Looking back on August

August road trip

Acrylic ink on 

watercolour paper

and pencil

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 2022

August was a wonderful month for us because we got
to travel 5600 kilometres (3479.679 miles) across this
beautiful country -- through 4 provinces -- Ontario, 
Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.  

The view I'm showing you tonight in this painting is 
from the highway in New Brunswick. It pulls at
my heartstrings because it was inspired by photos I
took on our way back to Toronto.

Goodbye to August.  Wishing you a happy and hopeful
September.

Have a loving your life day.

One of my favourite landscape paintings

Heading home

Acrylic on 2 canvas panels

4 x 6 feet,

Barbara Muir © 2016
(the title of this piece is 
about the feeling of coming
home when we reach Nova
Scotia.  We are so lucky to
feel at home in that beautiful
province and back here in

Toronto.)

Need a landscape painting -- I've got some!  This big beauty currently
graces the wall of my studio, and does a good job of capturing the
wonder, and even the scale of the magnificent landscapes we see
wherever we go when we're in Nova Scotia.

One gift of the pandemic for us has been our love of landscape.  Even
if the pandemic numbers rise, you are completely safe in your car
driving through wonder.  But here in Toronto, normally a 20
minute drive gets us to our favourite park by the lake where we
went tonight to catch a walk looking at a spectacular sunset.
And we were almost alone.  Not many people walking at 7:30
at night. 

I had a lovely visit with a dear artist friend today.  We both rapid
tested and could be inside together. So fabulous.  

Have a loving your life day.

The final, final -- I think!

Stepping into the light
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

Here is the final, final version of my painting  Stepping Into The
Light.  I hope so.  Sometimes I have a hard time letting a painting go.
This is one of those. I've enjoyed working on it so much, and had
such a lovely response from both the model and her mother -- 
the inspiration for the piece.

I do have to sign it, and haven't figured out where that should go.
I never want my signature to interfere with the work. So there
is always something to consider. 

I'm hoping to do another portrait of this wonderful young woman.
So stay tuned.

Have a loving what you do day.

The San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center Artopia show ends August 31

A Day At The Lake

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2020

The San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center virtual art
show Artopia, which originates in California, runs for
the month of August.  So if you haven't seen it, please hit the
title in this paragraph and check it out.  The work is fantastic.

My painting -- shown above -- is featured in the show, if you scroll
down. I was delighted to be juried into the exhibition as there were
more than 400 entries.  A fabulous show. 

Check it out. And yes this painting celebrating one of my favourite
parks -- Colonel Sam Smith Park -- is for sale! 

Have a loving art day.  

A beautiful day in the garden

Holding our heads high with pride

Watercolour on Arches watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

The garden is taking off, just when the weather is suddenly
cooling down at night.  Strange.  But nothing seems to be normal
anymore. So the nasturtiums, usually flourishing at this
time of year, are just starting to bloom, and the leaves
are massive.  You reminded me -- if you want flowers on
nasturtiums cut back on the leaves. Okay.

I love this painting because it captures all the joy I feel
when I look at the garden. There are huge cosmos plants
in deep magenta and mauve waving in the wind.  Colours
I would not have chosen, but last year at the flower center
we go to, they only had mixed pots of plants.  I'm sure we had
white too  last year -- one of my favourites, but for the most part
this year the garden planted itself. And we're delighted with how
 it arranged itself. So the title of this painting makes sense.

Have a loving your life day.

National Dog Day

Sally the dog

Acrylic on canvas

5 x 7 inches 

Barbara Muir © 2014

I'd planned to make a design including some of my favourite
dog paintings, but I worked on a portrait of a person all 
afternoon, and to celebrate the perfect weather, we took 
our dog for a walk, and I sang Happy National
Dog Day to her to the tune of Happy Birthday.  She normally
barks her way through Happy Birthday, but like any
9 year old she was embarrassed, and so was Steven even
though no one heard me.

Here's a post from 2020, which says it all:

"People who are lucky enough to have dogs for pets, have
companions who insist on joy.  The current virus has left us
isolated to a great degree and stuck in our homes watching a
continuous loop of the news. And most of that news is soul
destroying.

That’s where dogs come in.  Play and fun are two elements that are
absolutely necessary for a dog.  And it’s impossible to play with a dog
without feeling happy.  The horrors of the news, the sadness friends and
family are experiencing, the state of the world, all recede.  It’s as
much fun as playing with a toddler, but a dog never grows up in the human
sense. I am eternally grateful to our dog."

Happy National Dog Day Sally.  

Have a loving your life day.

Apples are good luck

Apples from our tree
Sketch
Acrylic ink, marker and
coloured pencil on
mixed media paper
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

I should have listened to my own advice yesterday, because today
it was very hard to get to happy.  I think Steven and I are experts
at it. And we succeeded. Sometimes a simple thing like grocery
shopping, and watching TV with the cats and the dog make us
know how lucky we are.

I started this sketch when I was in Nova Scotia, on the last day
of our visit.  We have a few crab apple trees on the property line.
Steven pruned back the dead branches on one until it looked
perfect, and I picked a few apples to arrange for a drawing. 

Today I discovered that you can use acrylic ink over coloured
pencil, and that was a happy discovery. I will call this a quick
sketch.  It does make me remember what we have when we head
out to Nova Scotia, our own property surrounded by trees.

Have a loving your life day

Staying up

Small is beautiful

Watercolour and marker on

Arches watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

This long lasting pandemic has really been disruptive.  And for
artists creatively painful.  So what do you do to keep your spirits
up?  For my husband and me, a drive out to our favourite park
by the lake does the trick.  We went tonight, and fed the ducks.
Then took a walk as the sun was setting, and saw a family feeding
something we haven't seen for months -- a swan. How wonderful.
Plus it is our monthaversary so we ordered take out Indian food
from a restaurant near our park and sat eating a delicious meal
by the lake, listening to the waves. 

We also love to joke -- especially when the jokes are puns, or
really dumb word play. And another great pleasure this summer has 
been eating dinner on our front porch behind the screen of our
thriving rose bush.  The leaves are gorgeous.  It was stunningly
beautiful when the flowers were out, but continues to be
a lush green pleasure to look at.

Music keeps us happy, and we listen to a P.E.I. radio station
in the car and sing, which makes us feel connected to the Maritimes.
And there is the pleasure of friendship. And so many other positive
influences.

Have a loving your life day.

In the game

Summer love
Acrylic in and pencil
on watercolour paper
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

Nuance -- my friend Simon Constam, who I recommend you follow
on Instagram as dailyferocity, wrote about nuance.  We artists are
besieged with nuance -- defined in my laptop's dictionary as, 
"the expression of subtle nuances of thought: fine distinction, subtle distinction/difference, shade, shading, gradation, variation, modulation, degree;
 subtlety, nicety, refinement, overtone."

I often worry when I'm out walking with a friend that I will get 
lost in the observation of every small detail around us.  So that's
our artist's life. And I think artists are lucky that way.

Today I am looking over some of the paintings I've had trouble
completing, and thinking about ways to change them and finish 
them.  I am almost finished this painting.  Another tribute to
the fields that run between Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. 
Is it right to call it being homesick, when we spend so little
time at our school house in Nova Scotia?  Well we are, but 
meantime, as far as art goes, I am back in the game. 

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Monday

Maritime Happiness
(work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

I'm almost finished this painting.  As I explained to a friend
today, when you're an artist, every time you look at a painting
you see something you could change.  But it is almost finished.

It is our Monthaversary of our first date today, and we actually
ate at the table with candles, because the rain soaked the 
pillows on both porches, so we couldn't eat outside, as we 
have been with great appreciation of each warm night.

I hope you had a fantastic day. I did.  It was very hot and sunny,
and it rained like crazy, so the plants should be happy. I am.

Have a loving your life day. 

Sentimental Sunday

Steven and I standing
in front of 
You can't keep a good man down
Acrylic pen, and acrylic on canvas
3 x 4 feet (.914 x 1.29 metres)
Barbara Muir © 2020
at the Heliconian
Life Drawing Show

It's been another wonderful day. Sometimes I worry that I say
that too often. But is that possible? I think it matters on the highest
level to recognize when we are enjoying our lives. There’s so much
sorrow, pain, and illness around us, and even in our own lives – that
each precious, happy day counts, and is  worth celebrating.

I know it gets dull reflecting on what life was like back before the pandemic.
But oh boy do I ever miss those days. I came upon this picture of Steven
and me at a show at the Heliconian in February 2020 featuring drawings.
And felt so happy thinking about that positive time just before we found out
about the pandemic. It was the best. Absolutely no worries. So I love this photo.
And I love the drawing I did on canvas of Steven my sweet husband. The drawing
hangs in our hallway now, and I feel both proud and delighted every time I see it.

Have a loving your life day.

A Happy Day

Untitled (Work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

Today was about as perfect as a Saturday could be. We went to the market
and saw the wonderful farmers who grow our vegetables and make
delicious quiches, pastries, and today chocolate cake! 

We bought flowers, and drove way above the lake to avoid the CNE
crowds on the Lakeshore. At our favourite park down at the lake, we
fed the ducks and seagulls. It was a very hot, but just right at the lake
in the shade.

When we got home I started this painting. I was supremely happy creating
it. Steven and our cat Fiona napped on my studio couch, and our dog Sally
slept on the floor while I painted. That was a lovely feeling of both urgency
 and complete relaxation. Maybe that’s the best formula for creativity.

I base this painting on a little fantasy acrylic ink painting I did. I like the
total sweetness of it. The clouds are fantasies – but don’t you always see
things in the clouds? You do if you're cloud freak like me. It's not
quite done.

Have a loving your life day.

Your happy effect on me

The Weight of the Sky
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 48 inches
Norene Smiley © 2008

The large photo of the painting featured
on the Obrien's Pharmacy wall
in Pugwash, Nova Scotia
where Norene lives.

I'm thinking today about my artist friends who I see here in the
blog world, on Instagram, and on Facebook.  I don't look at
Facebook as often as I check out Instagram, but every time
I look at work by friends, and new social media friends,  I'm
inspired.

In Nova Scotia I was lucky to see some artist friends -- such
a treat. Norene Smiley is a wonderful artist in any medium she 
works on.  Right now one of her portraits -- a portrait of her
father (see above) -- is blown up billboard size, and featured on
the wall of the Pharmacy in Pugwash.

And I visited my friend Flora Doehler's studio in Bear River,
which is always an inspiration.  It was so lovely to see
her work.  I especially loved the collage I'm showing you here.

In Grandmother's garden
Collaged watercolour images on
birch panel
20 x 20 inches
Flora Doehler © 2022

Thank you to all of the artists out there. I love your work, and
you keep me going.

Have a loving the artists' work you see day.

Underway

Kitchen flowers
(sketch)
Acrylic ink on paper
7 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022 

When I taught Positive Psychology, or School Success,
I learned a valuable lesson from my boss, who wrote our
textbook.  Make a list of six things to do every day.

I haven't done that for the last couple of weeks because
I was on vacation -- but the practice is super helpful.
I frequently write 10 or 13 things, but the idea is that
you can probably get 6 things done, and cross them off
your list. And that makes you feel fantastic.

I did not get a new painting done today, but I did start one.
The double gesso process takes some time, and I also
worked on painting in this simple drawing to see the colours
pop.

More progress tomorrow.

Have a loving your life day.

Still in recovery mode

Baby at the party 

Acrylic on canvas

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

By recovery mode I mean, I am not completely back in the Toronto
groove.  But I did mess around in my studio today. I worked on a drawing,
and painted an area out on a painting that's been bothering me 
for awhile now. Couldn't decide what to do with it, so I read.

There's no new work to show you.  Tomorrow
I will start the long review of all of the reference shots
I took on our trip, and I'll get something printed for a new
piece. 

Plus we went to the lake and fed the geese, ducks, and seagulls.
The sound of the waves, and feeding the birds made me happy.
For me Lake Ontario is our year round ocean! 

Meanwhile, have a good rest of the week, and enjoy this
painting from a series of baby paintings. Always fun to 
have a baby at the party.

Have a loving your work day.

The dream continues

Nova Scotia Dreaming
Acrylic ink on
watercolour paper
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2022

I woke up in the middle of the night and had no idea where I was.
I was pretty sure I was in a hotel, but oddly enough the hotel had
the same black and white tile as my bathroom at home.

Visiting Nova Scotia can have a big effect on you. The beauty of
the ocean views, the wide fields, massive clouds, green, green forests
and the bluest skies you’ve ever seen in your life -- stays in your brain,
and your heart. And that can shake you up when you have to leave. 

Luckily I have my kind friends here in Toronto, my yelling Siamese cat
Fiona telling me, "get your act together!", and the desire to transform my
dreams, and longing into more art so I can share that feeling of beauty.

My advice? If you get a chance go to Nova Scotia. Just don’t expect Internet,
or cell phone connections. Come on you can’t have everything! Otherwise
it's paradise.  

Have a loving where you are day.

Love in the sand

Heart in the sand
B.M. (Barbara Muir)
Loves
S.v.S.
(Steven van Schaik)
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

I won't win any art awards for this -- but it meant a lot to
us to be able to walk on our favourite beach in the world
at the Gulf Shore Park in Nova Scotia. 

There was only one day during our trip when it was not
too hot, and not raining so we could walk on the beach. 
And we very happily did.

We arrived on a Friday night, and left on Friday morning,
a week later, and spent two days away at Bear River. That
gave us a total of four days at our school house.  Figure
in shopping for groceries, and visiting friends, plus
a combination of 43 Celsius, 109.8 Fahrenheit heat, and
rain, and we were lucky to have one lovely walk on the
beach.

The day I drew this Steven gathered a tiny bouquet of wild
flowers, and put them on the heart I drew for him.
The two of us love hearts. Right now I'm back in our Toronto
kitchen, and there are red paper hearts on the cupboards and
the fridge. Corny I know, but also pretty.

But this one is special.  We love you Nova Scotia.

Have a thinking about who and what you love day.

Home after 15 days -- feeling renewed

View from the highway

Acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2017
(We did not get to see this
fabulous view this time, because
we took the fast highway, but 
promised ourselves that
next time we will take
the river route in
New Brunswick, which
is what this painting
features.)

Actually it's more than renewed -- it's new.  I remember
learning when I taught positive psych, that we are not
the static beings we think we are.  So many of our
cells change all the time.

So we've been away for 15 days. Steven has driven more
than 4600 kilometres, or 2858.307 miles! We have seen so
much beauty, that I feel like every photo I took (hundreds)
is in me, like a part of me.  That sounds crazy, but what a
celebration we've had of this beautiful country. Singing all
the way to Nova Scotia and back to our favourite P.E.I. radio
station. 

Fabulous sunsets, amazing views, and so many lovely
friends and new friends along the way.  We were careful,
masked, and ate take out food on so many little streets. 

On one street in Ottawa where it was very hot, we parked
under a tree on a random street to eat our lunch, and a there
was s little free book library stand on the lot across from us.
I got out to check the books after eating my lunch, and they
were mostly religious. Not my thing. 

But a woman named Suze came up to check out the books,
and handed me the book she was going to put in (that's how
these little book libraries work. If you can, you put one in
when you take one out.) Hers was historical fiction, and I
haven't read it yet, but look forward to it. Thank you Suze
from Ottawa. 

So renewed, new, brand new -- it's great to be home.
Thank you to everyone who made this trip a delight.

Have a loving your life day.

Goodbye to Quebec

View of the harbour,
Quebec City
this morning
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

Yesterday we drove through three provinces to get to Quebec City.
Such a beautiful city -- we were sad to leave.  We are almost home,
and tonight took a happy walk through a quiet neighbourhood in
Ottawa -- all very old, magnificent houses, huge trees, fabulous
gardens.

Now it's time to get ready to get home.  My brain is filled with ideas,
and I feel like it's going to be an exciting time when we get home.

Thank you to everyone who made this trip fantastic for us.  It's a 
very long, and magnificent drive.

Have a loving where you are day.

A short visit, and long longing

Across the Highway

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016

We left our little school house in Nova Scotia today, and
travelled 11 hours in the car to get to Quebec City.  For
the time measurers out there who will question why it
took so long -- we stopped for take out food, and once
to use a washroom, and there was a lot of construction
along the route.

And hey! We're here, with a beautiful view of Quebec, and
the river.  So we are so happy, and I am so proud of 
Steven who drove the whole way. This is the view
I will be missing that I see when I step out my front
door in Nova Scotia. Not quite -- the hydro people took
down the magnificent tree a couple of years ago.  But
it is still a beautiful view.

Have a loving your life day.

Small memory, and the kindness of artists

Cottage Memories
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2008

Looking through a container of papers we found this small
painting at the school house, and it needed some repair. 
An animal had clearly done some damage, and scratched
the surface.  But I like the piece.  And it brings up memories
of the times when the boys were here, and when we
met on my friend Diane's porch overlooking the ocean.

We had dinner with artist friends the other night, and our
friend Norene loaned me some yellow paint to fix the 
cottage in the distance.  She gave me brushes and water
in her studio. So sweet. So here it is.

Have a loving your life day. 

Leaving the Bay of Fundy

The beautiful Bay of Fundy
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

What an amazing time we had with our friends in Bear River!
A short post again tonight, because after a 6 hour drive to get
back to our school house we are tired.  This is the view I saw
this morning, as I drank my coffee looking out at the Bay of
Fundy from our little private deck at a very nice motel in
Smith's Cove.

Have an enjoying your life day.

Inspiration times one thousand

The view from our room
over the Bay of Fundy
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

There is no experience in the world like driving through
the Maritimes.  This was our day today -- heading south from
our little school house to come and visit friends in Bear
River. And to stay in a lovely motel in Smith's Cove with
private decks off every room facing the Bay of Fundy.
Amazing.

Every image of the thousands I've taken could become a
painting.  Think of it. I would love to see that happen.
Well maybe not thousands -- I'm not Damien Hirst.  But
a room of beautiful paintings of the Maritimes would be
an inspiring and beautiful place to be for people in any
city.

Have a loving your life day.

The art of pizza

The painting on the wall
at Derado's Pizzeria
and Donair
in Tatamagouche,
Nova Scotia
(I should have asked for
more information on the
painting -- but it looks
like a historical painting
of the town of Tatamagouche.)

No this isn't an ad, but we met such a wonderful person in
Tatamagouche last year -- Habib Richa, who runs Derado's
Pizzeria and Donairand follows me on Instagram, and likes my art. 
He took over his parents' pizza place, and is very busy because
people love his pizza. We do too.  For people like us being
careful during COVID and eating take out, his delicious
pizza is perfect.

The image tonight is a photo of the painting on the wall.  Not
something you see in most pizza parlour. 

Have a loving your life day.

Seeing your art at a friend's place

Pansies in a cream jug
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Today was a beautiful, if very hot day.  People who don't
live in Nova Scotia think it can't be hot by the ocean, but
today with the humidex the temperature felt like 43 Celsius,
or 109 Fahrenheit.

Wow! We visited a friend with AC who lives right at the shore
of the ocean.  We had a lovely visit, and I was happy to see
this work displayed in her kitchen. Plus for a few minutes we
were cool, cool, cool.

There are more art stories from today, but the internet is
still a bit fragile, so I wish you a fabulous Monday.

Have a loving your art day.

Another short one

Clouds dancing over Toney Bay

Acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

Steven sat on the phone today on hold for three hours
trying to get our internet up in the school house. No
person ever answered. So... we are sitting in the 
parking lot of a local museum in Nova Scotia, that
offers internet use! Amazing really. But it's night time,
and buggy, and we can't stay.

I'm posting this image now, because it captures some of
the beauty that makes us come back here year after year.
Everywhere we turn is another beautiful scene. And we
saw this scene today.

 I'm glad I painted it.

Have a loving your life day.

This will be short

Flowers from Paula 

Sketch

Marker on drawing paper 

5.5 x 8.5 inches 

Barbara Muir ©️ 2022

As Steven struggles to connect our internet, I am writing this on my phone. Far from ideal, We have driven 2000 kilometres, a thousand miles,
to end up in a non-air conditioned space, that is the hottest I’ve been all summer. And? And the views the whole way were spectacular.

We arrived to find that our dear friends had cleaned the place, left us flowers, raccoon proofed it so we didn’t arrive to the pungent smell of them sharing our space, So all is well. I did this fast sketch of the bouquet on our table,

We are so grateful. 

Have a loving your life day.

What compells us

Cloud Magic

Acrylic on canvas

4 x 6 feet

Barbara Muir © 2018

Hi everyone,

I'm writing to you from Quebec City.  We have driven about 1300 kilometres,
or should I say my husband, Steven, has.  It's a long, long drive, and today
we face a 6 or 7 hour drive to Fredericton, New Brunswick. 

Our view of the entire Quebec harbour from our hotel room, will make it hard
to pack up once again, and head out.  But the thought of the magnificent views
all along the way keeps us going. it's been an incredibly beautiful trip so
far. 

I'm showing you this painting today because it captures the reason we're 
making this trip. We're heading for the ocean in Nova Scotia. And we can't
wait -- but have to. 

Have a loving the journey day.

Favourites

Peach party
12 x 12 inches
Acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2008

We artists are always trying to produce something new.  I've
actually heard artists say, that a painting from five years ago
is an "old" one, and I immediately think of Leonardo Da Vinci,
and think "Really?" But of course I do it to myself too.  

Right now I'm on vacation, so I may feature my older work,
or photos, or whatever I produce while I am enjoying my time
with my husband.  I absolutely love this painting, and I'm
happy to show it to you.  It captures my very happy mood 
today perfectly. 

Have a loving your life day.

Water

View of the river
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2022

My parents taught me to love water. Every summer from the time that I was
two they hauled me, and my three siblings to a cottage that was a 2 1/2 hour
drive from Ottawa. We swam every day, canoed and loved the views on the
lake. 

When I left home for university my parents bought a home on the Ottawa river.
That place also held special memories for me. Wonderful visits with amazing
scenery. Today we drove down that memorable road.  My parents' house 
doesn't exist anymore, but the views are still there. Amazing.

In Toronto we head to a park beside Lake Ontario as often as possible. And
it makes us happy. 

Have a loving your life day.

Artopia starts today

A Day At The Lake

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2020

The San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center virtual art
show Artopia, which originates in California, starts today, and runs for
the month of August. 

My painting -- shown above -- is featured in the show, if you scroll
down. I am so excited to have been accepted as there were
more than 400 entries.  And the show is magnificent.

Check it out. 

Have a loving art day.