasure! It's on until Wednesday night from 2 - 8 p.m.,
and it is spectacular.

Breakfast in the hotel

Acrylic on canvas

6 X 8 Feet

 © Barbara Muir 

The show opened on Friday and Saturday night and
my large still life Breakfast in the hotel, and two landscapes
Magic Day in the Neighbourhood, and Across the Highway
were given a place of honour -- the front wall in the exhibition
designed by the brilliant curator, Daniel Anaka.

A Magic Day in the Neighbourhood

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24

Barbara Muir © 2016

Across the highway

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Last weekend my painting In the right place at the right time
was featured in a gorgeous exhibition in a church/
restaurant in The Netherlands as part of the Worp show.
Mid week my portrait of the supremely beautiful Regan began
its journey to France (more on that tomorrow), to be displayed
at the Louvre.  Whew!

There are so many exciting, excellent, significant paintings
in the MUSE exhibition that I was delighted that my big still
life attracted a lot of attention and seemed to energize people --
like the super sculptor, Bert Jackson who is doing a 22
day, 22 push-ups-a-day challenge in support of first responders
suffering from PTSD.  His challenge aside from push-ups,
is to find someone new to take on the 22 day/22 push-up
challenge, for each of the 22 days.

Have a letting art give you an energy boost day.

For my father on 9/11

Under the beautiful window, on the left you see my painting

In the right place at the right time, which is in the right place

as part of the Kunst in Drimmelin exhibition,  in the Netherlands

Thank you to Kunst in Drimmelin for the photo, to Miranda Brouwers,
Rolf Leemeijer and Vittorio Dorigo for everything.  You all mean the world to me.

Another photo of the Kunst in Drimmelin show in the Restaurant Onze Kerk,

from the exhibition photographers, showing my work on the left and 

and to the right you see half of my friend Miranda Brouwers' gorgeous

landscape diptych, plus many other super artworks.  

My dear father,

I think of you every year on this date because you died on 9/11 some
years before the tragedy in New York City.  For me your death,
and the devastation and sorrow New York experienced blend together
in a cloak of sorrow.  But this year something else is happening.
Computers -- which you were fascinated by, and the internet
have lead me to be invited to partake in wonderful exhibitions
(something you as an artist would have so enjoyed), and also
brought me some truly delightful friendships.

My friend, Miranda Brouwers' beautiful, large diptych of the Worp 

One of these -- my friendship with Miranda Brouwers who I met
in 2015 at the Florence Biennale -- has resulted in me being part of
an exhibition in the Netherlands this weekend, in a show called Kunst
in Drimmelin. I know that even if you would have had trouble telling,
me so, you would have been proud of this event, of its focus on the
environment -- something you cared about.  You might also be
surprised that I paint landscapes now too -- something you were
known for in the creative part of your life.

I think of you lost to ill health, and of the losses of all of the families
all over the world who have lost people they loved because of war, violence and
terrible and pointless hatred.  And I wish for all our sakes that
we turn to peace and saving the planet in time for our children,
your grandchildren, and mine.

I love you and miss you Daddy.

In the right place at the right time

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Have a loving your family and friends day.

Inspiration wins

Untitled (Work in Progress)

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Coming down the home stretch on this one.  I don't like to show works in progress,
but this is so close.  I was moved by Amy Hillenbrand's shots of the development
of her painting of orchids.  I liked her brave discussion of the middle part in creating
a painting, when you can't see the end.  And I love what Elizabeth Gilbert said in her
book Big Magic about fear being allowed to come along for the ride, and how fear could have
sandwiches, but fear would not get to drive, and fear would not get to give advice.
So brilliant.  At this point I can see where I'm going, and fear is not on the journey
anymore.  (Probably out hitchhiking). So I don't mind showing you how it's going.

I will of course give you all the details when it's done.

Have a taking the driver's seat day.

The land of my greatest inspiration

 Across the Highway

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

This painting will be on display and for sale in the MUSE

show that opens at Super Wonder Gallery on Friday September 16,

and Saturday September 17 in Toronto from 8p.m. to 2 p.m.

Here I am in the place that fuels so much of my landscape
art -- vast horizons, oceans, rolling hills, forests, farms,
endless beauty -- Nova Scotia.

And I did not bring art supplies -- thinking that I could
get them at an art store in Moncton on the way.  But it
is for sale!  Is that the universe telling me to take some
time off? For me art is both a passion and a job.  Do I
deserve a holiday from art?  Am I kidding myself.
As long as I have eyes there are no holidays from art,
and I am grateful for that fact.

Here on our little property in Nova Scotia -- I see the
too blue sky I put in my paintings.  It is too blue for
Toronto, but the real colour here.  So blue it is
delicious.

I stand under a crabapple tree on our acre of land, that forms an
umbrella arch about 20 feet wide over me, and marvel.
Our yard in Toronto is about 20 feet wide, and we crammed
a cherry tree (now gone) and an apple tree (suffering)
and a garage in that space.

So even if I don't find canvas and paint, I will use my
camera, eyes, heart, soul to prepare to paint as much as
 I can of what I've seen when I get home .  If you've
never been to Nova Scotia -- you should come.  Meanwhile,
Happy Painting.

Have a loving where you are day.

The rarest thing in life and in art -- humour

When my children were small I left every teacher's
conference upset because the complaints about
my lovely sons never varied -- "all they care about is
being funny!"  I have to add that the teachers were wonderful
 -- most are still friends to this day -- long after both of my
children have grown up.  But then the boys were disruptive,
giggly, funny, trouble, funny and funny.  And I knew I was to
blame.

I would walk across the street to my house wanting
to cry, but of course the people inside that house
had one major goal -- and that was to laugh and to
be funny.

It has always been a problem in the wide world.
This overwhelming urge to have fun.  So imagine my
delight in finding the curator Daniel Anaka, who although
deeply serious has a wickedly funny side.

The first ad for a show I am in in September here in
Toronto, is a joke meant to bug me.

The second ad is the real one, but I do appreciate the
cat.  Why he didn't use one of my cat paintings -- I
don't know.

Come on out if you're in town, I will have a huge painting,
and two small landscapes.  And it will be fun!

Have an enjoying yourself day!

My baby is off to Europe!

In The Right Place At The Right Time

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

I've worked on this painting intensively for what seems
like a long time.  The thought of taking the finished work
off the stretcher put me into paroxysms of fear.  I have
never shipped a painting off the stretcher -- although
all the pros at international shows I've been in do it all
the time.

My thanks to the lovely man in the framing department of
Yorkdale De Serres who helped me take the canvas off the
frame.  We worked together quietly, then rolled the painting
up ever so carefully and I took it to the shipper.

Once it is gone, anyone who has done this knows -- it's
on to the next.  But until it was in the tube and ready to
go I was over the top anxious.  Safe journey my painting.

I finally named it In The Right Place At the Right Time,
because the painting will be in a show that supports an
environmental area in the Netherlands, near Drimmelin,
called the Worp.  The exhibition is called Kunst in Drimmelin.
And everything about the title is right -- it is a painting
of the conservation area -- the Worp.  And it is
going there because I was in the right place at the right
time last October and met the wonderful artist, Miranda 
Brouwers at the Florence Biennale, and she invited me to
show in this special exhibition happening on September 10 and 11.

Thank you so much Miranda, and for Miranda's friends
who trusted her judgement.  And I hope the painting
gets there safely, is not too much of a hassle to reframe,
and I know it will be in the right place at the right time.
And here's a detail of the next painting.

Untitled (detail) Work in Progress

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Have a sending your art around the world day!

The thrill of finishing up

Untitled (Work in Progress)

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Here's what I'm working on.  I'll tell you more tomorrow
when I hope to be all finished -- every last detail.  But I
am so close in this image.

I wish I could have posted more on my blog, but painting
has filled my days lately.  And I admit that's a pretty
wonderful way to spend my time, even when I am nervous
from time to time and trying to figure things out, and
occupied night and day with thoughts of where it is, and
where it's going.

As another artist said to me today -- "Aren't we lucky!"
I can't imagine a life without a serious passion.

A toast to all my fellow artists.  I will try to catch up --
soon.  But for now back to painting.

Have a loving-what-you-do day.

A favorite painting sells to wonderful collectors -- a joyous occasion!

 In the City

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

SOLD ♥

I know my blog posts have been sporadic to say the least
this summer, and there has been a lot going on.  So here's
an update, and I hope to tell you more good news as
the week progresses.  One of my favorite paintings of this year has
sold to wonderful people to highlight their happiness about
getting a new home.  I couldn't be more thrilled.

This painting was inspired by a photograph by my friend,
the amazing photographer, and world renowned journalist,
Howard Wolinsky.  Howard and I go back to the time when
he was working on a Skype blog, and I was one of the first
artists to publish drawings and paintings done live from Skype.
Howard's interview with me, and his encouragement got
me first a major job with a New York company doing line
drawings for an event in Las Vegas via Skype, and a second
You Tube interview caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey
and got me on the Oprah Winfrey show.

Howard and I have been friends on social media ever since.
And when I admired a wonderful photo he showed of the park
he and his wife walk in, near his home in Chicago, I asked if
I could do a painting using it as a source, and he agreed.

After that Howard sent me dozens of photos, but most of
the time I like to work from my own reference, and my
imagination. I like to carry the feeling of the place inside me.
That's how powerful Howard's photos are.  You feel like you
 are there.  The painting is not a replica of the photo, but I did
my very best to evoke the wonder I felt when I saw Howard's work.
Thank you so much Howard.

Having a being-grateful-for-artist-friends day.

Tulips in July -- Gone to a new home

Late evening tulips 

Acrylic on birch panel

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

SOLD ♥ 

This year is strange in so many ways.  The weather is
one -- hot one minute, cold the next.  But deciding
to stay in the city this month to work has made me
appreciate the cool weather whenever it comes.

So it seems appropriate that this little painting
of tulips was sold today to someone who loves
the spring as much as I do -- one of Toronto's
prominent architects.  That made me so happy!

I'm working on some larger pieces that take more
time right now, so I will show you the work when
it's ready.  Meanwhile these lovely flowers are
delighted to have an appreciative audience.

Have a loving-the-season-day.

Happy Canada Day -- I love my country!

Dear friends,

Today is Canada Day.  The weather is doing what it does
best here, having trouble deciding.  It rains like crazy,
then apologizes (Canadians are noted for being apologetic),
says it's sorry, and bright sunlight fills the day with
sparkling beauty, then more rain, and more sunshine.

In that way the day itself is like a love affair -- one minute
all is well, and the next you get a bit wet.  But I feel
filled with pride at this crazy country, populated with so
many kind, talented funny people.  So I'm including
some of the paintings I've done in the past year of this
great land. The left and right are Nova Scotia, and the center
picture is our own street, looking over the schoolyard.

Whether it will keep raining and prevent the fireworks
we traditionally go and see, where people all gather on
the beach, and then clap when the fireworks are over, or
not is anyone's guess.  But fireworks or not.  I love
this place.

Have a happy, peaceful, joyous Canada Day wherever you are.

New York -- full of surprises! My friend Franco and Me on the Kristal Hart TV Show!

 With Kristal Hart and Franco Mbilizi

being interviewed for MNN, Manhattan TV

in front of Wonder Water Image #6

at the new Amsterdam Whitney Gallery.

This was the opening of the new ground floor
space for the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery.
Imagine my surprise when I arrived, and
the gallery Director, Ruthie Tucker, had
hung my Wonder Water Image #5, in
full view.  The painting was sold, but not
picked up yet, and she wanted me to feel part
of the new space.

At the opening of the new Amsterdam Whitney Gallery.

I am with Gallery Director Ruthie Tucker, on

my left, and her husband, 

Ambassador Alton Louis Amsterdam III

next to Ruthie.

But even more surprising when my wonderful
friend, Franco Mbilizi arrived from Chicago,
we were told  that we would be interviewed on TV
by Kristal Hart, TV personality, and journalist for
MNN, Manhattan TV.

Kristal Hart interviews Franco Mbilizi about

being a featured artist in the 100th Anniversary

Issue of Vogue Magazine.

Franco and I met one year ago, and are great
friends, via telephone, and texting.  So it was
especially meaningful to me to be interviewed
in front of my painting, with Franco who
supports my work, like I support his.  And it was
so exciting when he showed Kristal Hart,
the 100th Anniversary Issue of British Vogue.

Franco's work featured in Vogue Magazine 

is in the upper right hand corner of the

double page spread.

The write up in the 100th Anniversary issue

of British Vogue on Franco.

All in all it was a wonderful afternoon -- a great
new gallery, meeting some super artists, and
Franco and me on TV.

Have an enjoying your friends' art day.