A feeling of Nova Scotia

 The artists' yellow house
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © revised 2024

I think this is done.  But I know I've been profoundly affected by the 
artist Mitchell Johnson's incredible videos, in which he paints over
older work -- sometimes as it's framed on the wall. So I may do more.

I like the feeling the painting has now. And it will be in the Off The
Wall exhibition opening next Saturday, November 30 between 2 and
5 p.m. at the Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto.

I'd love to see you there.

Have a loving your life day.

The excitement of spring

Spring Exuberance

Work in Progress

Acrylic on canvas board

6 x 6 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

It was a particularly grey day today. I was grateful to be working on this cheerful
painting. Still a work in progress, but almost there. It reminds me of the force of
spring— how one minute you’re walking through snow, and the next flowers are
taking over every possible space.

I was grateful for our neighbour Bob’s tree out my window today -- still hanging in
with its golden leaves. It’s almost alone now. Many trees are barren.

This painting will be for sale at the Off The Wall show.  Come to the opening at the
Heliconian Cub 35 Hazelton Ave. Admission is free So mark down November 30 on
your calendar between two and five – it’s going to be a party.

See you there.

Have a loving your life day

Work in progress for the Off The Wall

 

Untitled
work in progress
Acrylic on raised birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

Had some fun working on this today.  I am trying not to have a very bad cold, but
I think I do have it.  Positive vibes or not.  So I couldn't run around, and do the 
million things I need to do, and this happened.  A bit of touch up and a few changes
tomorrow, and it will be done.

Have a loving your life day.

The commission goes home

Malia at the beach
Acrylic on canvas
I8 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

(In the excitement I didn't get a 
super photo of the painting, but 
you get the idea! So much fun.
I'll visit the family and get
a better image.)

It was an exciting day today as my painting of Malia as a little girl, (she is
now 14), went home.  It is always a moving moment when you first show
a collector a painting that they've been waiting to see.  Malia's mother,
Carm, came to pick the painting up, and she was quite pleased.  Then
I carried the painting home for her (she lives around the corner) and 
Malia asked to see it.  She says she loves it.  High praise.

So that was a very rewarding experience.  Thanks so much Carm,

Jason, and Malia. Also thanks to Tobias, because it was his portrait as
a young boy for an HGTV program 15 years ago that inspired the idea of the
painting of Malia when she was a child.

Have a loving your life day.

Family fun and more for the Off The Wall show

 

Apples on a plate
Mixed media
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024
Framed

The family art club met today and began a big Happy Holiday poster.  There are stars,
and wreathes and presents, and candy, and cups of hot chocolate, and the poster (a 
banner really) is not finished.  More next meeting.

This is another painting for the Off The Wall show opening on November 30 between

2 and 5 p.m. at The Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto.  I'd love to see you
there. 

Have a loving your life day.

Sunset at La Pocatière

 

Sunset at La Pocatière
Acrylic on birch panel
(framed)

5 x 7 inches unframed

Barbara Muir © 2024

It's Saturday night, and movie watching time in our house.  But before I go -- here is
a sweet painting I'll be showing in the Heliconian Off The Wall Show opening
November 30 from 2 - 5 at 35 Hazelton Avenue. If it's not "on the wall" and you
want it, just ask.  It is framed, so you could take it home, and put it "on your wall." 
Sorry I do get a bit silly on Saturday night.  Happiness and all that you know.

La Pocatière is one of our favourite stops in Quebec on our long 2000 kilometre (1000
mile) drive to Nova Scotia from Toronto every summer. It is beautiful in any weather,
and at any time of day. 

Wishing you a great rest of the weekend.

Have a loving your life day.

Friday madly prepping and looking back

Morning light

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

I actually did some of the things on my list today, which felt great. I am
completing paintings, painting edges, naming, signing, making labels and
lists for the Off The Wall show.  It should be overwhelming, but for some reason I was having a super time doing all of this today

Scrolling through an old blog I found this image of the morning light on our bedroom dresser, and I like it.  Not sure if it was sold, or painted over, (that does

happen, usually for good reasons). Still it made me happy just seeing it.

I will post more new stuff in the coming days. Wishing you a great weekend.

Have a loving your life day. 

The Off The Wall Show -- you're invited!

Invitation to the Off The Wall show.

Free admission

Hi Friends,

Here's the invitation to the Off The Wall Show at the Heliconian Club,

35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto.

Admission is free and there will be treats and wonderful coffee. 
People who purchase can have their work wrapped, and take it home
right away, then another work by the artist goes up on the wall!

I am planning to have 30 paintings in the show.  So please come out

and say Hi!  We'd love to see you.

Have a loving your life day. 

Another painting for the Heliconian Club Off The Wall show

Tulips in a silver jug
Watercolour on watercolour paper

5 x 7 3/8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

Here is another painting that I'll be showing in the Heliconian Off The Wall exhibition
I've talked about quite a bit here.  Please come to the opening if you're in town. It's
on between 2 and 5:30 on November 30, at 35 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada. There will be cookies, and lots of art to look at.

I am a big fan of tulips.  As we speak there is a vase of brilliant red tulips in my 

kitchen -- so cheerful as the fall cold comes in.  Don't get me wrong -- I'm a major fan 

of fall and spring.  But it does feel like a happy miracle to have tulips in the fall as the 

leaves begin to vanish, and we need all the cheer we can get.

Have a loving your life day. 

The last of the Nasturtiums

September's bliss

Watercolour and marker

on Arches watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012
(I know it's November. Lol.)

I went into the garden today to pick what I'm pretty sure will be the last
of the nasturtiums, and I am so sorry they are going to probably be
finished tonight if it dips below zero.  They are such a wonderful
flower -- so joyous, so easy to take care of, and you have to pick
them so they will bloom.

So right now our kitchen table is filled at one end with small white
cream jogs boasting very happy nasturtiums.  I have been prepping

paintings, and painting all day.  It was a beautiful day here, and
I enjoyed every minute of it.

Have a loving your life day. 

Remembrance Day

Canada Bereft
One of the sculptures at the 
Canadian National War Memorial
at Vimy Ridge in
France.

This Remembrance Day I feel sorry for all of the people --
soldiers and civilians -- who have died, and continue to die
in wars.  The last time I checked there were 32 conflicts 
going on currently. It feels especially sad that we haven't
learned that wars don't work -- they just kill people.

I think of one of my students in a writing class, when we
wrote journals about a perfect day.  He described a 
perfect day in the war in Afghanistan.  How his division
attacked a village.  He was 19 years old when he joined
the army.  As he was reading in front of the class, he
almost cried shouting, "it's not the Highway of Heroes,
it's the Highway of Murderers," and ran out of the classroom.

As a girl I was an Ottawa School Patrol (school crossing
guard).  We helped people cross the street.  And we got to
go by bus down to the war memorial on Remembrance Day.
We marched wearing our school patrol white belts with the
soldiers and police. We felt so special. I'm glad I didn't
grow up to be a soldier, and my thoughts are with my
student today who did.

Have a working on peace day.

Grateful for my website

 

Some images -- not all on the

website. I need some help
getting it up to date now, and
that will happen in the next couple
of months.  I wanted to 

put a celebratory piece up for you tonight.

This was an incredibly exciting event for
me -- getting a website.  

I first went public with my website on November 3, 2021, and it is a wonderful thing.
People who want to see my work, don't necessarily want to read my blog, and some
people don't want to look at Instagram.  So there it is. https://www.barbaramuir.com
-- wonderfully organized, and a clear way for people to see what I do.

I am over the top grateful to my son Christopher for organizing it, designing it,
and just helping me all the time with my questions about how to handle my sites.
Thank you to everyone who helped me with the website, and to everyone
who has visited it to check out my work, buy my work, and promote me
as an artist.

Have a loving your life day.

Another painting for the Off The Wall show

 

Country sunset

Acrylic on mounted 

birch panel

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

Here is another painting for the Off The Wall show opening on 
November 30 at the Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Avenue.
The show is free of course, and there will be delicious treats!
Plus if you want to buy a painting the prices are sale prices --
very reasonable, and you can take the painting home with you
if you buy it!  A super event.

I love the happy mood, colour and texture of this one.  Wishing
you a good weekend. Don't let the news get you down.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband

 You can't keep a good man down

Acrylic ink and acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

We had a very sweet family celebration for Steven today.
His actual birthday was yesterday, but ever since we found
out that his real birthday was November 7, which is our son Sam's
birthday too, we've either celebrated on the 7th, and 8th, or on both.

We discovered when Steven's mother (now gone) was
living in Ottawa, that there had been some mix up when Steven
was born, and his father recorded the wrong date. His mother
explained that the date on his birth certificate was correct.

Our solution?  As Sam's birthday was November 7, and 
Steven had celebrated on November 8 for his whole life,
we kept that tradition

If anyone deserves two birthday days it's this guy -- such
a kind, generous human, and the love of my life.  He 
is the best.  Happy Birthday Steven.

Have a loving the people in your life day.

Happy Birthday Sam

After the Dance

Sam sketch

Acrylic on canvas

30" x 30"
Barbara Muir ©

Today is my son Sam‘s birthday. We are so happy that he was born.
He has been a wonderful person for all of his life, and we wish him
an amazing day today, and a fantastic year!

I’m showing you a painting that I did a while back. Sam was a wonderful
model. I painted all day today again, working on a larger piece And when
I have time on some smaller pieces for the off-the-wall Show. 

Have a loving your life day.

* Computer issues stopped this from publishing yesterday.  Happy
Birthday Sam!

Happy Birthday to my Mother

Isabel Muir

(My mother)

by my son Christopher Muir

Christopher Muir © 

(It took a lot of convincing to

get my mother to pose for

this shot. She didn't

like to be photographed, or

to be the center of attention.

My image is a photo of the photo,

which is why there are reflections

on it, from the glass.)

My mother is dead, and I miss her
every day.

This is my mother's birthday.  I don't believe in heaven, and neither
did she, but she does live on profoundly in our hearts. 

My mother was a gorgeous beauty -- never aware or confident
of that for reasons I will never understand.  Because today would have been
her birthday if she were alive to see it, and I've thought about her
all day.

My mother was brave, resilient and always looked for joy in small
things.  Even blind, with a serious lung disease she asked me to
help her fill out cheques to dozens of charities.  Not large amounts,
but the thought of helping people was uppermost on her to do
list.  I miss her every day, but especially today. She would have been
saddened indeed by today's news, but as always she would have 
risen above, and gone on to keep contributing to people's happiness
in the world, any way she could.

Have a loving your life day! 

Back to my art group

Art Group Sketch
Maybe Work in Progress
Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

Tonight was so fun.  With set up, and take down, I might have had 
40 minutes total to paint.  The model was beautiful, and an 
excellent model.  The best.

It's a treat to be around amazing artists, and to see their work.  So
wonderful.  So that was tonight.  I've been painting all day -- it's
break time.

Have a loving your life day.

Small and Beautiful

Flowers for you #2
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

A friend urged me to join some painting contests today. I know it’s a good idea.
Right now though I’m working on getting quite a few paintings ready for the
Off The Wall show at the Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Ave. in Toronto, opening
on November 30, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. I hope you’ll be there. It's free, and of course
there are treats. Plus the top price for the paintings in the show is $200 and most
of mine will be $100.

That means you could drop into the show, fall in love with a beautiful, small painting,
pay for it, and take home a gorgeous gift for the holiday season. Yes, you can take it
home that day! That’s why it’s called Off The Wall.

I’m really looking forward to this show. I think it’s going to be fun. The work will
be available to be sold at all of the Heliconian events in the month of December.
So if you don’t make it to the opening, there will be a lot of other opportunities
to get yourself a beautiful, small painting. I really hope I get to see you there.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday Sally the dog

Sally the dog

Acrylic on canvas

5 x 7 inches 

Barbara Muir © 2014

It's our dog Sally's birthday.  We will sing to her and give her a
special treat. We got Sally, who turns 12 today at a very sad time
in our lives. Our almost 14 year old dog died that year in
September, and my mother died a couple of weeks later. 

We needed a dog, and visited the Humane Society adoption
Center, and chose Sally.  Well in fact she chose us. She was a skinny
dog lying on a ripped blanket. When I sat down on the floor beside
her cage, she pulled my purse into the cage, and that was that.  Steven
found me sitting on the floor crying looking at Sally, and the rest has been
12 years of loving this beautiful animal.  She no longer looks like this
painting, but she is even more beautiful in our eyes -- her family, and she
loves our family.

Sally was one year old when we got her, and we were her fourth
owners.  Tonight when we sing Happy Birthday to her, she will sing
Happy Birthday to herself, and get two cookies and something good to eat.
In the last couple of weeks we've been worried that she's losing her sight,
and maybe her hearing, but she hasn't lost her sense of fun. 

Have a loving your life day.

Cats on Saturday night

 

Our cats
Monet facing us, and
Fiona facing Monet 
curled up on our dog Sally's bed
Photo

Barbara Muir © 2022

Tonight I was going to talk about the Nasturtiums in the garden -- how it's 5 degrees Celsius
(33.8 Fahrenheit), and how I don't want them to die, as I've been picking them every day
with great pleasure for a couple of months, and they're beautiful. Plus I've painted some
very happy paintings featuring them.

Then as I was thinking this, our cats started vying for the kitchen heat vent. And scrolling through my
photos, I saw this sweet photo.  Our cats rarely cuddle, but they did when we went to Paris
last May, because they missed us, and they might cuddle again because of the cold.
Fiona is 17 (she's the smaller one) and Monet is 3, she's looking very tired in the photo.  

They are super affectionate with us. They love our dog Sally, and they do not like to see us

troubled about anything.  Tonight is movie night, and they will get upset that we are watching 

TV too long (kind of like overprotective parents).  At the same time they'll appreciate the

long, warm snuggles with us on the couch as we watch our movie. They are of course annoyed 

by the cold.  They love sitting on the back porch with us, but not in this weather.  And they don't

 go out without us.

Have a loving your life day.

International Self Portrait Day

 

For David Lobenberg

Self portrait
acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2009
(I did this portrait for David Lobenberg's

June Paint Off in 2009)

You can read about it here.)

I learned that it was International Self Portrait Day today from the fabulous
portrait artist Jane French, who wrote about it in an Instagram post.

Wondering what to write about tonight -- I thought --Yes! Artists who paint
portraits -- and portraits are some of the subjects I like to paint -- frequently
have no model other than themselves.  So of course I've painted my portrait
more than once during my artistic life. This is one of my favourite self portraits. 
My husband Steven has it hanging above his work desk.

Funnily enough we almost never capture exactly what we think we look
like -- but this one works well for me.  There is a suggestion of a sense

of humour.  And I am grateful to be around kind and funny people 
most of the time.  So yes -- that is a quality I'm glad is there.

2009 was a very big year for me.  Lots of TV, newspaper articles, the
beginning of showing in International Art exhibitions.  And I drew 
Oprah live via Skype on the Oprah Winfrey show, so I also like
this portrait for the time that it captures.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Halloween

 

Steven in the door waiting for

Trick or Treaters.

Many came tonight.
This is a photo from a couple
of years ago.  Tonight we sat oututside

because it was so warm, handed

out lots of candy, and had
fun with our next door neighbours who were

also sitting outside handing out candy.

It was a very Happy Halloween!

Tonight we sat outside in fall clothes -- no sweaters --
unheard of at this time of year. We had a basket that we 
refilled over and over, letting kids come, and pick halloween
chocolate bars out of the basket on our porch.  It was so much fun.

Our next door neighbour was giving out candy
too.  The children's costumes were wonderful -- lots of variety.
And the kids were sweet again-- so polite, careful not to take too
much candy even when we said they could.  Until the very end
when we asked some kids to help us out, and they took a lot
of candy.

So that was Halloween this year. Sweet.  I had a super dinner with
Steven ,and family dropped over to bring me presents and sing 
Happy Birthday, and eat cake.  So fun.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Wednesday -- Busy Day

Untitled (Work in progress)
Watercolour on watercolour paper
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024 

Hi friends, there's a whole lot going on here. More on that tomorrow.
This is one thing I worked on today.  A beautiful scene.  More on
that tomorrow.

Hope you're having a wonderful day, and that you're all ready for
Halloween.

Have a loving your life day.

More for the Off The Wall show

Golden Light

Acrylic on Birch Panel

Framed -- 6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2024

Here's another piece for the Off The Wall show. It's a simple ocean scene -- one 
of my favourite things to paint.  As abstract as it is, I can almost hear the waves
coming in -- what a pleasure.

Come out and see what's up for grabs (literally -- if you like a painting you can pay
for it and take it home right away), at the Off The Wall show opening at the Heliconian Club
from 2 - 5:30 on November 30.

Have a loving your life day.

Humour in the art studio

 

Front of card

Back of card. 

(As I said it is a Prototype.  So we 
may make changes before creating more of these.)
Barbara Muir © 2024

My husband came up with a funny idea, and that was a discount card
for my art. How it would work is that each time a collector buys art, they
would get a point for every $20 they spent. That point would be worth
one dollar, so depending on how much the collector spent, if they took
the points card, they could get a deduction on any work they bought in the
future.

I had help from a wonderful writer – my brother – for the title of the card.
And my wonderful printer Saint Clair Printing and Graphics made 25 prototypes
of the points card. I laughed so much today. It was so much fun so I’ll be
handing out the few I have to people who may collect my work. If you’re
 interested, you can email me at barbara.muir@sympatico.ca

And of course I also painted all day with great pleasure.

Have a loving your life day!

Another painting for the Off The Wall show

 The pick of Picton

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © Revised 2024

Another spectacular day today -- a perfect Sunday.  I woke up with an image
in my mind, drew it, and painted it almost to completion before my third
coffee.  Now that's a good day.

Here is another painting for the Off The Wall show opening at the Heliconian
Club, 35 Hazelton Ave. between 2 and 5:30 on November 30.  Please come
if you're in town.  There are always treats, and the show is free.

Have a loving yourself day.

National Pumpkin Day

 

Steven carving a pumpkin
Photo
Barbara Muir © 

It's National Pumpkin Day and Halloween is almost here. This will be the scene
in a couple of days when we get ready for the big night -- Halloween. Our jobs
divide into me drawing the faces -- usually happy (I'm not a fan of the ghost/horror
part of Halloween), and Steven doing the carving. We both can do the scraping out,
and if we put the seeds in our compost -- watch out. Pumpkins could take over
the neighbourhood.

Tonight is Saturday night.  And as I've said before -- that's movie night.  So I
hope if you celebrate Halloween, that you're carving your pumpkins (and
maybe bringing them in at night as the squirrels go crazy for pumpkin),
getting your costumes ready, and getting the candy ready for the handouts.
Little kids just love this celebration, and so do the costume party adults who
were all over Toronto today.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy International Artist Day

 

 The opening ceremonies of the Florence Biennale

in 2015 -- dignitaries, flags, 

a procession through the exhibition

of people dressed in Renaissance costumes, 

playing drums. Lots of excitement!

Wonder water series © Barbara Muir 2015
The work I showed in
the 2015 Florence Biennale

I feel so lucky to be an International artist, and to have taken part in shows in
Florence, Italy, Paris, France, The Netherlands, New York City, and San Fernando
Valley, California. The excitement of International shows is not something you can
imagine unless you've participated.  So if you can, do take part in a show with
artists from all over the world, and enjoy the ceremony, the outstanding art,
and meeting some of the nicest, kindest, funniest most brilliant people you'll
ever meet.

I was just telling my sister that people say very negative things about Instagram,
but for me it's a way of contacting people, and maintaining friendships with the
superb artists I've met in my travels with art exhibitions. So delightful and
fun.

Happy International Artist Day.!

Have a loving your life day.

Another painting for the Off The Wall show.

 

Friends in Quebec City

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © Revised 2024

Here's another painting for the Off The Wall show opening at the Heliconian Club,
35 Hazelton Ave., Toronto on November 30 between 2 and 5:30 p.m.  I love
Quebec City, and this painting has the vibe for me.  Everybody there always
seems so happy and friendly.

This painting is set on the boardwalk. Quebec City is the closest thing Canada has
to Paris.  It is 100% French.  And it is the oldest city in Canada established in 1608.

We usually make a stop in Quebec City on our way to our school house in Nova

Scotia each summer.  And if we have time we stop there on the return trip too.
It's just so beautiful.  And the food is delicious.

Have a loving your life day.

Another painting for the Off The Wall show opening

Signs of spring at the pond

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2018 -- revised 2024

Here's another painting that will be included in the Off The Wall show
opening at the Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton ave. November 30 -- from
2 - 5:30 p.m.. It's a happy landscape based on reference photos from 

my friend Howard Wolinsky, the wonderful photographer, and amazing journalist.

Today I spent about an hour trying to photograph and crop an image of
another small work, and finally decided I had more important things to do --
like paint.  So more on that another day when I sort it out. Funny.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful family member, and Happy Monthaversary

Tulip love 

Acrylic on canvas board

6 x 6 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

This was a painting I did for Valentine's Day 9 years ago.  In part it was to
reassure people that you don't have to get roses to be romantic -- tulips are
beautiful too. The subject is a beautiful woman in our family.

Happy Birthday to Megan, and Happy Monthaversary to Steven.  This is 
the Monthaversary of our first date -- which we celebrate every month.  I 

know I've told you that before.

I hope you have lots to celebrate.

Have a loving your life day.

 

More Inktober -- going to miss you October

Journal Sketch
marker on drawing paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

On a beautiful and hectic day -- Inktober saves the day.  Here's a 
drawing I drew with my morning coffee.  I tried not to fuss over
the simple beauty of her face, but of course I did. 

Hope you had a great Monday.  So much going on. I'll see you
again tomorrow.  For now I'm so grateful for this month's preoccupation
with line drawing and Inktober.

Have a great week.

Have a loving your life day.

Getting work ready for a big and incredible sale

The artists' yellow house
Work in progress

Acrylic on birch panel

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © revised 2024
(When I started this painting our
friends' Flora and Larry's house was
painted yellow.  The last time we
saw it was purple and blue. Next time
it may be completely different.  And
isn't that the definition of art.)

This is one of many, many small paintings I'm revising, framing and
entering in the Heliconian Club Off The Wall show opening November
30 from 2 - 5:30 p.m.

The idea of this show is that the paintings, which are small and 
range in price up to $200, can be taken "off the wall" and replaced
when someone wants to buy one.  20% of the price will go either 

to a charity, or to keeping the Heliconian Club running. All good
causes.

It was an absolutely perfect fall day here with the ideal warm temperature,
and trees bursting into fall colour. We went to City Hall to be there when
my son and his friend finished the Waterfront Marathon.  Amazing. We were
so proud of them.

Afterwards we walked along the lake in one of our favourite parks, and felt
like the world was magic. It certainly looked exquisite in the end of day
light.

Have a loving your life day.

Pick any painting

 

See what I mean?

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019
SOLD ♥

It’s Saturday night, which is movie night at our house. So I generally look
 at my blog, find a painting I loved, and talk about that. Tonight I wanted to
 say, which painting would you choose to talk about in your work if you
could pick any painting you wanted? So I went on my website and looked
through my landscape paintings, and found this one that’s right for this time of year.

It was a spectacularly beautiful day today – Just warm enough to wear a sweater,
not hot and not cold. The light was brilliant, and trees are turning magnificent
colours of red, gold, orange, and brilliant yellow just stunning. We drove to the
market and home entranced -- feeling so lucky to live in this beautiful city.
That's a great feeling.

This painting sold in New York at the beginning of the pandemic. It was such a
treat that someone loved it as much as I did. Wishing you a great rest of the
weekend and a happy Saturday night.

Have a loving your life day.

Art all day

Journal Sketch

marker on journal paper

6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

 Last year on this day, I was talking about the wonderful feeling of
drawing a portrait. I did this quick sketch this morning.
What is magical about drawing a fast portrait sketch is making
 the person come alive in your own style sometimes in just a few minutes.

It’s been a long day of art all day. After the quick portrait sketch, I was
working on a painting, setting a figure in place, painting in the background.
I’m really enjoying this painting -- way too early to show you.

Then, in the late afternoon, some of us got together to create a banner
for Halloween. The youngest family members are very creative, and
made the most beautiful piece of art that will stretch across the house
when we’re celebrating Halloween. For sure all the neighbours will
decide that 'Yes these people have candy!"

Have a loving your life day.

What pops up

Sunset at the farm
Acrylic on birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir ©˙

Working on painting today -- on all the prep work -- references, 
prepping the canvas -- you name it, and if you're an artist you
know the drill.  I came upon this little painting in my studio --
the rooms have just been radically cleaned. The painting is not
quite finished, but I like the joyous feeling it suggests.

I spent an hour and a half in line today -- and I'm grateful to
the sweet people who held my place so I could sit down
for part of the wait. It was all worth it when I got to the
kind woman at the desk who renewed my health card,
and driver's license -- complete with the obligatory new
photo in five minutes flat.

So here's a happy sunset painting.  I hope you saw
the Hunter's moon tonight. Quite spectacular.

Have a loving your life day.

Heiderose an incredible friend

 

Peaceful Lunenburg Harbour

Acrylic on canvas

11.5 x 15.5 inches
Heiderose Claussing ©

If we're visiting Nova Scotia we go to Annapolis Royal even if it's
just for 15, or 20 minutes before we get gas for the long journey back
to our school house between Wallace and Pugwash. We love our friends
at the German bakery, and loved meeting Heiderose and Dieter, who are the chefs
and bakers, and their daughter Susanne who frequently runs the restaurant. 

Heidi is also an amazing artist.  If we have time when we're in the area
we love to drop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or to pick up some 
pastries. Yum. If you visit Annapolis Royal give yourself a treat.
Go and see Heiderose's art, and eat their delicious food. 

This beautiful painting caught my eye, and Heiderose has graciously
agreed to let me show it to you. In fact she shared some poignant 
stories about her life in East Berlin growing up, and how hard it
was being accepted in Canada, and let me buy the painting.
It's beautiful

Thank you Heiderose for wonderful conversations, for your
incredible bravery, for lots of laughter, your amazing art, and
delicious food. 

Have a loving your life day.

The day after Thanksgiving -- Coffee!!!!!

 

Coffee with milk in

a cup

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2009

(This painting seems perfect

for today.  And I like that it

went to live in

Texas with my friend, 

the artist Susan Carlin.) 

Today I saw this painting scrolling through my blog.  I went to
see my friends who meet for coffee every Tuesday if they're
not working, and I was definitely not awake enough after one
coffee.  So of course when I came home after a second delicious
cup of coffee at my friend's house I was thinking about
how much I love coffee.  This painting went to my wonderful
friend, the artist Susan Carlin, in San Antonio Texas years ago.
And I'm glad she has it.  

The day after Canadian Thanksgiving is a day when you need
coffee -- to get back on track. I drank at least four cups and
have been organizing, drawing and working on a new
painting most of the day.

If you celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving this past weekend I hope you
had a great time.  Steven and I had a wonderful dinner with our whole
family and two young guests.  So much fun.  And then of course tonight
-- turkey dinner #2.

Have a loving your life day. 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

 Flowers from our garden on the
kitchen table
My Happy Thanksgiving wish to you.
Happy Thanksgiving
Photo
Barbara Muir ©

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!  Families and friends
from coast to coast have spent the weekend gathering
together to express our gratitude for the bounty of
the harvest, for each other, and for the planet. 

We had a big family dinner, turkey and the trimmings
plus salmon for one family member, plus super
veggies and so many dessert choices.  Pies --
pumpkin, cherry, blueberry and apple crisp.
It was a delicious dinner with wonderful
company.

Have a loving your life da 

Gratitude for my mother

 

Isabel Muir
by Christopher Muir

Christopher Muir @ 2007

My mother died 11 years ago on this date.  It was Thanksgiving Day. We were
in Ottawa where she lived, and were in the hospital with her the night before
she died.  Our family who were in the city, had lunch together, then we drove
home to Toronto for another Thanksgiving dinner. All in her honour.

The beautiful portrait photo I'm showing you is by my son, Christopher.
I love it because it shows her strength, her beauty, and the nature she protected
with letters, her voice on call-in radio on CBC, in protest marches even when
she had a serious chronic lung condition, and with donations.

Here's what I wrote about her in a former tribute:

"A couple of weeks before she died, I sat with my mother, who
was totally blind, helping her fill out cheques to organizations she
believed in that protected the environment -- wolves, whales, parkland.
Those weren't her only passions -- she gave to women's shelters, money
for hurricane and famine victims.  Small amounts to be sure -- but this mattered.

She was a good, kind and supportive mother. Sure she could be
critical, but in small ways that didn't matter at all. Because what
shone through with her was her love for her family, her intellect,
(she had a Masters in Bacteriology), her concern about the future of
the planet."

We miss you Mommy.  You made the best Thanksgiving dinner.

Have a loving your life day.