Old ghosts dance under the surface

The sea whispers to me
Mixed media on canvas
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

After the excitement of open studios and my pop up exhibition, "To tell you everything" at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall last Saturday, it felt good to return to my very tidy studio and return to the work of painting.

I am not quite ready to dive back into my dark series yet, so I returned to some smaller work. These are lighter and brighter with hidden bits. I like to think of them as "A small series about control." These pieces nod to the palette used in "Echoes and memory" but also nod to other works with a dash of the pink here and there. They are textured, layered, and minimal with a touch of play but mostly a touch of control. When I want to control things, I love nothing more than a clear path. When the path is messy and murky in painting and in life, there is nothing better to me than to white it out, blank it out, clean it up, and fix it. This is much easier to do with painting. There may be chaos under the surface but with a broad stroke of paint, it is covered and cleaned. This creates a rich play of what is seen and what is almost seen, textures of what was, as the old ghosts dance under the surface.

On the wind
Mixed media on canvas 
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

Six of these small, 20x20x4cm (8x8x1.5") canvases were worked on until completion, documented, varnished, titled, and taken to the framer this week. All six of these pieces were chosen by Roz Walker, fellow artist, and owner of the Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello, Edinburgh for inclusion in the next mixed show opening July 6th. It was a productive week.

If you listen (again)
Mixed media on canvas
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

I also had some fun with the Tuesday Studio Video Visit, singing to the pieces and giving viewers a good up-close look at the work.

Where my soul roams
Mixed media on canvas
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

The flowers I bring
Mixed media on canvas
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

Small gestures
Mixed media on canvas
20x20x4cm/8x8x1.5”
2019 Megan Chapman

Until next week, keep fighting - the world needs you and the light you bring.