Frustration Evident

Frustration evident

I am just back from a sunshine-filled 4-mile walk. I'm trying to stay in the frame of mind I was in while I was outside. Rather than listen to music on my walk or birdsong, I chose to listen to Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen's "Renegades podcast." I am not a Spotify user but I thought they were important enough to put the app on my phone at least temporarily. It was a good choice. I walked for the duration of the 2 available podcasts, as they spoke and shared their upbringings and their thoughts and experiences of race and racism as well as the complicated and complex beauty of America.

It was wonderful to listen to their conversation weave in and out of a variety of topics with mutual admiration, respect, and the joy of discovery. It was a beautiful thing to listen to these two men talk in this way. It reminded me a lot of the conversations I have with my friends - touching on so many topics, associations, and memories eventually finding a common ground or a new understanding of each other and ourselves in the process. People are filled with wisdom. Conversations are long winding paths, perfect to walk to in the spring sunshine. I feel like I walked everywhere. I swallowed back tears at times as I listened to their words. Open communication is such a deep precious gift. I highly recommend the podcast if you haven't listened to it yet. 

As far as my art practice goes, I am feeling quite stuck just now. I did some sketches of noses on a bit of scrap paper, and I painted some thick grey/black lines over some paper works that I had started at the end of last year that need finishing. It's frustrating but I know it will come back when it is time for it to come back. I have to be patient but I also have to acknowledge the frustration. I also need to make some money. It's a drag when that part yells louder than the creative motivation. Sales of my work have been pretty slow so far this year. Thankfully I am receiving payments on a couple of larger paintings I sold in December and I have sold 4 smaller works on paper since January. I am thankful that the studio is allowing us to pay 1/2 of our usual rent just now as well. One day I am going to have to figure out what to do about that space. 

There is an exciting thing coming down the line soon - I am being interviewed for P3DRO, a music and art website. I am answering the interview questions just now. I will keep you posted when the interview becomes available. 

In other news, plans and preparations for the first exhibition of the Abstractionistas, the collective of which I am a member, are underway. The show is scheduled for July at St. Margaret's House Gallery in Edinburgh. Please follow us on Instagram. 

I hope you are staying well and safe and getting out in the sun when you can. I hope there are rich conversations around you and if there are not, I hope you can find some.

Thanks for stopping by.

Take care, 

Megan 

Here are all the links you need to find my work and the galleries that represent me.

Wonder, reverence, and a deep desire

I believe in art. I believe in artists. I know how hard we all work. I also believe in providing selections of my work that are more attainable and affordable for a wide variety of patrons. Nothing about this work or my process is cheap or casual but it is done with wonder, reverence, and a deep desire for you to live with things that add to your environment, create feeling, mystery or solace. From one human hand to another. Thank you for being a part of it.

This selection of original small works on paper are all £45 with free shipping in the U.K. Visit my Kofi shop. The mounts fit any standard 8x10" frame.

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

COLLECT

I hope you are warm, safe, and well. Thanks for stopping by. 

- Megan

Just the right kind of shakeup

Winter Variation Four

Another Friday night and here we are. I hope you are doing well. We've had snow in the past week and that has added a nice clear light and brightness, providing just the right kind of shakeup. I am delighted to report that three of my latest small works that I shared last week have sold. You can see all of them again here.

In other recent news, I am a proud member of a new collective of women abstract artists in Scotland. We are called the Abstractionistas. We are starting to introduce ourselves and promote our collective. If you are on Instagram please give us a follow.

Please follow @abstractionistas

We debate, challenge, make, and curate abstract art and host our own exhibitions.

My peers in the collective are: 
@estherdonaldsonart
@adelaideshalhope
@judithshaylor
@susan_e_wilson

Please follow us as a collective and as individuals and stay tuned as we focus on advancing abstract art in Scotland and beyond. Our first exhibition is scheduled for July. 

In the home studio, I am working (very slowly) on a new series of works on paper that combines my interest in medieval genealogy and abstraction. It's too new to talk about in detail yet but I just wanted to mention it. There are five pieces so far. You have seen them here already in my recent blog posts, I wrote something to the effect of "this is personal" and it is. Go back and take a look, here, here and here.

That's all I have for you this week. I have been walking, running, dreaming, and waiting and learning so much and as ever I am grateful for your support. 

Take good care- the world needs you and your vision.

The Winter Variations : New Small Works

Winter Variation One

Winter Variation Two
Sold

Winter Variation Three

Winter Variation Four

Winter Variation Five

Winter Variation Six

Winter Variation Seven
Sold

Winter Variation Eight
Sold

We are in the dead of winter. 

Hibernation. The rain, the wind, the sea, and shades of grey surround. 

A quiet time to listen, sleep, watch, breathe, and repeat. 

The winter variations. 

These original mixed media paintings are on heavyweight hot-pressed Fabriano Artistico paper. The mount window is 5x7" and these are ready to pop into an 8x10" frame. £45 with free shipping in the UK. I will be adding these to my ko-fi shop soon and sharing them on social media. 

I hope you are well. 

Thanks for everything, 

Megan