If you’re old enough … think back with me on a time before the Internet. A time when artists were completely dependent on others to show and sell their work.
We need to take a moment every now and then to be grateful for having the world at our fingertips. For being able to instantly send images of our art out into the world. For friends around the globe we would never have met 30 years ago.
In this episode, I talk with artist Barbara Muir, who is unabashedly happy about being online. I wanted to have her on the show to remind us of all the good things that happen because we are so connected.
Here's what came up:
- A brief rundown of the opportunities that have come Barbara’s way through her blog.
- Commitment to a blogging habit—now boasting more than 3,000 entries.
- Her practice of making a daily list of 6 things.
- The sweet ritual of leaving nightly letters to her husband.
Listen
Mentioned
Jean-Philippe Grélaud on Instagram: @jeanphi68
Liza Hirst on Instagram: @lizahirstpainter
Harry Stooshinoff is the Canadian painter who paints in his car: @harrystooshinoff
Quotes
“The more authentic you are (in business communication) the better you’ll do.”—Barbara Muir
“Sometimes we're working, we're writing, we're putting stuff out there, and we don't think that anyone cares or that it matters and the chances are really good that it's mattering to someone.” —Alyson Stanfield
“if you haven't done anything that they could see in a while, they are wondering when's it coming?”—Barbara Muir
“I can pretty much go anywhere and meet someone that I've met online.”—Alyson Stanfield
“Everything exciting in my art life started from when I started blogging.”—Barbara Muir
“You need to remind yourself about what is good in your life and how incredibly lucky you are.”—Barbara Muir
“When I get a series, it's good because I can anchor to that one thing and still do other things.”—Barbara Muir
Related Episodes
These episodes focus on online marketing.
Growing Your Art Business on Instagram with Jeanne Rosier Smith (ep. 67)
Growing Your Audience with Good Karma with Trudy Rice (ep. 77)
Increasing Art Sales with Online Events with Patricia Griffin (ep. 97)
About My Guest
Barbara Muir is known for landscapes featuring dramatic clouds, water scenes, sensitive portraits, and high key still life. She grew up spending summers by a northern lake in Ontario, Canada, where her love of nature began. Her paintings have been featured in the Florence Biennale, the Louvre in Paris, and in exhibitions in New York City, the Netherlands and her hometown, Toronto. She attracted media attention in North America appearing on the Oprah Winfrey TV show, and in TV spots in Canada. Barbara studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design, and at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada.
Follow her on Instagram @barbaramuir.art
11 thoughts on “The Art Biz ep. 146: Remember The Many Opportunities We Have Because We’re Online with Barbara Muir”
Hi Alyson,
I loved listening to this podcast with my friend Barbara Muir and thank you so much for mentioning my Instagram account! I’ll definitely be listening to other podcasts you post.
Kind regards,
Liza Hirst
Liza: Fantastic! Thanks for listening. It’s fun to be introduced to your work as well.
Alyson thank you so much for this. The artist who works in his car is Harry Stooshinoff.
I am so happy about the way people are responding to the podcast. One woman said she was
going to start writing notes for her husband. So sweet.
Thank you,
Barbara
Oooo. I’ll add that to the notes, Barbara. Sorry I missed it earlier.
enjoyed hearing my friend Barbara’s and your conversation! … then I went on to listen to a bunch more of your podcast. I loved the one about the art documentary watching group as well, I was madly writing down titles as you spoke. man I love a good art doc. one of my fav’s from the national film board I think was ‘Something Dancing About Her’ all about the life of Pegi Nichol McLeod. Thanks for your lovely podcast!
Oooo. Thanks for that recommendation, Sally. And no need to madly write because they are all in the post. Well, the ones I selected to be there, anyway. It’s a long list. Appreciate your listening.
Hi Alyson,
What a fabulous interview! Thank you so much for allowing more of the world to know about Barbara Muir. I was a regular art blogger about a decade ago and had a lovely bloggy friendship with Barbara, I was in awe of her beautiful art work, and in addition to that, she always had something profound and uplifting to write about. A few years into our online interactions I was lucky enough to travel to New York (from Australia) and was able to meet up for dinner with her and her husband Stephen. As chance would have it Barbara was exhibiting in New York right at the time I was visiting the city.
Needless to say, she was as warm and inspiring in the flesh as she was online and our catch up remains one of my many highlights of visiting the US.
Kind regards
Wendy Barrett
How cool that you all got to meet in person, Wendy!
Hi Liza,
Thanks so much for listening. I loved doing this interview with Alyson.
Barbara
Hi Sally,
Thanks so much for listening. Alyson — Sally used to run a beautiful gallery in her farmhouse outside of
Kingston, Ontario. I loved exhibiting with her. She moved to Vancouver, and does beautiful art inspired
by the gorgeous flowers and landscapes in that part of Canada.
I’m glad you listened to more of these wonderful conversations Sally.
Barbara
Hi Wendy,
Thanks so much for commenting. I’m so glad you enjoyed the conversation between Alyson
and me. I always loved your blogs, and it was so wonderful to meet you in New York City.
That evening stands out for me too as one of the highlights of my many visits to the U.S, Now
what we need is for both of us — all of us — to meet Alyson. Right Alyson?
Thanks so much Alyson. You continue to be such an inspiration.
XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara