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.

Let Glasgow Flourish

City Chambers

Julia and I met at Edinburgh Waverley for our 10:15 train to Glasgow. We blethered away as the train sped through the bright yellow fields, arriving at our destination within the hour. I have always loved Glasgow and felt an affinity and connection from the first time I visited.

We readied ourselves for our day of adventure with cups of tea near the station, and then we were off! Walking along George Square, we popped into the gorgeous Victorian Glasgow City Chambers to enjoy the beautiful mosaics. I have walked past the stately building many times, but it never occurred to me to step inside. I was glad Julia mentioned the beautiful mosaic work and prompted our brief visit.

Keeper of Light by Smug

As we continued our walk through the city, we happened upon Keeper of Light, one of the brilliant murals by the artist Smug. I exclaimed, “Wow!” as I simply wasn’t expecting the mammoth painting. Julia and I took photos of the arresting vision in red.

We then continued on our way to see the current exhibitions at Trongate 103. Once inside the building, we encountered the moving and troubling images from Marc Davenant's Outsiders.

Neuk Collective Together Apart

We made our way upstairs as we had specifically come to Glasgow to see the Neuk Collective Exhibition, Together Apart. It is a varied exhibition, with plenty of work across most media to see and experience. I especially enjoyed the interactive works. Tactile art has interested me since I created my Books series. There were loads of works in Together Apart that called for tactile investigation; sound, colour, texture and a strong sense of play tied the exhibition together. This is the second Neuk Collective exhibition I have attended in person. I always get a strong sense of the thoughtfulness and care that goes into the planning and execution to ensure the experience is inclusive and accessible for as many people as possible.

We then visited Street Level Photoworks to view Simon Phipps's Brutal Scotland: Scotland's Post-War Modernist Architecture. A brilliant photography exhibition of brutalist buildings, a style that I have only grown to appreciate in recent years.

We rounded out our visit to Trongate 103 with a quick dash through the Glasgow Print Studio’s current exhibitions, viewing Janka Malkowska's Wood Cuts and works by featured artist, Consuelo R. Servan.

I was thankful to be able to view these five very different but equally important exhibitions. Accessible spaces such as Trongate 103 that offer so many different media, expressions, and opportunities under one roof are critical and must continue to be rallied around and supported in times of crisis and in our everyday lives. We must never take them for granted. Arts venues contribute to our well-being, our humanity, and build our communities. The importance of this cannot be understated. Solidarity to all who are working so hard and fighting to keep the doors open.

After all that art, we needed some food, so we walked down the road to Mono for a simple lunch of soup and some tasty focaccia. We followed this with a quick stop by Mr Ben Retro Clothing for a wee browse.

Cult of St. Enoch by Smug

St. Mungo by Smug

We then headed towards the Glasgow Necropolis. I have a thing for graveyards, and thankfully, Julia likes them too. We wandered up the road towards the city of the dead, where 50,000 people are buried on the 37- acre site. As we continued walking, we came across two more of Smug’s arresting murals - Cult of St Enoch and later Saint Mungo. All three of Smug's murals were a delight to happen across as we walked. Truth be told, I am not always a fan of public art or murals, but these are special.

Glasgow Necropolis

Glasgow Necropolis

Before we knew it, we were walking next to the Glasgow Cathedral (unfortunately, with the cathedral spire under wraps for renovation). We crossed the bridge to the garden-like hillside Necropolis, with its winding tiers of towering monuments, colourful wrought iron mausoleum gates, and views over the city. It immediately brought to mind Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, which I visited twice during a four-day trip in 2016. I do love a cemetery! Julia and I slowly wandered up the hill, looking at the various graves. I video-called my mother to show her a few monuments, and gave her a dramatic reading of the script on the tomb of actor-manager John Henry Alexander of the Theatre Royal. I then showed her some of the ornate gates and the cathedral in the distance. Technology can be pretty wonderful at times.

Afterwards, Julia and I made our way back down the hill towards Queen Street Station and hopped on the train. We shared part of the journey back with two sleepy wedding revellers until we managed to find more private seats under a poster with a quote from a favourite Altered Images song,“I could be happy.”

We once again travelled through yellow fields and onto Waverley; another brilliant adventure in the books.

I could be happy...

All that I am: Publishing News!

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: All that I am by Megan Chapman 

Dear Readers and Patrons,

I have some exciting news to share with you all.

I was recently contacted by the creative director of Image Conscious, a San Francisco-based art publisher and distributor of open-edition fine art prints, posters, and canvas reproductions. 

"Image Conscious is one of the largest wholesale art suppliers worldwide, they sell exclusively to retailers, art consultants, interior designers, frame and poster shops, speciality shops, and wholesale framers. In business since 1980, their collection is comprised of some of the world’s finest contemporary artists and photographers."

I am happy to share, I am now one of them! I am beyond thrilled to have signed a contract to license a very special series of my paintings for worldwide reproduction across a variety of platforms, including wholesale and retail! 

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: Everything I love by Megan Chapman 

That means that wherever you are in the world, you can now purchase quality reproductions of my series, Echoes and Memory. There are 15 paintings in the series to choose from, all beautifully reproduced, and now in a variety of sizes available as a rolled or framed print, or a stretched canvas, with all sorts of beautiful framing options. 

It has always been important to me that my art remain accessible and working with Image Conscious makes this a reality, and takes it to the next level! I am really excited about this new partnership. 

As part of this arrangement, I am also delighted that I am currently a featured artist with Printano. 

"As planet-conscious individuals and artists at heart, we envisioned creating a platform that offers the highest-quality artworks to our customers while steadfastly supporting artists and the planet. We believe in the power of art to inspire, transform, and bring about positive change in the world. This belief fueled our mission to create a sustainable and artist-friendly marketplace. Printano came to life in 2022, born from a passion for art and a commitment to sustainability."

I love their ethos and I am so pleased to be part of it and have my work available to more people than ever before. Shop and enjoy the collection on their elegant site.

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: Your quiet heart by Megan Chapman 

Besides Image Conscious for wholesale orders and Printano for retail, you can also find this body of work beautifully reproduced on Art.com, Allposters.com and in more places soon. Currently, at Printano they are offering 15% off your first order and free shipping for orders over $100. 

I am just so happy to share some good and exciting news.

To be an artist is to persevere. 
To be an artist is to protect your work.
This is no easy task but sometimes good things do happen and hard work gets noticed. Good working relationships in the arts can exist and when one of us succeeds, we all do. 

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for my work and for being here to witness it all. 

Keep fighting.