Back to my art group again, and Happy Halloween!

Lillian 

Art Group Sketch

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 16 inches

Barbara Muir © 2018

Hi everyone,

Tonight I went to paint with my art group again.  We had a wonderful
model, Lillian, who in her regular business life (outside of modeling)
travels all over the world, and has lived in the middle east, the U.S.
and for now makes Toronto her home.  She loves travel, and I am with her there.

I find that to be together for model night at my art group, I need prep
the canvas beforehand.  So I gessoed this canvas, and wiped on an
underpainting of blue.  Painting with my group I considered either moving
out of the blue, and painting a more realistic painting,
or staying with mostly blue and mauve.  That seemed to work better
in the short time I had.  I am happy with the mood, and it was fun to do.
Thanks again art group.

Steven in the door ready to hand out candy,
and the Pumpkin Princess hanging over
one of the shutters.  A friend persuaded
me to display her this way.

.

Here's what I was working on for Halloween.  I didn't completely finish what
I'd planned, but she worked out just fine, and may be improved for next Halloween.
She's a pumpkin princess, with wings, and is the antidote to the grim side of
Halloween, that I've never liked, and it seems to get worse each year.
Pumpkin Princess is trying to lighten the mood a bit.  She thinks we need
more fun, and less scary.  Or her creator does.  She's made out of canvas, and
although I didn't finish painting the back, she was sewn together and her wings
were stuffed. Our approach definitely appealed to mothers and fathers with small
children out trick or treating. So much fun!

Have a loving your creative life day.

Just in -- a video of my work in New York City -- go and check it out!

Hi Everyone,

My wonderful gallery in New York City, the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery,
just sent me a sweet video of my work on display there until the end of
October.  If you are in NYC please go and check it out at 531 West 25th
Street- Ground Floor-Chelsea New York.  And if you know a collector
who needs a special painting of a gorgeous Maritime landscape
take that collector along.

My price for the 30 x 30 inch works is $2500 USD.  The 36 x 48 inch
piece -- "Higher Love" is $3500 USD.

Have a going to New York and buying art day -- or call the gallery
and put in your order at 212-255-9050 and ask for Ruthie Tucker the
Executive Director.  Or email amsterdamwhitney@aol.com

Back to my art group -- a wonderful night!

Michelle -- Art Group Sketch

Acrylic on canvas

14 x 18 inches

Barbara Muir © 2018

I've been a member of the Don Valley Art Club for
15 years.  One of the best things about that for me
is the portrait and figure drawing evenings held once
a week.  For the past two years a variety of injuries
and teaching assignments have mostly kept me away,
and I was missing it keenly.

So this week I got some help (carrying is not my
strong suit since I broke my arm last winter), and
joined my group again!  Yay!  What a welcome!
And a lovely hour and a half of painting followed.

There is something so inspiring about working
beside other artists whose work you love.  And a
live model is a particularly wonderful treat.

Michelle #2 -- Art Group Sketch

Acrylic on Birch Panel

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2018

In this case Michelle was an engaging and lovely
model.  I set up beside Frank Pasian, who always
produces multiples in an evening, and inspired by him
worked on two sketches.  Both make me happy.

Have a working with your art friends day.

Goodbye to a wonderful show, and hello to what's next

Me and Gabrielle Fischer Horvath with my painting Cloud Magic

Cloud Magic

Acrylic on canvas

4 feet x 6 feet

Barbara Muir © 2018

Photo courtesy Gabrielle Fischer Horvath

The Water for Life show is one of the longest running exhibitions
I've ever been part of.  It started out in Niagara Falls at the Niagara
Falls History Museum in May of this year, and was featured there
until September. The show took a brief break and then moved to
Toronto to join with the Passion for Life exhibition at the Arta
Gallery this past weekend, and add to its purpose.

Angelina Herrera, international curator and Antoine Gaber Artistic Director of the

Passion for Life and Water for Life exhibition in Toronto

with my painting Cloud Magic at the opening.
Photo courtesy Antoine Gaber.

Some of my friends

Georgia Fullerton, me, Pooja Chauhan, Naomi Phan

Photo courtesy Georgia Fullerton

Initially conceived by Antoine Gaber and Angelina Herrera
as a way of uniting international artists in an exhibition to
honour water, and our dependence on it, plus to champion
every person on the planet's right to clean water,
it added to this mission in Toronto.  Here the exhibition got
behind the cause of breast cancer research, and each artist
contributed part of the value of their work to the cause.

Georgia Fullerton and I enjoying the super atmosphere at

the Passion for Life/Water for Life opening 

Photo courtesy Pooja Chauhan

I enjoyed the opening so much on Friday October 12.  There
was such a feeling of both friendship and hope.  And it was a
beautiful exhibition.  My work Cloud Magic that had been
on display in both shows was in a gorgeous spot the moment
you walked into the space at the Arta Gallery.

Thank you to Antoine Gaber and Angelina Herrera for giving
me the unique privilege to be part of these dynamic shows,
and to gain a whole new community of artist friends around
the world.  Woo Hoo!  It was amazing.

Have a loving the people you work with day.