Homeward I Fall

I am busy getting everything ready for my upcoming exhibit with Helen Phillips at the DDP Gallery in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The exhibit is entitled "Intuition" and features my paintings and Helen Phillips' ceramic works. I can't wait to see Helen's work in person. The show hangs August 15 with an opening on Thursday, August 30th, from 5-8pm. I hope to see and meet as many of you there as possible. It will be an exciting way to kick off the Fayetteville Arts Festival weekend. We are fortunate to have such a wealth of talent and skill in our local and regional area, as well as people willing to use their time, energy, and resources to create opportunities for artists and art lovers to enjoy each other.

Since, I have been busy painting and dreaming up new titles, and concepts for my exhibit, I thought it might be fun to offer a small preview, as well as a hint of some of the thoughts that are behind this latest body of work.

The painting above is titled "Homeward I Fall", it is 20x16" mixed media on canvas. This painting feels somewhat precious to me, in fact I almost thought about keeping it to myself. It seemed to carry a secret memo, that I might be leaking out into the world too soon.

First, I feel this painting has a lighter, airier quality than some of my work. The autumnal colors are floating about as they mix and over lap gently. If you look at my recent work you will usually find a horizon line or band across the top of the painting, in this particular piece the band is at the bottom, which alters the dynamic of the piece. Also, rather than the usual solid band, there are groove like lines within the band, breaking it up a bit, revealing the subtle colors from underneath. There is a small rectangular shape in the mid right side of the piece that calls back to my more land based abstractions, green rolling hill like shapes appear within the atmospheric painting, adding to that sense of a floating world or a dream like state. The "comfort shapes" or ovals are more playful as they drop from the "sky" and while they don't overlap they do appear to be connected as they tip toward and away from each other as they hover down the painting.

The title "Homeward I Fall," serves to tie the elements in the piece together as well as add a little story or mystery to what is being seen on the canvas. The shapes are falling, and as I have mentioned before, these shapes sometimes represent feelings or ideas, or in this piece perhaps myself or the viewer, these shapes float down the canvas "homeward." The band of blue will catch or absorb them, and hopefully the band is a soothing and peaceful place to land.

I have always been fixated on "home"- whatever it may mean, it can be a romantic idea of your place or start in this world, or it can be the home you find in someone or a new place all your own. Home is mythic and dreamy- and I love the idea of it. It means so many different things. I happen to live in my childhood home. When I walk the dog, I am walking the same route I walked as I child. The neighborhood isn't just where I live now, it has 35 years of history linked to it, and it floats around me all the time. These are just a few of the concepts that are with me in this latest body of work.

See "Homeward I Fall" as well as other new works, at the DDP gallery
located at 7 East Mountain St. Fayetteville.
Open: W-F 12-7 and Sat. 10-5 and by appointment.
"Intuition" Works by Megan Chapman and Helen Phillips
August 15- September 29 2007