Painting makes life constantly new

 

Untitled (Work in Progress)

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

I painted all day today, with so much going on in my family, and still kept going.  For a break I had a
beautiful walk with a friend. This is coming along, one of a few works I'm working on in my
studio for a new show.  

I hope you will come to my opening at The Heliconian Hall on April 27, 2025.  This painting
is not in that show, but more than 50 good size works are.  The show looks good, and makes
me happy.

Have a loving your life day. 

Back to my art group

 

Art Group Sketch -- Thanh 

Acrylic and acrylic ink
on canvas

16 x 20 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

I was so happy tonight to get back to my art group for a fast

one hour.  My husband drops me off at 7:30, and picks me

up at 8:30.  That of course means that I don't have a lot of time
to work as setting up takes about 10 minutes, cleaning up and
packing up another 10, and there were two 10 minute

breaks for the model.  So I think I got this much done in 25 - 30
minutes. It was so much fun.

What's good about that is that I just paint and can't think.  This

week the model was great. I haven't captured him completely, 

and would have loved to work on it longer -- but

I like how far I got.

Have a loving your life day. 

Working on a new work and other reasons to be happy

 

Market pansies in a cream jug
Acrylic ink and marker
on watercolour paper
5.5 x 8.5 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

I've been thinking about the 10 Reasons to be Happy exercise I started with my
students. Today I had a wonderful time working on a landscape I dreamt about,

and it was a good day.  So why not try the 10 Reasons list again?

10 Reasons to be Happy

1. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and I saw bluebells under the large trees in
      a nearby neighbourhood.
2. I dreamt of working on a painting for submission to a show this coming
      Wednesday. I worked on it today and I love it so far.

3. My printer redid the invitations for my final opening of my solo
    show on April 27, and they look great.

4. I went to my art store and got advice about which red to use because
    they didn't have cadmium red.

5. It was Steven's night to make dinner, and dinner was delicious.
6. Our French (from France) evening Police show, with subtitles in
    English has 14 seasons!  We just finished season 1, and we are
    hooked. It's called Murder In.

7. We went to the lake yesterday (Lake Ontario) and the beauty of that
     blue always makes me happy.

8.  I got a new canvas today for a painting I'll begin tomorrow.  
9.   One of the servers at the café, where we order wraps for lunch on the weekend
      came to my Wednesday opening, liked my work, and now she gives me a
      knowing happy look when we see her at work.

10. I have so many flowers (tulips) that I haven't had time to arrange them.

Have a loving your life day!

A beautiful spring day

It's been a colder spring this year --
but the farmer gave me these beauties 

yesterday, and flowers are coming back

to the market next week!
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2025 

So soon we can expect this! 

Daffodils from the farm
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

It was a lovely day today, and Steven and I went to the lake.  Always a magnificent
inspiration.  Canadians are funny. At 9 degrees Celsius 48.2 degrees Fahrenheit people
were out in shorts, and crop tops! The temperature rose to a whopping 15 degrees Celsius,
59 degrees Fahrenheit. (P.S. that's still cold.)

Have a loving your life day!

The why. Why do art?

 

One part of the display of 50+ works in The Art of Celebration
at the Heliconican Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave., Toronto

Please come out on April 27 between 2 and 5 p.m. 
I'd love to see you!

It's movie night at our house so I am going in a minute to watch a movie with Steven.

I found a piece I posted last year at this time, and I'd like to post it again today.
It resonates with me. My current solo show gives you an idea of what a wonderful
time I've had giving in to the desire to paint.  This of course is also powered by a 
life full of kind, intelligent, creative loving people.  Thank you for being one of them.

"There are addictions that are easy to explain -- coffee,
alcohol, dope -- but art is a whole different story.

How do you explain it?  Something hit you over the
head with a passion to paint and draw, and you
can't ditch it.  I know almost no one who has
successfully quit drawing and painting.

The desire runs deep.  Even when it doesn't work,
even when we've got no time for it, even when
we need a break.  Even if we don't paint, or draw,
or sculpt, or take photos or one other arty thing --
it is there.  Planted deep in our skulls, brains,
hearts, probably in our blood cells.  This incredible
urge to make something."

True.  So if this is you I get you.

Have a loving your life day.

What did you do today?

 

Left to right Monet, Sally and Fiona

all female

Photos

Barbara Muir © 1. 2022, 2. 2021, 3. 2022

What did I do?  Made phone calls, wrote and thanked collectors, and helpers for
my April 27 opening of The Art of Celebration at Heliconian Hall, from 2 - 6 p.m. 

I planned new paintings and ordered reference photos to be printed. It was a
very good, organized day.  I hope you had a good day too.

Apparently it is National Pets' Day in Canada too today.  Then there's a National Dog

Day, and on it goes.  We love our pets, and they love us.  That's worth celebrating.

Have a loving your life day!

Catch up day

 

Our cat Monet enjoys catch up days

Photo
Barbara Muir © 2024

After the second wonderful reception for my solo show The Art of Celebration yesterday
it was time for other tasks -- calling collectors, calling possible guests for the next reception,

paying bills -- you know what I'm talking about -- catching up.

The next reception for the show is on April 27th from 2 - 6 p.m.  I'd love to see you
there -- The Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave., Toronto.  It looks like a church, but

it's a beautiful art venue.

Have a loving your life day!