Prepping for the Bursting With Colour Show

A Day At The Lake

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020 

(Showing live for the first time at
the Heliconian Club
Bursting With Colour exhibition
Show opening July 6)

There are so many parts to an artist's life that aren't about
making the art. One part is prepping for a show.  What
does that mean?  Organizing the work, and then checking
all the details, to make sure the work is ready to go. 

This weekend as I told you yesterday, it's been about making
sure the edges are painted, and making sure that each work
is signed and dated properly.  

I love watching Mitchell Johnson's videos on Instagram.
He is constantly revising and changing work.  That makes
me so happy.  And there's been quite a bit of that too!
So fun.

Have a loving your life day!

A chill kind of day

The cats take it easy 
(Fiona lying down, Monet
sitting.)
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

I've been painting canvas edges prepping for a show starting this week. 

It was a hot, muggy day. Rain on and off and humidity at 80%. We sat in the
heat with the cats and the dog on the back porch, while neighbours practiced
super band numbers. Great singers, Steven and I danced to a slow tune, and
clapped after each song. So fun.

After lunch we drove to one of our favourite parks and took a slow walk.

Now it's movie time.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Holiday weekend -- Happy Summer!

Shadow pattern
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

Monday is Canada Day, which means a long weekend for most
people.  If you are Canadian enjoy the time off, and have a great
weekend.  If you are from any other country enjoying a long
weekend, please have fun.

This was a beautiful shadow I saw on my walk the other day.  It
perfectly captures the beauty that is everywhere at this time of 
year.  I just took a walk with Steven.  It's late at night and what
the weather people call "light rain" was falling.  Very pleasant
on a walk.  Happy Summer.

Have a loving your life day.

Cherry harvesting with the family

Studio cherries
Acrylic on cradled birch panel
5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Cherries in a large bowl
Photo:
Barbara Muir © 2024

My son Christopher and his wife Megan have a huge cherry tree
in their backyard, and today was harvest day. We were invited to
come and watch the family harvest, and to help if we wanted to,
and we did.

The cherries are beautiful, and remind me of our former cherry 
tree, which produced buckets of beautiful fruit, just like this tree.
Glorious.

I'm posting a painting of cherries, and a picture of one of the
containers of this amazing fruit from today's harvest.

Have a loving your life day.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful friend, and artist

Me with my great friend the amazing artist -- Georgia Fullerton.

I'm holding the painting "Happiness" -- which I bought at the Full Fine
Art Collection and @homerbrowncollection pop up show in 2019.
What could be more appropriate? I love this painting,
and Georgia always makes me happy! 
Photos courtesy Georgia Fullerton. Thank you Georgia.

Happiness
Watercolour and mixed media
8 x 10 inches
Georgia Fullerton © 2018

Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend, the artist, professor, and expressive art
therapist, Georgia Fullerton.  I love this painting.  It's in our front hallway to set the
scene when guests come in.  Happiness is definitely one of our treasured emotions.

I wish you a glorious birthday Georgia. I hope you have a fabulous, fun day
with family and friends.

Have a loving your life day. 

Still enjoying the Anniversary thoughts

 The two of us in Quebec City

watercolour and marker on

watercolour paper

9 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I haven't been feeling well today, maybe something I ate.
I found a former blog post that says it all for me.  I've
edited it slightly to bring it up to date. 

"It's the day after our wedding anniversary, and I want to
thank my wonderful husband for the sweet life we
have together.  I am one lucky woman. I love you
Steven.

A couple of days ago a friend on Facebook posted a
piece about treating each day as your last, and got
me thinking about the opposite, treating each day
as your first!  Eh?  Not a bad idea.  I've been doing
that ever since and enjoying every day so much.

I wake up in the morning and think -- this is my
first day on the planet, and okay I'm a grown woman.
But wow I'm married to a gorgeous man, who loves
me.  I have a super family -- two wonderful sons,
two daughters-in-law who I love, and Alice, Madeleine
and James, who are all darling, and who I love.

Everything in my life seems fantastic -- almost magical
viewed this way.  And of course that is how artists see
all the time -- in some ways. We are quite often high on life,
but this idea takes it to a new level.  Wonder at everything.
And back to this day.  What a treat it is to love someone
with all of my heart, and to be loved back equally.
It really is a miracle. I am so grateful that that's been my reality.

Meanwhile -- this is the day after our anniversary, so I'm posting a
portrait I did a while back of the two of us.  It doesn't
look like us really, but the mood is there.

Have an enjoying-your-life-as-though-it's-brand-new day.

Happy Wedding Anniversary Steven

Me and Steven on our
wedding day
(I had dark hair--yes)

It is our wedding anniversary today, and we've had a great day.
When we went to pick up wraps at our favourite take our café
for lunch, they wished us Happy Anniversary and offered us free
 desserts, and anything else we might like.  Awesome. 

Because it is our anniversary I thought I'd quote a former blog.

"So I'm thinking about joy today because it's my wedding
anniversary. And I think the lesson that my contemporaries
have to learn -- not an easy one -- is to choose joy over
sorrow, or discontentment, or negativity in general.
We were raised in an era that frowned on excesses,
especially childhood ones, so we were taught not to be
overly -- loud, funny, silly -- fill in the blanks. If we
didn't finish our supper we were told to "eat it because
children in (name the country) were starving." We were
weaned and raised on a level of guilt about our every
desire that seems hard to imagine now.

But even when Sam and Christopher were very little boys, four or
five, I was frequently informed by their teachers that they were
 "silly." I used to walk home from these meetings both feeling
sad, and thinking, 'good -- I've done something right.' So celebrating
in some ways goes against the grain -- requiring excess, gifts, joy,
laughter, a bit of abandon. Maybe that's why before COVID I always
enjoyed parties, and being with friends. Deep down
I was probably rebelling against the strictures of our
childhood life. So maybe a restrictive childhood is
not a bad thing. It's placed a large bell in my head
that I hear every day demanding "Fun! Fun! Fun!

In our current times, this means carrying on despite grief,

worry, and horror at what's happening in the world.

I am happy that it's my anniversary -- and have only
the sweetest of memories of my life with Steven today.
We have been blessed with choosing joy most of the
time.

Have a joyous-celebratory day."

A super Sunday

 

Me and Steven on a super happy
day in Paris.  

High on our list of where we want to go

 as soon as we can is Paris. Yes!

A wonderful day today.  We enlisted some young, and very enthusiastic
family members to help us with gardening.  And the cleome arrived
at our favourite store.  Our helpers were excited about the planting, and
it was done in a jiffy.  Bit by bit we're getting things done.

Then we went to the lake, and had chicken burgers sitting at a pretty red 
picnic table.  We took a walk in high wind, then went to another less

busy park, and home.

Fabulous.  Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. We are usually on the
road for this celebration, but it's been just as fun at home.

Have a loving your life day.

As perfect as it gets

Sunflowers
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

It's important to notice when you're happy, and to allow yourself
to enjoy that experience.  I am very happy at the moment. It's the
monthaversary of my first date with Steven.  We say five years ago,
and all our friends say, "Right!" and laugh.  

So I gave Steven sunflowers, and he gave me beautiful peonies. I will
show you those tomorrow. It's movie night, and I'm looking for a movie
to stream.  We had a fabulous day, and toasted one another with our milk
at dinner.  (Steven grew up on a dairy farm. They milked a thousand
pounds of milk a day. So yes we drink milk) We're not big drinkers, but
we will probably have a champagne toast Monday for our anniversary.  

Have a loving your life day.

Anniversary weekend

Me and Steven

Photo

Wallace Muir ©

This is a big weekend for me and my husband, Steven. Tomorrow --
June 22 -- is our monthaversary of our first date. Each month we drink
a toast, to one another and say happy monthaversary. 

On Monday, it’s our wedding anniversary. Usually we go away, but to
do that we need someone to take care of our dog, our two cats and our
house, and our favourite helper wasn’t available this weekend. It’s so hot
in Toronto that I imagine if the weather permits we’ll spend a lot of time
at the lake. It’s so beautiful there. That is one of the most romantic things
we can do.

Have a loving your life day.

Heading home is going into a new show

 

Heading home

Diptych -- 4 ft. x 6 ft.

Acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2016 — Revised 2024

This painting is going into the Colour Theme Show opening July 4 at
the Heliconian. The colours in Nova Scotia are magnificent.

The painting shows the first time we see the ocean, (just a glimpse)
in Nova Scotia, where we own a 100+ year old school house. The 
province feels like our second home.

Super hot today, and it's super late.  I hope you had a great day.

Have a loving your life day.

Paris -- I miss you!

The Groom
Journal Sketch
marker on drawing paper
9 X 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

Toronto is beautiful. Make no mistake.  Steven and I went
to the lake today because it felt like 40 degrees Celsius --
horribly hot, and it was easily 10 degrees cooler in the
wonderful park we went to by lake Ontario. But Paris in the
arrondissement where we stayed (the 6th), was magical. 
Interesting things were always happening.

This is a strange portrait of the groom in a bridal couple
I passed on the Pont Neuf near our hotel in Paris one day.
You can visit this link to see my sketch of the bride. They did
not look suited, and the groom looked very nervous about it. 
Somehow I felt moved to try and capture them in sketches.
His suit was complicated and a pattern in brown on white. His
bowtie was a dull brown.

I hope that they had lovely wedding, and that they will have
a happy life.

Have a loving your life day.

Father's Day week

 

You can't keep a good man down

Acrylic ink and acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020
(This is my husband Steven,

-- father of my two wonderful sons)
 

I'm working on a very complicated painting, so I thought I'd post this favourite

work of mine, in honour of Father's Day week.  Steven (the subject of the
painting) and I alter dinner nights.  Here's one reason he's my hero.  For the
past three + weeks I've had a bad cold.  It is (I hope) coming to an end,
but it's still here, and this sweet man has made dinner every night for this
long, and annoying setback.

I am back to work, but not hanging around friends.  I am pretty sure I got the
cold from Steven, who was hardly sick with it -- just an occasional cough
for a week.  But many people on our street have had, or still have it, so
I don't want to share it with others. 

I was feeling great on the weekend, and spent time with family members,

and then wham it hit me again. Okay I'm ready for it to be over.

So please take care.

Have a loving your life day.

June is also the Month of Love -- Love yourself first

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)

I was talking to a friend who was depressed today, and I was suggesting
ways to make himself happy.  Maybe he could do the trick I use of
thinking of five things he loves about his life.  He thought I was
obtuse and simplistic.  Sometimes not a bad way to be.

In the spirit of trying to be happy with one's life, I found this great
blog about self portraits, and loving yourself, and thought I'd share it
tonight. 

"You can read about David Lobenberg's contest here. A fact of a
portrait artist's life is that if there is no one else available to paint,
you always have you, so of course I've painted and drawn myself
 many times. Some of these images stick and make me happy.  

When I taught Positive Psych one of the first things we said

to students was that if you don't know yourself, you won't love 

yourself, and if you don't love yourself you can't love anyone else,

and you won't be happy.

This was not a popular idea when I was growing up -- loving 

yourself smacked of narcissism.  But in fact nothing could be 

further from the truth. If we love and accept ourselves, the world 

is less about us, and more about the people we love.  It's when we 

don't love ourselves that we go around hurting other people, don't end up

doing what we love, and generally don't enjoy our lives.

I credit Louise Hay, excellent therapy and Frank Daley, who

was my boss, and wrote the book Who are you and what are you
doing here? for helping me get that concept, and then of course the
 constant work of quieting the ever present inner critic to keep the
idea going. 

Self-portrait: The Happy Artist
acrylic on canvas
36 x 36 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009

Self portrait at the year's turning

Black marker on Moleskine paper

8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

One more cup of coffee please

Self portrait

Watercolour and black marker on

Arches watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

(this is perhaps the most me of

the bunch.  I run on coffee, and

am not quite in the day until I've had

three.)

I've included a few of my favourite self portraits to underscore the

idea of loving the self.  I know I'm lucky.  I love my life, my husband,
my work, my family, my friends."  And I am very lucky that teaching people
how to be happy taught me how to be happy.   You are a big part of that.

Have a loving yourself day.

Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful fathers in the world

Portrait of my father 
black marker on bond paper
7 x 9 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

 Happy Father's Day

I love this portrait of my father. It captures the wonderful, loving
nature of my Dad.  In  the reference photo I drew this from my father
is smiling at Christopher, my older son, who was a little boy at the time. 
Our son Sam had not been born yet.  I miss my father every day.  

And my dad is still a huge influence in my life.  He was a wonderful writer,
a business man, a fabulous photographer, and a great painter -- good at all
of his roles. His one failing was being a too strict father to young children,
which is probably why I don't like rules to this day. I'm sure his time in the
navy contributed to that. But as I grew up we developed a happy bond over art,
and over family, and we were close at the time of his death from lung cancer which
happened way too early.

My dad would have been delighted to know our children and to
see how they have grown up into amazing people. He would have adored
our grandchildren. 

Happy Father's Day to Steven my sweet husband, and to Christopher my
oldest son. He and Megan have two beautiful daughters -- Alice 8, and
Madeleine almost 5, and a son, James 1 1/2. Thank you to my loving family
 -- Christopher, Sam, Megan, Emily, Alice, Madeleine and James for being
 the reason Steven is a very happy and proud father.

Have a loving your family day.

An incredible day

A Quebec Village Street

by Clarence Gagnon

Oil on canvas
Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario
Clarence Gagnon © 1920

Our day started with a visit to the farmer at the Farmer's Market at the Brick Works.
Then -- inspired by the beauty of the day -- we headed to the Art Gallery of Ontario.

And as I said yesterday a must for me is to see the work of The Group of Seven,
and related work.

I fell in love with this painting by Clarence Gagnon.  Reading about him I was
fascinated to discover that he studied in Paris, and lived his life between Paris
and Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec. 

I was sad to research about him and find that he died of pancreatic cancer at

only 60 years old.  What beautiful work he created. 

While in the gallery, I was in the room dedicated to the work of Tom Thompson,

and met a teacher there who actually conducts canoe trips in the area where 
Thompson drowned,  and he told me that the suspicion is that Thompson was

in a fight with a friend over money, and it's suspected that he fell and hit an

iron structure around the fireplace, and died from a head injury. Then the
"friend" wrapped Thomson's legs in fishing wire, connected that to a heavy rock

and put him in the water. He was not found for at least 3 weeks.

I was amazed to have this discussion just one day after posting my drawing of
Thompson, and I shared my drawing with the teacher and his friend, also a teacher.  

After that treat we went for a delightful walk in the Casa Loma neighbourhood.

The neighbourhood is exquisite, and we met a wonderful woman there with

a dog named Louis who is a Coton de Tulear.

Have a loving your life day.

Canadian art heros

 

Tom Thomson

from a Wikipedia photo

sketch

marker on journal paper

5 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2023

(Unfortunately some of the marks from the

previous journal page come through,
but I still like it.)

One of my Canadian art heroes is Tom Thomson. I found a former blog
tonight that talks about him, and I thought I'd share what I wrote:

"When I visit the Art Gallery of Ontario, I never miss sitting in
the room full of Tom Thomson's work.  He was a fabulous landscape
artist. Sadly he died at 39 years old by drowning.  There is still all
sorts of speculation about how he -- a very accomplished 
canoeist -- drowned, and hints of murder, or suicide, but nothing
has ever been proven. He died in 1917.

What I didn't realize before, having adored his work since I
first found out about him, was that he was very handsome.
And today in my morning journal, I drew his portrait.  I
liked it so much that I couldn't write on that page."

Happy weekend.  If you don't know Tom Thomson's work --
check it out.

Have a loving your life day.

Our beautiful city in the Month of Blooms

 

In the village

Acrylic ink and black marker on

watercolour paper
9 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2019

We got a bit of heat today, and can expect higher temperatures tomorrow,
but it has been a deliciously cool spring.  We've had days of rain/sun/rain/sun.
Today with the help of some of the younger family members Steven did a lot

of planting in the backyard planters.  It was hot and sunny all day.

And now that we're about to settle down with the animals, and watch our
evening TV show, it's raining.  Talk about perfect timing!  As I'm painting

a scene with lilacs, this painting of a scene in Forest Hill Village with 
late blooming lilacs seemed perfect.

Have a loving your life day.

The Paris effect

 

Suzanne in Paris
black marker on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(My friend Suzanne gave me the photo
 I used as reference for this when she came back
 from Paris. It's one of my favourite drawings
because I didn't quite capture the look
on her face in the original photo, but she looks

 almost smugly content. I love how her hair
is blowing around in the wind. But the
main thing is that 
she looks so relaxed and happy in the drawing
To me that is the Paris effect.)

It will be my friend Suzanne's birthday this weekend.  Scrolling through
my blog, I saw this, and thought how perfect. Suzanne is a sweetheart,

and it looks like Paris liked her too.

I was reading a blog about two interviews with David Hockney run on
our national radio channel CBC in 2012.  I loved one sweet thing Hockney
said.  When Hockney started drawing on his iPhone he sent the drawings
to friends.  He talked about how most items people get in their emails are
requests, and pieces of information.  So he'd wake up, see a sunrise or a flower

(he likes to have flowers about), and draw that and send it off.  What he liked
most about that was that his friends said that they enjoyed receiving his little
drawings.   I loved that story. So I should make a copy of this drawing and
send it to Suzanne. Good idea. See how you and David Hockney help me?

Thank you.

Wishing everyone born in this beautiful month a very happy Birthday.

Have a loving your life day.

My debt to technology

Drawing My friend via Skype
Photo
2009

I worked on a painting today -- but it's at the early, early stage, and
I am still struggling with this harsh cold.  So I decided to look through

my really old blogs, and found this image from June 2009.  2009
was a pivotal year for me and my art.  I started drawing using Skype

images, when my son was teaching in Korea, and Skype, which was
new, was our method of communication. During our talks I'd start
drawing, and ultimately my Skype paintings got me the chance to draw
Oprah live via Skype.  That was thanks to Howard Wolinsky who 
encouraged me to do Skype paintings to feature in a Skype blog.

This image is of me drawing my friend Melinda Esparza in Arizona
via Skype.  I got a lot of media attention from the Oprah show, and

I was featured on City News the day of this photo.

Skype got me the chance to draw Oprah live, and so much
media attention.That lead to being in shows in New York
City, Florence, Italy and Paris, France.  So yes I am incredibly
grateful to technology.

Have a loving your life day. 

For the love of peonies

 

Stand Back for the Pie

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2013

When you look around my backyard, at the tall trees forming a high
green curtain of waving leaves, or drive through the streets of 
Toronto, you understand why we find our cold winters so hard.
Some of the flowers that make me feel joyous right now are peonies. 
They are so beautiful.  My very generous next door neighbour lets
me pick hers, and they are magnificent.

I spent the day researching, getting supplies, painting edges, and 
the undercoat for a new painting, and picking up research reference
photos. This one's going to take awhile, so here's a favourite 
painting featuring peonies. In fact it won first prize in a San Fernando
Valley Arts and Cultural Center show. So wonderful.

Have a loving your life day.

Quite the Sunday

The front porch roses in full bloom
Photo
Steven van Schaik © 2022
(Steven is my husband.)

It was a special day today as we went and watched one of the 
younger family members perform in a piano recital.  27 young
people played one or two pieces, and they were very good. What
a treat.

We had some family members over for dinner, created some
art, and afterwards Steven and I sat out on our front porch
looking through this rose bower. It is even more magnificent
than this this year. I just haven't taken a photo yet. And once
again we can sit behind that screen of beautiful roses and
leaves and people walking by don't see us.  Fabulous.

I hope you had a great weekend.

Have a loving your life day. 

World Oceans Day

Cloud Magic

Acrylic on canvas

4 x 6 feet

Barbara Muir © 2018
(available --
email me at:
 barbara.muir@sympatico.ca)

If you know my work, you know I am crazy about the ocean, 
and try to spend some time near the Atlantic ocean in Nova
Scotia every year.  The Maritimes have been a major focus
of my work for quite awhile, because I love that part of
our country so much.

The first time I saw the ocean was when I visited my sister in
Philadelphia,  years ago, and we went to the Jersey shore.  The ocean was
so magnificent, and I'd never seen it. I was hooked. I have loved
being near the ocean since that time, and have in some ways
worked with my husband to design our life around it.  We have a
rustic little school house near Pugwash, Nova Scotia, and when we are
there we go to our favourite beach every day, rain or shine.

This is certainly one of my favourite paintings. And I’ve been
looking forward to World Oceans Day, which is today. We have to
take care of our oceans, and we aren’t at the moment. 

When you think about whether, or not to buy that plastic one-use
water bottle, or the plastic balloons that last forever for your
friend's birthday -- think of alternatives. We have to save the
oceans.  

Have a beautiful world ocean day. 

The new and the old

The breakfast phone call
8 1/2 x 11 inches
marker on bond paper
Barbara Muir © 2009

I love this drawing.  This is a drawing of my son taking a phone
call at the kitchen table 15 years ago.  I love both the mood and
the detail.

It's been a super productive day.  I've almost finished a small new painting
based on a random photo I took as we travelled through Nova Scotia. 
There is a characteristic Nova Scotia clapboard house -- that I just love. 
That is the only place I've seen them, and believe me they are beautifully built
 -- created as many were by the same people who built the fabulous ships
in the region.

We planted our tiny front garden, which needs more flowers, but looks pretty good.

It rained, and then cleared, and the sun shone, and then it rained again -- all
day.  Rain/sun/rain/sun/rain. A super day for planting.

Painting again feels wonderful. 

Have a loving your life day.

 

Busy and tired

 

Slow down time

Charcoal on bond paper

Skype drawing

8 1/2 x 11 inches

Barbara Muir © 2012

I am finally better enough (recovering from this horrid cold)to do things, and
I've been going all day, so I'm going to use a former post that seems fitting. 

"I like this drawing of my son Sam from 8 (now 12) years ago.  
He was talking to me on Skype at the end of the day, and was getting
up and biking to work at a Starbucks to open the store at 5 in the
morning.  He was tired, like we all are now. 

Things looked up for him after this.  He moved into a house with a
bunch of kids he liked, and had fun for the rest of his university studies.

And now he is happily married, so it all worked out. What I like about
the drawing is the fact that he is listening. And he's good at it.  

It seems to me, living in a family of talkers.  As teachers, actors,

project managers, film directors, writers -- we know how to talk.

That is a lucky break for us.  And at this time in our world, it's

also important to listen.  Hear what people are saying, and figure

out what to do. And that's about all of it."  

We need to listen to one another and be compassionate.

Have a loving your life day.

World Environment Day

In the right place at the right time

Acrylic on canvas

36 x 48 inches

Barbara Muir © 2016
SOLD ♥

What seems odd to me is that World Environment Day isn't one of
the most important days in the year.  More important than birthdays,
or Christmas, or any religious holiday.  Our environment, which means
our planet, is in big trouble.  So if we want to keep celebrating all of
the other vital holidays, maybe we should focus on fixing what we're
doing here first.  

It is a dear friend's birthday, and wanting to celebrate her is utmost in
my mind, and I do wish we could give all of us the gift of taking care
of the environment, ending wars, and stopping our foolish habits 
of valuing money above all.

I saw another friend today and we talked about kindness, which made me
want to reprint the content from an earlier blog.  This piece was
about blogging, but I've had the same experience on Instagram,
so here goes.

"The big learning for me about blogging, was that it's a positive
environment.  If you don't like what an artist does, you move
on, and don't comment.  If you love what they do, you tell
them!  Oh Boy! That is revolutionary!  Because all over the
world (except perhaps in Finland -- which I hear has an amazing
education system), parents are taught not to praise children
too much!  This still happens.

But here's what praise does.  Everything.  If people praise
your work, you feel empowered.  Seriously.  You feel like
getting back at it.  You feel like doing more.  It may
not directly affect how you're working, but it definitely
keeps you working.

In the lovely world of art blogs for some reason this is
understood through some secret unspoken code.  And Hurray
for that.  So go ahead praise an artist, your kid, your romantic
partner, your boss, whoever you possibly can.  Oh -- and
part two -- mean what you say!

I'd add -- also give yourself a pat on the back.  Acknowledge
each time you've done something you're proud of and reward
yourself.  It doesn't have to be a trip to France (I am ready),
but a phone call to a friend can make your day.

Have a praising what you love day!"

Begin again

Tea in the gallery with Marcia

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

(In the original I tried to include

a suggestion of Marcia.  Looking

at it later, I realized that the

figure part, and yellow background

weren't working.  I painted out the

figure and changed the background 

colour and like it much better.  Besides 

Marcia deserves a proper portrait.

 I promise I will do one soon!)

I am inching towards recovery from one of the worst colds I've ever
had.  And no it's not COVID, although a doctor suggested it might
be pneumonia.  Let's say might "have" been, because I am getting
better.

Today Steven took me to my favourite art supply store, and waited

while I went in masked to buy a canvas for an upcoming 
commission.  I loved being there and seeing my friends John and
Michael. So that my friends is a big deal.  I am moving back into
thinking about art -- a definite sign of major improvement.

Have a loving your life day. 

How about five things we're grateful for right now

Miranda Brouwers with her husband Rolf
Photo
Barbara Muir 2015

I talked first thing this morning to my dear friend in the Netherlands,
who always makes me happy -- the artist Miranda Brouwers.

Then I read a piece on Instagram by Neil Pasricha, a writer whose work I love 
about five things people regret when they're dying. I'd like to turn that
around and talk about five things that are great in my life. I think
appreciating what you have matters.  

5 top joyous features of a happy life:

1. I'm delighted that I'm alive.

2. I'm so happy that I love my partner.

3. I'm so thrilled that my partner loves me to the moon and back.

4. I'm so happy that I get to do work I love, and that I meet 
    wonderful people through my work.

5. I feel overjoyed that I have an amazing family, and wonderful
    friends. 

Neil put the message about dying people's regrets on his fridge,
I'm thinking of posting this list on my fridge and as always
I'm grateful to Neil and to all of you for the inspiration.

Have a loving your life day.