The universe provides

Brothers playing

Acrylic on canvas

12 x 16 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I may have said that before -- the universe provides.
It's been a catch phrase of my existence for some
time.  Combine that with Mike Dooley's Note from
the Universe this morning -- I get them in my
email on weekdays -- about being happy, and here
we are.

I was exhausted tonight after teaching.  I have a great
class, and it was good tonight, but I drink a lot of
coffee to keep going, and felt like I'd hit the wall
when I got home.  I was not going to blog, but I am
blogging daily now, and didn't want to stop.

So I went looking for something to write about and
came upon this sweet portrait of my sons that touched
at my heartstrings.  I love those boys, now men, so much.
I feel so grateful for the experience of being a mother.
And I am so lucky that they grew up to be wonderful
men.  This painting brings back the delights of having
children in the house.  At this nostalgic time of year,
it seems appropriate.

Have a loving your family day.

Sentimental Sunday

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

Watch it here: 

It's easy to get sentimental with a garden full of gorgeous
flowers and the temperature falling way too rapidly.
Out in Alberta they had snow today! But to write my
blog tonight, I decided to look back on events that
happened on this day.

On this day n 2011 my son Christopher was directing
what I believe was one of his first films Bye.  Steven
and I were in the studio, and I had a very
minor role in the short film.  It was an exciting day, and
I was so proud of Christopher, who has gone on to be a
pro photographer, and now a Director for music videos,
ads and films.

Looking back and seeing this joyous photo of him on
the set, I felt so happy at the memory, and so proud
of where he's taken his incredible talent.

Have an enjoying your present moments and memories day.

Recognizing two geniuses -- Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Bernie Taupin

Black marker on drawing paper

10 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

My husband Steven and I watched Rocketman tonight.  What
an amazing movie -- a tour de force about Elton John's
life.

All through the film I was thinking back to meeting
Bernie Taupin, and to how I really didn't get his part
in the music of Elton John until I saw it clearly in
this movie.  I'm so glad the film made it clear, that
Elton John is the music, and Bernie Taupin, his
loyal, incredibly wonderful friend, is the words.

Without the music the words would not sing, and
without the words, the songs would not be great.
The whole story hit me powerfully, and I'm
so glad I got to meet the genius who wrote
the words.  And I'm glad that we share a love
of making art -- as in painting.

Have an enjoying the brilliance around you day.

Focusing on the environment -- we need action now.

The ocean series

Wonder Water Image paintings #1, #2, #3

Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 2014 

Water Image paintings #2, #3, #1

Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 2010 Each painting is 30 x 30 inches

My portrait focus started to include the ocean and the environment in

2010.  I knew we had to save the ocean, and wanted to make a room of

people in front of their favourite ocean scenes, that could link together

horizontally by a band of colour representing the sand in the various

locations.

Today people from all over

greater Toronto and beyond

came out to make their presence matter. 

Current estimates put the crowd at 30,000/

The march begins.

Protesters worried about

climate change start their march.

So today joining the Climate Strike March at Queen's Park felt like the

least I could do.  I feel so powerfully for the young people who are

so worried about the future of the planet.  And I am proud of them

for working on waking up the rest of the population.  I fervently 

hope it works.  

Thank you to Faye and Eric Jordan who helped me navigate both

the subway and the crowds.  My knee chose this morning to act

up and hurt like hell.  But my husband, Steven urged me to go

and witness this amazing event, and I'm glad I was there.  I didn't do

the full march, but I did what I could do.

We were urged to ask our supporters (you out there) to sign on
to Freegrassy: Grassy Narrows Solidarity on Facebook to urge
the government to fund special healthcare facilities for
the people of Grassy Narrows who were exposed to lethal
levels of mercury poisoning and have not recovered.  That was
one of many topics for the day.

Have a caring about the environment day.

Nasturtiums and more from the peach chronicles

 

Night Nasturtiums 

Watercolour on watercolour paper

5 7/8 x 9.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

Nasturtiums are one of the hardiest and happiest
flowers in my garden, and at this time of year seem
to attract bees in surprising numbers.  This is good
because we want the bees to survive.  Right!
My kitchen is enjoying  several white cream pitchers
filled with nasturtiums -- so pretty, and the perfect
backdrop for more peach production.

Tonight I was freezing the last of the second batch
of peaches from the market. They are juicy, messy,
smell divine and I've frozen another tray.

Peaches ready to go into the freezer --

pure peaches, no lemon, or sugar,

just peaches.  So good!

After  taking them off the wax paper, and putting them in
a reused freezer bag with the air sucked out, they
look like this.

Summer is in the bag.

Have an enjoying the bounty of the season day.

A super night at the Heliconian

My painting Sky High Summer Joy

is featured in The Heliconian Club Yearbook

Last night was a big night at the Heliconian Club in Toronto.
The club is the oldest women's art club in Canada and is housed in an
extremely beautiful building downtown on Hazelton Avenue, that was
once a church. At the President's Reception the outgoing president, Mary
Perdue, welcomed the new club president Ruthia Pak Regis.
The new artists, dancers, writers, and musicians in residence were welcomed.
And the new members in the club in each area (Visual Arts, Music, Dance,
Literature and Humanities) were introduced, welcomed and each given a
beautiful rose.

Members enjoying the presentations sit under

the work from the Encounter show.  I loved

seeing them under the wall featuring my work and

I felt proud to be a new member of the Visual Arts section and
part of a group of amazingly talented women in every area of
the arts.  Spectacular.  Plus my work was featured in the Heliconian
Club Yearbook -- an incredible honour. I would have missed that completely
 if fellow artist, and new member, Faye Jordan hadn't pointed it out to me.

I met some of the artists in various fields and felt so happy
that I'd decided to join the club, and grateful to the women
who sponsored me.

The beautiful rose I received for

being a new member.

It was also a pleasure to have this lovely event going on in the
middle of our Encounter show, which was a delightful
backdrop to the evenings festivities.

Wonderful food was displayed beautifully in the center of the
club, and at the end of the festivities we were all offered
champagne to toast the new members and each other.

Jane Blackstone serves champagne.

How wonderful!

In other words a perfect night.

Have a supporting fellow artists day.

Holding on to summer

Wildly happy flowers

watercolour, acrylic ink and black marker

on watercolour paper

6 x 9 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

I found this watercolour I hadn't finished, and

added more colour. It might be complete.  Everyone

is talking about fall, pumpkins are on sale.  Halloween 

candy has been filling the shelves in grocery stores for a month,

but I am holding on.

In the daytime now it can still be quite hot, but most of the time it

is perfect out -- the best -- warm, but not hot -- energizing. At

night the fall cool hits, and of course eventually both the cold

and the night will win out, and we will live through those 

short days, and long nights, and bebam it will be winter.

But right now our white anemones are six feet tall, and a mass

of white blooms.  Our back porch is newly painted and rebuilt and

the gleaming white shouts out summer, summer, summer!  Yes.

A great night tonight at the Heliconian Club, but more about

that tomorrow.  

Have a holding onto summer day. 

Art saves the good memories

Dancing in the living room

Watercolour on watercolour paper

16 x 18 inches

Barbara Muir ©

The beauty of portrait art is that it makes time stand

still.  I love this painting although the couple has not
been together for a long time, and it is a reminder of
multiple losses of people we loved and who meant
a great deal to us.

When the couple got divorced we lost the friendship
of the man in the painting.  Years later after a sad
difference in thinking that created a gap impossible
 to bridge, we lost the rest of the family.

When you lose friends for any reason it is sad.
But art makes this lovely and loving moment exist
in the present.  It was heartfelt then, part
of a long and joyful love story.  That reality
still exists here, and it makes me happy to
remember it.

Have a loving your happy memories day.

Part of a family of artists -- Emily Land

Flowers

Black and white print on paper

4 x 6 inches

Emily Land © 2019

I am part of a family of artists.  True.  My father was a painter
and photographer,  my son Christopher is a director and
photographer, my son Sam is an actor, my nephew Jon Rannells,
is an actor, director, writer and artist.  And my son Sam's girlfriend,
Emily Land is a printmaker, making some really cool
stuff.

Woman in love

Black and white print on paper

4 x 6 inches

Emily Land © 2019

I visited with Emily and Sam today at their apartment and
urged Emily to show me her work.  So I will give you a
small sample.  Emily cuts her prints out of rubber.  The
results are wonderful.  She uses her prints on cards, and
notebooks, and T-shirts.

Emily is in the Punk Rock Flea Market show at 216 York Street,
next weekend in London, Ontario, and if you're in town she will
have both cards, (these two and others), and T-shirts for sale very
reasonably.  Check out her work.  You'll love it.

Have a buying some printed goods day.

When revising feels right

Back porch pie

(revised)

Acrylic on birch panel

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

I'm still working on the painting I showed you last
night, but don't feel ready to share the changes.
This little painting from five years ago, caught
my eye today.  It's way better now, because I've
played with it a bit.

I think I will still work on the pie if I have time in
the next couple of days.  So far I've changed the
flowers, the jug, the pie and the plate -- a little.

So we'll see.  When I think of revising something
I think of my friend, the wonderful artist Nicki
Ault.  She frequently revises her work and shows
us the changes.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow and maybe I will
show you what's changed.  Here's the biggest
thing that's changed.   I like the painting.

Have a liking what you do day.

Starting something new

Untitled (work just begun)

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

Talking to a dear friend and artist last night about the
creative process, I realized that I don't always listen to
my own advice.  The best advice I can give you is do
that!  Listen to your own advice.

My advice to artists and to students is take it little
by little, if you can't put in big chunks of time.  I do
have a house full of paintings and many of them were
done in 10 minute time slots if I felt overwhelmed.
And I frequently do. Bit by bit the work comes
together.  The motto of one of the TV series I watched
lately was, "ever forward, never back."  Good motto for artists.

If we are readers, and gallery goers and art lovers
we can get held back by our own history, by each others'
wonderful work, by an unrealistic timetable.  The
answer is to STOP!  Make a plan.  And take baby
steps to the finish line.  Or the non-finish line.

Today I took my own advice.

Have a listening to your best advice day.

How it begins

Melinda

Black marker on bond paper

8 1/2 x 11 inches

Barbara Muir © 

How does a painting begin? There are as many theories as there are artists.
But you want answers. Okay. For me it starts with inspiration, either in the
moment, or in the powerful recollection of a moment I feel looking at photographs
of images I want to paint.  That means the person, still life, landscape
that I'm going to create, moves me.

Unless I’m working on a commission, or a themed show, what hits me as worthy
of making a painting is random. At the moment I'm entranced by the majesty of
clouds, and absolutely love painting these landscapes.  But I also love drawing,
people and still life.

Here's a drawing I did of my friend Melinda via Skype.  What makes you want to
create? This drawing makes me want to do a full blown portrait.

Have a getting inspired day.

More from the peaches

After the market

Watercolour and marker on

drawing paper

10.6 x 13.8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

Now it's my turn.  I have a big tray of peaches to clean,
peel and freeze on baking trays covered with wax paper.
Steven doesn't use sugar in his canning process, just
lemon juice.  Freezing is way easier.  When the
trays come out of the freezer (it takes about a day), the
frozen peaches go into freezer bags that I wash and reuse from
year to year.

Here's another painting featuring peaches.  This time
of year is so nostalgic.  The garden is at its peak,
the trees are still thick with green, although some are
turning.  Sunny days like today are warm and wonderful.

And everyone in this town knows that this perfection
won't last, so we're making sure we enjoy every minute.

Have an enjoying every minute day.

Peaches -- Inspiring in every way

Peach party

12 x 12 inches

Acrylic on canvas

Barbara Muir © 

Driving through the peach orchards in southern Ontario

is a feast for the eye in the spring.  The trees in bloom
are beyond magnificent.  And in the late summer when
the peaches begin to show up in the farmer's market,
fruit lovers have good reason to be excited.  It's hard
to imagine a more delicious end of summer treat.

My husband, Steven, is passionate about peaches

and starts asking market people when he can buy 

peaches for canning early in August.  The season

is a bit late this year, because we had a long,

slow, colder than normal spring.  So this past

weekend he brought home two bushels of the 

most gorgeous peaches.  And they are so delicious.

Today he canned dozens of jars of the precious

beauties, so that we can have delicious fresh

tasting peaches all winter. 

Have a loving your peaches day.

Super day -- great class and talking to artists

Self portrait 

(person in progress! :-)

graphite on Pentalic paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

I'm a fairly sunny type.  I want to be positive -- work at

it, enjoy life -- and that's not always easy when it feels
like the world, the planet is in big trouble.  Today was
one of those perfect days that make life worthwhile,
vibrant and whole.  I had a lovely walk with a good friend
and her dog (reasonable on leash -- a big plus).

That checked off my minimal exercise quota, and set me
off in a happy mood.  Papers edited, printing done,
coffee made for class in the wonderful mug sent by
Oprah's staff with her name on it that I use to make
coffee for Monday night's class. I pour the brew into
a thermos from the huge Oprah mug. Coffee keeps me
"on" for class. And my new class is funny, brainy.
So much fun.

Then late tonight I got a chance to talk to one of
my favourite artists, and we laughed until I came
to write to you.  Isn't that the best?  Laughing with
friends.  I love it.

Here's a little self-portrait I started.  I could go
further, or turn the page and start another one.  I
dedicate this one to my students who always see my
two pairs of glasses (one for close, one for far), and
give me infinite vision advice.  Which is fair.  I give
them infinite vision advice in a different way.  True
sometimes I have both pairs on at once -- like this.
Happy Monday, and have a wonderful week.

Have a starting off in the right frame of mind day. 

Not to forget New York City -- and a wonderful art director

Model posing for a shoot in New York City

There's no doubt about it -- one of my favourite cities in the

world is New York City.  It's almost like a country unto itself.
Vast, vivid, incredibly vibrant -- New York is a city of art
lovers.  When you show in New York, you're not competing
with blown up prints of paintings in Winners or Ikea. You
are competing with artists in the 7,000 NYC galleries.

One of my favourite photos of me with Ruthie Tucker

in the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, NYC in front of my 

paintings of a Skype Interview with the artist, Henriette Sonne. 

But art is a key focus in the city, and I've almost always sold
there if I wanted to.  Ruthie Tucker, the owner and Director
of the Amsterdam Whitney gallery is a miracle worker.  There
is a fee to show, but I figured out years ago that it is less than half
of what it would cost me to show in The The Peter MacKendrick
Community Gallery at the Barns in Toronto for the same duration
(a month), and there are critical differences. Ruthie Tucker throws
 a champagne opening with delicious treats and elegant atmosphere.
Experts in Art History act as docents in the gallery full time, and
Ruthie is almost always there herself.  She is super kind, affectionate
and supportive, and on for her artists like crazy both at exhibition
openings and for the duration of a one month show.

At The Peter MacKendrick Community Gallery (a public gallery)
in my neighbourhood in Toronto, where I also love showing --
you hang your own work, sit the show yourself, host your
own opening, and pay for all the wine and treats at your
opening. Plus you pay a hefty fee to do so.

So vive la difference!  When I walk out the door of my openings
in New York City, I am in New York City -- Chelsea to be exact.
it is a super hot gallery area, and I love seeing what other artists
are doing.

Beautiful flowers are always on view at

the Met (and at the MoMA too)

But that's not all.  I love New York City.  The MoMA (Museum
of Modern Art), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Times
Square, going for walks, meeting people -- and you always meet
people because people are so warm in New York City.

So on this busy Sunday my thoughts are frequently escaping
to dreams of New York.

Have a buying some real art day.

In the mood for Paris -- the urge to travel for art

Me with Alessandra Masha Mascitti

in front of my painting in the Carrousel du Louvre Exhibition

Dream Selfie -- Wonder Water Image #7, Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 2016
SOLD ♥

Travelling for art shows is not free.  Immediately people

I know who always know what to do in every situation
chime in with, "you could do this...or you could
do this!"  The facts are -- yes I know very well what
the options are, AND, I'd still like to do it.

Notre Dame in Paris before it 

suffered a fire this year.

So.  Today if I were throwing a dart at the globe spinning
before me -- I would choose Paris.  I am straight up with
no holds back in love with Paris.  I feel for Paris taking
a hit on its iconic cathedral -- Notre Dame, and I would
really like to go there again.

Me with Miranda Brouwers in front of

her painting in the Carrousel du Louvre 

exhibition in 2016

The Russo brothers were wonderful to exhibit with in
their EA Effetto ARTE Gallery booth at the Carrousel du Louvre,
and I count their curator, Alessandra Masha Mascitti as a friend.
Yes we would want to see her very much.

I love the people, the Louvre, the Musée D'Orsay, gallery,
the Seine, the food.  The last time we were in Paris we hung out with
my friends Miranda Brouwers and Rolf Leemeijer and their
sons Marnix and Hugo, and had the best time. I would
love to do that again too.

In short it's almost fall -- it's time to travel, and to plan the
delights of the coming season.  Paris.  I miss you.

Have a loving art shows day.

Dreaming of Florence -- filled with memories

My work in the Florence Biennale in 2015

at the end of the hall.

Wonder Water Series
polyptych, acrylic on coordinated canvasses

6 feet x 9 feet
Barbara Muir © 2015

Today -- perhaps because it's fall, and when I was showing in
Europe in Florence, and in Paris too -- several times the preparation
and anticipation was in the fall.  I am not, as far as I know,
going to Europe this fall, but believe me, if the opportunity
arises and I can get away for art and love, I will be there.

A courtyard in Florence

Florence is a surprise every minute.  I've been there twice --
for 10 days at a time, which is long enough to wander
around the old part of town, and be amazed in every corner.
It's also long enough to find favourite places to eat, and to
visit them again and find they are just as magnificent as you
dreamed they'd be.

A street view in Florence with the Duomo in the background

Plus Florence and the Florence Biennale fostered friendships
for me that I think will last a lifetime.  This is probably the
most exciting part of going to international art shows.
The fees are outrageous, the shipping insane, the cost of
flights, hotels, meals -- ridiculous.  The pleasure?  Infinite,
and it stays with you as though it was tattooed into your heart
and brain.

Have a going to art shows day

From the Encounter exhibition -- Sara Craig

Sara Craig's work displays a variety of

techniques and visual approaches.

Her work is at the front of

the Heliconian Club in the Encounter exhibition

on at 35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto

until October 2.

Sara Craig is an interdisciplinary artist trained in a wide
variety of artistic techniques, including acting, dance, and music
(as a singer/songwriter she was nominated for a JUNO award.)

More of Sara's work in the Encounter 

Exhibition.

She is passionate about figure drawing, and is an active member
of the Helconian Club's Monday Sketch Group. In 2017 Sara won
first place in the "People's Choice award at the group's annual show.
Her work is perfect for an exciting entrance to the exhibit with a
wide variety of types of work to enjoy.

Have a going to art shows day.

More from the Heliconian Club, the work of Patricia Bello

People gather around Patricia Bello's 

beautiful art. Patricia is

standing at the left side of the photo

talking to guests at the opening of

the Encounter Exhibition.

Patricia Bello's rich, bright paintings are beautiful.  I only
have one photo of her paintings, and I think it's telling.
Her corner of the show was so warm because of her
paintings, that everyone was hanging out there, and
talking, happy as can be.

I planned to write up every artist in the Heliconian Club

Encounter show on now until October 2.  I was not 100% on
on the day of the opening because I was recovering from a
nasty cold, and on antibiotics.  So I wish I had better photos.

Thank you Patricia for your wonderful work in the
Encounter exhibition, and I will make a concerted effort
to get better photos for our next exhibition.

Have a loving art shows day.

September 11 -- and what it means to me

My father with me and my son Christopher
the summer before my father died.
My Dad really loved Christopher.

Half of my family lives in the United States.  Some have
dual citizenship, some are Canadian and live there.
So September 11, which means so much to Americans,
resonates with me. Also New York City is one of my
favourite cities in the world, and I can't help thinking
about the horror and lasting impact of that day, every
time I show my work there.

But even more heartfelt to me is the fact that my father,
who I loved so much died before 9/11 on September 11.
My father died of lung cancer, and was way too young
to go.  He'd been a smoker, and was exposed to dangerous
levels of radiation when he was in the navy as a very
young man.

So the day is a day of double loss, and double sadness.
I do hope that we figure out how to give peace a chance,
and that we discover a cure for cancer.

I miss you Daddy.  You gave me my talent in painting,
and in writing.  I miss your humour, your warmth,
your kindness, I know I'll always have your love, and
you mine.

Have a remembering the people you miss day.

More from Encounters at the Heliconian -- Carolyn Grand

 

Paintings by Carolyn Grand in

the Encounter exhibition on at the
Heliconian Club in Yorkville until October 2nd.

In the current exhibition at the Heliconian art Club, at 35 Hazelton Avenue

in Toronto, I am lucky to share a wall with the wonderful artist, Carolyn
Grand.  Carolyn's illustration and design background comes through
loud and clear in her beautiful portraits and scenes.  She says that she
is trying to, "slow life down," by capturing life events, and visions
that are special to her. A big fan of summer she enjoys that season year round in the
beauty of northern, Ontario and in Naples, Florida.

More work by Carolyn Grand at

the Encounter Exhibition on now

at the Heliconian Club.

Carolyn loves the joyous spirit of childhood, and the cheerful feeling
of possibility that comes from happy, sunlit days.  Her joy in both is
beautifully portrayed in her work.

Have an enjoying art shows day.

More from the Encounter show -- Faye Jordan

Faye Jordan with her wonderful

Nature as Cathedral mixed media series.

This is my second show at the Heliconian club with among
others the super artist Faye Jordan.  I didn't do a good
job photographing the Windows show in July, and after
my second opening for the Encounter show Saturday I
understand why.  While the opening is on, there
are so many people to talk to, and so much excitement.
I get carried away and forget to document what's happening.

The first time I saw the Encounter show, was when I arrived
for the opening.  I was absolutely dazzled with both the art,
and the wonderful job the hanging committee had done
arranging the work.

But after the opening, almost as I was heading out the door,
I remembered. 'Oh yes, take some photos.'

Faye Jordan's paintings and mixed media seem to ask us
to pay attention to nature.  They are mystical and
moody, and very moving.

Here's what Faye has to say about this series,
"Nature as Cathedral is an autobiographical body of work,
the continuation of an ongoing theme of conveying the spiritual
presence in environment. I walked and sat with my dog for six years
 in urban High Park in downtownToronto with the mighty
black oaks.

The inspiration for this series began where I experienced nature
as my cathedral. From this realization, images of my rural childhood
Landscapes and childhood place of spiritual nurturing, the Community
Church in Cambray, Ontario, began to appear before me, speaking to
me of a structure or armature on which one’s present is supported
by the past. Just as Monet’s Cathedrals were Described as “armatures
on which to hang colour”, I envisioned the architecture of the church
as a structure to build the urban landscape on. Each supporting the other,
neither being independent of the other."

Have an enjoying art day.

Wonderful opening -- The Encounter Exhibition

Me and my work with Carolyn Grand's work

(We took this shot after the show).

My paintings are the ones featuring

clouds (a constant obsession).

What a great time I had at the Encounter exhibition opening

today.  Thank you to everyone who came out, and thank
you too for all the compliments on my art.  It is a wonderful
show.  I just joined the Heliconian Club this year -- and it is
a super group.  Everyone there is so helpful and cooperative.

We were a group show of five new members today, Faye Goldman,
Sara Craig, Patrician Bello, Carolyn Grand and me (Barbara Muir).
The people who hung the show did a marvellous job, and I was
very happy when I arrived and saw how my work was displayed
on a wall intermingled with Carolyn Grand's lovely work.

Me with Cloud Magic

Acrylic on canvas

4 x 6 ft.,

Barbara Muir © 2018

I may do more blogs about the show this week.  It's up until
October 2, and if you want to see it, let me know, and I'll
contact the club and take you in.

Have an enjoying art shows day.

Come to the show -- Saturday 1 - 4 p.m.

In the studio working on 

In The Right Place At The Right Time

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Today I'm just going to write about the magic of the
art world.  It is absolutely magic.  I was looking for
photos of my studio.  I love it when artists post
pictures of their studio, but mine is never in that
ideal, photographable state.  I have what used to be
the living room and dining room of my tiny house.

Anyway I found a picture of a painting on the easel
which I'm showing you.  It is in the more orderly
part of the studio, so I can let you see it.  And
looking at that photo brought back so many memories.

In The Right Place At The Right Time

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

My wonderful friend in The Netherlands, Miranda
Brouwers, who I met at the Florence Biennale,
sent me photos of a nature reserve near her home,
called the Worp, and helped me be in an exhibition
to raise awareness of the Worp.  This painting was
put together from the photo reference, and my knowledge
of similar spaces near me in Toronto.

Then the work flew in a tube, off its stretcher, to
Miranda, and she and her husband stretched it,
and transported it to the exhibition.  When it
came back to Toronto, my friends at DeSerres
restretched it, and I sold it in a show with my
friend Gill Cameron.

If I hadn't met Miranda in Florence, Italy, when we
both showed at the Florence Biennale, it would
never have happened.  The painting wouldn't have
happened, it wouldn't have travelled across the
ocean, and back, and it wouldn't have sold to
a wonderful collector in Toronto.

Have an enjoying the magic of the art world day,
and come to the show -- September 7, 1 - 4 p.m.,
at the Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Ave.,
Toronto.

Let it go -- artists and their creations

Across the highway

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

Last night Steven and I packed up two big pieces and two
smaller ones to go to the Encounter show in the Heliconian
Club this weekend. Please come out from 1 - 4 p.m.
on Saturday afternoon to 35 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto.
I will be there, we'll have goodies to offer in the beautiful space.
This morning a wonderful taxi driver from Beck Taxis
with a van showed up and we whisked that work down to the club.

Everything looked so bright and happy in that gorgeous space.
Our job as artists is to make the art we want to make, to
follow our heart's desire, and to hope someone else will
want it, and take it home.  The pieces I'm showing seem
like the essence of my landscape paintings and are all
about the Maritimes.  This is the new members show
for the Heliconian Club, and I just joined the club this
year, so I get to be in it.

(If you do end up buying a big piece I recommend the
lovely and reasonable taxi people to help you transport it home.)

Our house of course looks strangely empty, with bare spots
where the art has been, but there is more, more, more
art coming.  Promise.

Have a going to the art show day.

Revised for the new show

View from the Highway

Acrylic on canvas

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir ©  revised 2019

This painting has been in a couple of shows, and I wanted to change

it before it went out again. Here's a better photo, though it could still
be better.

Please come out to the show (see yesterday's post) if you're in
Toronto.  It's going to be great.

Have an enjoying your work day.

Please come to the art show! This Saturday

Here is the invitation to the Encounter group art exhibition at the
Heliconian Club in Toronto, Canada.  I would love to see you there. I have
four pieces in the show.

So please make our art part of your Saturday afternoon.  Thank you
in advance for coming out.

Have a making plans to go to an art show day.

On the road again -- literally

No Contest -- Nature Wins!

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

SOLD ♥ 

(This piece seems perfect

for my joyous and relieved

mood today.  When we were

in Nova Scotia a week

ago I was looking at this scene

in the flesh and marvelling that it

sold in New York City!  A 

happy art story for a happy day.)

Today was a happy day.  I am better. We went to our favourite
park on the west side of the city and saw the swans.
A little boy was dancing as he and his family fed the ducks and
swans, and one swan wiggled his tail, in what looked like a
joyous response.  When we got home a neighbour up the street
asked us in for a glass of wine.  What a treat.

I have been thinking about art all day -- I will have four
pieces going into the Encounter show at the Heliconian
Club on Hazelton Avenue in Toronto this Saturday. The
opening is from 1 - 4 p.m.  I will be there all afternoon
and would love to see you.

Have a planning to go to an art show day.

Make this cold go away!

Napping with the cat

Watercolour and marker 

on watercolour paper

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

I love this painting of Steven trying to recover from a cold with 

a cup of hot lemon, and the cat.  That has been my story today.

Still a deep frightening cough when it comes, and pain.  I want to

wave my wand, and be done with it.  

Have a staying healthy day.