A lovely week...

Abbey Mount Centre on a sunny Saturday 

Hello!

I hope you are well. Here's the weekly recap. A mix of art and life.

On Saturday I was back at the Abbey Mount Centre to open my exhibition for visitors from 2-4pm. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we had a nice group of folks that stopped in to see the work. I was particularly pleased when a history teacher who had a particular interest in the Highland Clearances came in to view the show and have a chat. All in all, another good showing. I am so glad to be able to share the work. The exhibition continues on Saturday the 24th and 31st from 2-4 as well and I hope more people with check it out.

Just a reminder, that the group exhibition at the Arts Complex on London road remains up through the 31st of August and is open from 10-6 pm daily. Two paintings from the Ghosts series are there in Gallery 1 on the third floor. I am so pleased to have work in two exhibitions during Edinburgh's festival time.

In non art related news, well nothing is non art related in a way, since everything I do filters into my work. I have enjoyed being still (mostly) on holiday since my declaration. Here's what I have been up to in this beautiful city.

On Sunday, Stewart took me to The Filmhouse screening of The Crow Road based on Ian Bank's novel. It was lovely to spend four hours in a cinema. All the proceeds from the screening went to cancer research. Author, Ian Banks died from the same kind of cancer as my sister in law Julie. After the screening, which was great, we had dinner in the cafe and enjoyed the walk home. The first book Stewart read to me over skype was The Crow Road.

On Monday, we went to the Morningside area, where I had never been before. I had tea and we shared a scone at a nice place called Rocket and then wandered up and around charity shops, it was then I realized all I wanted was to hear the wind in the trees and get away from the city and the noise for a bit. That is how we managed to end up climbing up Blackford hill. We had a picnic in a secluded area and I got to listen to the trees and then we meandered up the hill to outstanding views and just the kind of tall yellow grass I like. It was so lovely.

Tuesday, we mostly took it easy and spent a little time in our favorite pub the Tourmalet making plans for the future. I am so happy we have discovered the Tourmalet, it like a dream pub and just so comfortable. We had a great chat with the bartendress about road trips. I always feel so at home there and of course the beer is great and they have ginger beer and crisps for Stewart.

On Wednesday, we got up early and got ourselves out to look at some art! Photographer, Man Ray and his impressive group of friends seduced me at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. What a great exhibition! We also stopped by the West End Craft Fair to see the work of Jenni Douglas of a Pair of Blue Eyes. Lovely as always. We had lunch in Princes Street Gardens and saw Kevin Low's great new exhibition at Union Gallery. Back in the afternoon, I later dove into the slippery word of genealogy.

Later in the evening while Stewart was out, I experienced and wrote this. "There is a band practicing on the corner in front of the rehearsal hall and their music filters through the air and up through the open window. I lean out (as you do with windows that have no screens) and I can see my favorite pub and it's warm welcoming glow down the street. The bin lorry's lights are flashing against the walls of the tenements. I smell the fried onions of someone's dinner and the band plays on as seagulls sing in the distance..."

Thursday, the Haar came to visit. Haar is the Scottish word for fog or sea mist that comes in and blankets the city. It was so beautiful, so we went to Holyrood park and up into the hills shrouded in the mist. It was spectacular, just when I thought I couldn't love this city more, I do. One of the most beautiful walks I have ever taken. Just breathtaking.

And that leaves today, which was another winner- after a productive morning of cleaning the flat and organizing receipts and papers, we had a fantastic night. We walked through the fringe madness to get our tickets at the box office for this evening's performance of "Whatever gets you through the night." Then we grabbed a take away curry from the Mosque Kitchen and ate it in the park. Afterwards we headed on over to the venue, The Queen's Hall and found our seats and were treated to a brilliant award winning theatre performance that combined stunning visuals, live music and great acting that made me laugh, cry and feel very much more alive. Afterwards we walked home through the city in the warm night air, stopping for ice cream and ended the night at the Tourmalet, where all is golden and where we were greeted by the smiling faces of our favorite bartendresses yet again.

Tomorrow, Saturday it is back to the Abbey Mount Centre to open the exhibition.  I am living each day to the fullest here and I am so grateful.

Love,
Megan

PS. Enjoy this video from the opening reception of "The ghosts of the past exposed."

Celebrate!

Hello!

Last night was the opening of my ghosts of the past exposed exhibition at the Abbey Mount Centre in Edinburgh. It was a lovely evening full of smiling faces and delightful stories and conversations. It was an honor to share my work of the last 6 months with my lovely friends and patrons in Edinburgh.

The work fits the space well and I feel really good about the show. The opening was so very lovely and I am excited that I have the next three Saturdays the share the work as well. I love hearing the stories and memories and questions that this body of work seems to conjure up. If you are in Edinburgh and have not yet seen the work, please pop in and say hello!

I have to admit I am pretty exhausted from all the work I have done. I have created 20 full sized pieces for the exhibition. 23 smaller (but not that small) secondary works as part of the process (my patron reward project perk paintings) and then 39 small works for my Etsy shop, for a total of 82 one of a kind pieces of original art during my time here! I can't even imagine it- but it happened. 

I have decided that I am now (mostly) on holiday until it is time to leave on September 12th and return to the States. I still have my studio until the end of August and there are still a few more things I want to work on in the space and some project loose ends to tie up but for the most part I think I have done what I came here to do. 

All I want to do now is share the work I have created, enjoy the beauty of Edinburgh and the surrounding areas and visit with all my friends I have made here. 

I am grateful and thankful to everyone who has been part of this experience. 

Love, 

Megan

PS. If you have been thinking of purchasing some of my new small works made in Scotland, now is the time! My Esty shop prices have never been lower and it is fun to get mail from Scotland. Be an art collector today!

Painting, Highlands, Deadlines! Oh my!

Limited edition prints in my etsy shop

What a week!

The week started with a very full-tilt painting session on Tuesday and then an overwhelmingly beautiful trip to the Highlands on Wednesday and again today I have been painting in the studio. Racing towards the deadline of my solo exhibition on August 15th at the Abbey Mount Centre in Edinburgh and I am still exhausted from the beautiful highlands and thanking my lucky stars for it all. I even sold 3 pieces on Etsy this week! Tremendous! I wish I had more to say and I probably do but I can't quite make my fingers do the work. Just know this...

I want to thank everyone who has bought my art and supported me over the years. It doesn't matter if it was a limited edition print, a small work on paper or a large painting in a gallery. If you bought my work, donated to my project or shared my art posts and encouraged your friends to support me or to get to know my work, just know that I am grateful. It is because of you that I am living this life, paying my bills, am able to eat and drink, travel and buy more supplies so I can continue. I don't make a lot of money but I have a full heart and I love to share it all with you.

By next Friday the opening for my solo exhibition will have been and gone! Yikes! How exciting... I hope it all comes together. I still have so much work to do. If you are reading this and are local to Edinburgh I hope you will come out and say hello! This exhibition will be the culmination of all my efforts. I can't wait to share all this work with you.

It's nice work if you can get it...

Great show at the Art's Complex

Two of my pieces in the Summer Show at the Arts Complex

Dear Readers,

What a busy week, full of productivity as well as meaningful results. Where to start...

I will start with this. I am so proud to be part of an amazing group of accomplished and talented artists from the Art's complex. The Art's Complex Summer Show is one of the most impressive and well put together group shows I have had the privilege to participate in. Congratulations to all the artists and organizers of the show. I am so pleased that two of the works I created in my studio at the Arts Complex are in this beautiful exhibition. The three massive galleries are spacious, light filled and grand. Just a lovely place for showing work. All the work looked great in the space and had plenty of room to breathe. I was impressed with everything I saw there- such a strong, powerful and varied exhibition. This is my last month of having my studio in the building. I will dearly miss the space and all the opportunities that came because of the time at the studio. If you are local to Edinburgh, don't miss the exhibition that will remain up through the end of the month. Gallery hours are 10am- 6pm. The three galleries are on the third floor.

Solo Exhibition in Edinburgh

Abbey Mount Center, Edinburgh

In other exciting news, I have confirmed my solo exhibition at the Abbey Mount Centre in Edinburgh. The exhibition of my Ghosts of the past series will open on August 15th from 6-8pm. It is free and open to the public. I hope the good folks of Edinburgh will make plans to attend. The exhibition will also be open on the following three Saturdays in August after the reception from 2-4pm and I will be present to talk and discuss my work. Come say hello!

Work in progress in studio 5.23 in the Arts Complex

It feels like everything is coming together. Besides these opportunities to show my work in Edinburgh, I have also been busy creating new works, with ten on the go currently. I have so much to do and so little time but it is all going to work out just fine...

Thanks again for being part of this once in a lifetime experience.

Love,

Megan