The 20th thing I learned in 2024, which was actually revolutionary -- go ahead and do it!

Colours of Joy
Acrylic on Canvas
36 x 48 inches
Barbara Muir © 2024

This painting done for the All That Jazz abstract show at the Heliconian Club in
2024 is one of my favourites.  It's a big burst of joyous colour -- with the ocean --
incredibly red sand (not real), and a design I'm proud of (still available if you're looking
for a special gift).

Watching the best plein air painters like Pete Sinjin and Pete the Street, 

and transformative artists like Mitchell Johnson, and seeing exciting work by Janet
Vanderhoof, Flora Doehler, Norene Smiley and Heiderose Claussing, impacted
me in ways I wouldn't have expected.

In October and November I worked on preparing 37 paintings for a show on now
at the Heliconian Club called Off The Wall. (Only 16 are on the wall now. When 
something sells, new ones go up.) I've sold 4 paintings I think.  But what
the preparation taught me is that -- yes I can, if I go ahead.  I worked on things that
had a brushstroke, or a background and no subject, or on subjects I'd never tried before,

and knew exactly what to do without hesitation.  That has never happened to me before.  

The list of artists whose inspiring work made that happen is far too long to include,
but please know I am so grateful.  My brain is exploding with ideas and I am perhaps

more excited about making art than I have ever been.

Good thing.  I have a solo show in April at the Heliconian. Wow!

Have a loving your life day.