Friday, September 18, 2009

In the minds of strangers

To Dream and Swim © 2009 Megan Chapman

Unnamed and waiting in the loading dock...
©2009 Megan Chapman

This week has gone by so amazingly fast; a blur of studio meetings at the Underground, a flurry of paintings being started and finished. Words, ideas, and art communicated over great distances. I started on Monday believing I was going to accomplish some serious art production and I am not sure what happened or what that even means. So many ideas, concepts and flashes cluttered my brain and I couldn't get to the place I needed, to accomplish what I wanted; at the same time, things were accomplished. I am talking around the edges of things.

I was hoping to have all my new summer works documented so I could show them all to you. I am a painter and this blog has turned into more of a photo blog of late, which was never my intention. Photography is such an immediate and easy share. There is such instant gratification in the process and the results. I love this, but I do fear that it is eclipsing my paintings currently.

Balance has always been a struggle for me and that is apparent in my creative life as well. I gave away this week in more ways than one; it turned into an offering of sorts.

Are you giving away your days and weeks? Your energy and time? Are you getting back what you put in? What am I talking about? Just the edges of things and the minds of strangers and the creative spark that has to be protected.

This week I had a thousand conversations and everyone seems to be on the verge of either epiphany or total collapse. I am exhausted yet entranced...

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10 comments:

  1. Debs BurrowSeptember 18, 2009 at 11:23 AM

    Deep...

    Big Questions, Observations and Happenings.
    All part of a week that's shared by many.

    I like this post. I can identify with it.

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2009 at 11:34 AM

    Great!!! Sounds and looks like you're on a roll. I look forward to talking with you this afternoon...Jan

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2009 at 11:56 AM

    Go Paint. Put the BS on hold.

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  4. ambermaidaSeptember 18, 2009 at 1:39 PM

    Megan, i think these paintings are incredible! My favorite: second photo, painting on my left.

    You are writing with more clarity than you realize... atleast for me. I am going through what might be a similiar or a parallel time. I'm sure you know some of the answers as i do, it's the paths we need to take and the priorities we need to make that can be difficult at first, but worth it long-term.

    I keep telling myself to stay in the moment and be open. Maybe that will help you or others too.

    Turn up the music and let's PAINT!

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  5. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2009 at 2:34 PM

    Must be something in the air this week. I also was overwhelmed by all my "life" obligations, volunteer work, yardwork, earning a living...when ALL I wanted to do was hibernate in the studio. Even if every hour was studio time, it would not have been enough. The works are already living and breathing, waiting to be born, clawing at the insides of my mind. I have to assume that such a "wealth" of ideas comes from me being exactly who I AM. A person who does too much volunteer work, too much yardwork, and HAS to earn a living (even if it is ART related). Had I been some other kind of person this last week, this last year, I might not have been so creatively "blessed". MY hope is that one is the causality of the other, the equation being equally important on both sides. The busy "real life" me makes for a richer art me. The richly blessed art me lives, and gives, joyfully in the everyday world. I HOPE.
    DOGBOY

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  6. impoftheyardSeptember 18, 2009 at 3:49 PM

    I love all of these paintings. I've tried to pick a favourite but find it hard to. It's good to see them all together.

    Hope you can create a breathing space to paint. x

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  7. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2009 at 7:51 PM

    You may not have achieved the quantity you hoped for but you're never lacking in quality. Dr. Anonymous prescribes that you set back, put your feet up, have a mojito and take a day or perhaps even a weekend to smell the roses. Then, it's back to work dark and early Monday morn...

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  8. Heather JerdeeSeptember 19, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    I've got more free time now this fall with my children in school, but it is so hard to be protective of that working time. To let go or put off some of the responsibilities in life or hand them over to others is a huge work in progress. Sometimes busywork is just busywork and it ain't going anywhere. And some of it really doesn't matter it just feels like it does, I need consistency in remembering this.

    And having a hard time balancing different projects is something I can relate to too. I want to follow through on a few different things that are speaking to me loudly in my art. But I am only one person and I work best when one project connects and inspires other projects.

    And Megan I completely agree your work whether it be photos, painting, or writing never lacks in quality.

    Now I am off to go clean my house, cause instead of limiting my cleaning this week I didn't do any at all ;)

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2009 at 9:55 AM

    Stop teaching yourself about the 'grey' forthwith. You would become normal and that just would not do.

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  10. Megan ChapmanSeptember 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM

    Thanks everyone.
    I really appreciate your comments here, they always give me new ways to think about things.

    ReplyDelete

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