Music, Books, Films, Art, Vote!

Oh hello, better late than never? I am unsure, but here I am - it's Sunday but of course this will be backdated for Friday for consistency. I don't have to tell you this - if there even is a you. 

I am listening to a "guilty pleasure" song on repeat. Guilty pleasure is such a dumb phrase. It's a pleasure - it sounds fucking great. I have always been embarrassed that I liked it. It was a hit from 1991 or at least I think it was (I had to go and research this shall remain nameless song for myself and yes it was a hit). 

So anyway, here I am. The sun is shining and the sky is a bright blue so that's nice. I had another "come to jesus meeting" with myself as I have been feeling poorly again lately. I had 4 migraines this week and broke out into hives (again). I just went through this in June, so obviously a few things need to change because that's just pure shite. 

Anyway - I'll see what I can do about it, but I have a few hunches...

As this blog is about art  - I will share some culture. This month, I enjoyed the following books.

I am half way through the sequel to Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, called, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (not pictured). These are quiet and calm books with a host of interesting enough characters and are very soothing, and not exactly my usual type of book. Piglet was very stressful but also very hard to put it down. Convenience Store Woman was great - I really enjoyed the lead character and her job in the convenience store brought to my mind, with wistful appreciation, - my old dishwashing days. Grief is the Thing with Feathers was excellent - the actor reading it was superb, the character of Crow really comes to life. Have you read any of these? 

In the film department, I watched Awakenings from 1990 with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro. A beautifully shot and a deeply moving film based on a true story, directed by Penny Marshall. It's wild how different films looked and felt back then - it really made me feel nostalgic and the film is a heartbreaker. I had to look up how old De Niro was at the time of filming, 47. Now you know. 

Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4921497

I also finally saw the acclaimed film from Olivia Wilde, The Invite. Intense, funny, and very entertaining - a modern classic within a gorgeous interior. 

By A24 - https://press.a24films.com/films/the-invite
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82885822

Photo credit Cyan Clayworks

On Friday, I popped by to see my pals Fiona and Chris at their fabulous pottery studio, Cyan Clayworks. It's always a joy to sit a spell and have a blether over tea. Go see them and support their work - good people, doing good things always deserve your custom.

In other cultural news, the midterm election is on Tuesday. If you are in the States please for the love of all things normal, healthy, and hopeful go vote! Your vote matters more than ever.

And on that note...keep fighting!

The sun holds nostalgic promise

Sing to me of your life long ago
mixed media on canvas
20x25cm
Megan Chapman

I am facing the wrong way. I close my eyes and smile as the sun illuminates my face. It beams at me fiercely through the back window of the bus, and no one is enjoying it more.

While waiting for this bus I watched the sun on the walls of a building across the street. The sun holds nostalgic promise, I typed into the notes of my phone. I quickly returned to the warm glowing wall and my dreaming. I was somewhere else then, I was riding in a car through a forest by a river. I was in a different country and I was young.

Dark symphony (the radio comes on)

Dark symphony (the radio comes on)

Mixed Media on Canvas

20 x 25 cm

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

Cutting through the noise

Mixed Media on Canvas

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

I found myself (here come the clouds)

Mixed Media on Canvas

20 x 25 cm

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

Wrong turn

Mixed Media on Canvas

20 x 25 cm

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

Sing to me of your life long ago

Mixed Media on Canvas

20 x 25 cm

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

Easter surprise (spring love)

Mixed Media on Canvas

20 x 25 cm

£65

This original mixed-media painting is on raw canvas

The mount window is 5x7" and is ready to pop into an 8x10"/ frame

October's Post Box Originals features this series of gestural small works from 2021. Each painting is signed, titled, and dated on the back. Price includes P&P in the UK and the work will be insured and tracked.

I thought I would share an example of a framing option using an affordable off the shelf 8x10" frame from B&M. These frames also have a built in hanger or a ladder back in case you would rather display your painting on a shelf or table. As I hope this illustrates, these pieces can become display ready with very little additional effort or expense. Offering original art that is more accessible for a range of budgets has always been important to me and will continue to be.

We deserve bread and roses and living with art can be essential.

Let art be your roses.

Until next week, keep fighting. 
With love and gratitude, 
Megan 

Cutting through the noise

Cutting through the noise

Well, here we are - it's the second weekend of October. There is a chill in the air as the low light casts its warm shadows amongst the falling leaves. 

Last month, I introduced you to Megan Chapman's Postbox Originals: Accessible art through your letterbox. This month, I am featuring a series of six, gestural small works from 2021. Each painting, on raw canvas, is mounted and fits an 8x10" frame. Each piece is signed, titled, and dated on the back and the price includes p&p within the UK. The work will be insured and tracked. It's a more affordable way to build your collection and support me so that I can devote more time to creating new work. 

I hope you can take a break from the world and cut through the noise with this month's featured series.

Thank you for your support. 
Until next week, keep fighting.

Rest my chemistry

Hey Folks. 

I am going to do something I haven't done in a while. I am simply going to share a bit of Interpol doing what they do best. Cheering me up and bringing the tunes. Here they are live on KEXP.

Until next week, you know what to do - keep fighting!

And if you are from the USA make a plan to vote in the midterms, vote early if you can, and if you are living abroad, get your ballot in the post as soon as possible!

Totally Rad (you are)

totally rad (you are)

Oh hello there, you'll be happy to know I am on the mend from the wee lurgy. My health has now thankfully returned to mostly normal. 

I have been learning and practicing Qi Gong since June and I am really thankful for what I am learning and how I have been aided by the practice so far. I think it helped me recover from this virus a bit faster. Or maybe it just comforted me while I recovered. I have always been a Yoga person but Qi Gong seems to support me in a different way and I always love learning new things. There's room for both in my life. 

I can't believe we are already nearing the end of September. It was 12 years ago tomorrow on the 26th that I arrived in Scotland for this grand experiment. 

This also means, it's coming to the end of my featured September series. This month, I took a look into my archive of available small works and shared, Weathered. A series of original paintings on rough edged canvas embracing the worn, beautifully broken, and silent. These wee pieces also feature a bit of an autumnal chill - dramatic, sweeping, and abstract yet still of the land and sea and the space between. 

Take a moment to enjoy and purchase these works before the end of the month, as a different series will take the stage in October. 

Weathered 

Until next week, keep fighting (especially like this total badass)! 

With love and gratitude,
Megan 

My lungs are sad

I am wearing the worst jeans on the planet. You will never see me in public in these jeans. I can't even look at myself in the mirror. I will donate these awful things soon. 

I am recovering from being ill this week. You know what that does to my mind... it runs roughshod over me highlighting every fear, weakness, and every regret and mistake I have ever made. Such a bullshit thing for my brain to do when I am already down.

I watch a replay of World News Tonight with David Muir and then think "well, that wasn't good for my immune system." I turn to social media for a break where I am then sold a million optimisations for my kind of brain alongside celebrity gossip and random shit for the outraged and perimenopausal. 

How's your week going? I painted a picture of my inflamed lungs but you aren't going to see it - just like these fucking hideous jeans... 

I love you. I miss you.