Romantic notions at work

 

 All sewn up. a shop window in Glasgow. © 2012 Megan Chapman

Hello Dear Readers,

Thanks so much for stopping by for the latest installment in the Edinburgh report. This week I saw more art and took a day trip to Glasgow! There was lots to see and do this week, so let's get to it.

This past Saturday, we went to Out of the Blue Drill Hall, to their art market event. The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is a lovely open and light filled space, I imagine it would be wonderful to have a studio there. It was all set up with arts and crafts booths. Stewart found some cuff links from the artists at Reworkd Workshop and I got a ring from Amelia at Little Red.

This week I helped proofread a beautiful catalog for Stewart Bremner's upcoming exhibition, Worlds Apart with Kevin Low. It has been an amazing phenomenon to watch his exhibition start with a simple idea and evolve over time and then to be created while I have been here and mostly while I have been in the room. To talk about these new works and see them emerge from nothing has been a thrill. He has created a complex body of work and has experienced all the highs and lows that come with that and I have witnessed the process in between sight seeing, meeting new people, and creating my own work and having my own exhibition. What an experience this has been! Stewart's exhibition opens on Thursday April 5th at Union Gallery. If you are in the area, please don't miss it. I think this is an extremely important and moving body of work as well as his best work to date.

The rest of the week was filled with sunshine and open windows as the clocks sprung forward. There was a lovely walk back up Calton Hill, probably one of my favorite places in Edinburgh for the views, slight wilderness and of course all the monuments. It is simply a magical place and in the sunshine of spring it is golden. When I looked over the city identifying places and areas I have walked over these few months it became clear how much I have explored and that I am becoming attached to the area.

In other news, more pieces from my series From Across the Ocean sold this week and I am grateful. Selling my work is my only source of income as I am surviving abroad on a shoe-string budget and still have expenses from back home to cover. I wouldn't trade it for the world though. So to everyone who has purchased my work here in Edinburgh or through my Etsy shop. Thank you very much! You are keeping me fed and the bills paid and I can't do it without you. The exhibition at Embo will come down soon and I will add the remaining available works from that show to my etsy shop.

This week also marked another first! I took my first train trip! We spent Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland just seeing art and meeting up with a few of Stewart's friends, including artist Kevin Low. It was lovely to get to know the man that Stewart is going to be sharing the Union Gallery with next month. But, back to the train...I loved it! What a smart way to travel. It was fun and relaxing to sit there and watch the world go by and not have to worry about driving. I liked passing through the small towns as we took the fifty minute journey. Once there, it was an amazing experience to walk out of the station and out into the middle of the city square. The sun was again shining brightly and my camera was put to good use all day. It was a lovely day trip arriving at noon and leaving after dinner. I hope I get the chance to take more day trips by train before I leave. In Glasgow, we walked around looking at all the buildings and of course we took in some art at the Gallery of Modern Art and then later at Kelvingrove art gallery and museum. Both spaces were beautiful with an impressive range of art. At the Modern I saw the works of Beuys, Cartier-Bresson and Kruger, while at Kelvingrove I saw Van Gogh, Matisse, Cezanne, Gauguin, Seurat, Monet, Dali, and much much more. It was a great day trip filled with inspiration and possibilities. You can see my photographs from Glasgow here.


After returning from Glasgow the pace slowed a bit as I happily looked through my photographs, walked around Edinburgh and visited the latest exhibition at the Talbot Rice Gallery where we saw the works of Alison Turnbull and we glimpsed the works of James Cumming from the balcony but as the curator was giving a tour, we didn't want to disturb the group. We will have to return to see the Cummings work in greater detail, which is no problem for me, since the gallery is very close to the affordable and tasty Mosque Kitchen where curry is served! Also this week, Stewart surprised me by arranging a small meet up with two quality Blippers. It was a pure delight to meet up with Mr. Smith and Red at my beloved Barony Bar for drinks and a long chat. I have now enjoyed meeting and spending time with all my favorite blippers in the area. It is so lovely to meet people that you have followed through photographs for years and find they are just as delightful in person.


So there you have it. That has been my week. The sun is still shining as I type this and a breeze blows across my face from the open window.... Not a bad life at all. 

keep me here
mixed media on paper 7x5"
© 2012 Megan Chapman, $40

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Places to see my work currently:

In Edinburgh, Scotland:

From Across the Ocean
New Works by Megan Chapman
March 6th until the end of the month (Hurry! Not much time left!)
Embo, 29 Haddington Place
Leith Walk, Edinburgh
Mon–Fri 8am–4pm
Sat 9am–4.30pm.
Closed Sun.
Learn more by clicking here

In Arkansas:

I thought I would find you here
Megan Chapman and Stewart Bremner
March 1st – April 30th, Peterson Auditorium
Shewmaker Global Business Development Center
NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
Bentonville. Arkansas
Learn more by clicking here 

A Certain Trajectory
recent works by Megan Chapman
on rotation throughout the gallery
Blue Moon Gallery
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Learn more by clicking here

Online places to buy, view, and learn more about my work:
Etsy Shop
Website