A beautiful moment

I had the honour of working with PAPER+WHITE, award-winning international interior design and art consultancy based in England with studios in London’s East End and Cambridgeshire at the end of last year and the start of 2019. 

I am delighted to be able to share these gorgeous photos of my paintings in situ in this stunning family apartment in Kensington, London. 

Interior Design and Art Consultancy Credit: Paper + White 

Photography Credit: The Interior Photographer 

Photos used with permission.

This is another big moment in my art career, if you would have told me twenty years ago when I was about to graduate with my BFA in Painting from the University of Oregon, that five of my original paintings (four of which were site-specific commissions) would live in a stunning, well appointed, and impeccably designed apartment in Kensington, London I am not sure if I would have believed you. I must admit it feels right though and it feels good. I have worked hard for this. I am thankful for all the help I have been given and for the opportunities that have come my way. I am thankful to myself for never giving up. Special thanks to the supremely talented Davina Stanley of Paper +White. 

In other news, tomorrow (Saturday, June 15th) my studio G23 will be open as part of the Summer Arts Market at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall from 11-5 at 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, Edinburgh. The hall will be filled with carefully curated stalls filled with art, craft, and design goodness. The wonderful Mairi Brown will also have her studio open just up the stairs from mine. Please join us, we love opening our studios for you! Weather permitting, I may have a special treat for you in the form of my pop up exhibition, "To tell you everything." Here is a short video of the installation (I had a soft launch on Monday). Let's hope we have dry weather for tomorrow but if not, I will have it at a later date.

Until next week, keep fighting, keep trying, and dream big. The world needs you and your art. Thank you.

Beauty finds us

A fair wind and a long way to go, Mixed media on canvas

100x120cm, © 2018 Megan Chapman, Sold

Let's pretend you are reading this on a Friday and not when you are. I had a bit of excitement and somehow couldn't sit down to get to my blog, but here I am. Better late than never. 

Our Stories, Mixed media on canvas

100x70cm, © 2018 Megan Chapman, Commission, Sold

Let me explain : 

On Monday, December 3rd I was contacted by the wonderful interior designer and art consultant, Davina Stanley at Paper+White. We've been following each other's work for a while on Instagram and both appreciate each other's talents. She asked about the availability of two paintings she had pitched to a client. One of them was a large 100x120cm painting available from my studio, one was a limited edition print (if you haven't noticed I have backed off on doing prints - but if you are in the market, all my remaining limited edition prints (like the ones HBO bought for True Detective) are available at Fenix Fayetteville). Could I use the print as a study and make a larger version of the piece on canvas? I said yes. Could I also create another large piece similar to my latest series of works but with some blush pink in the mix? I said yes. Could I turn it around pretty quickly? I said yes! 

Beauty finds us, Mixed media on canvas

100x100cm, © 2018 Megan Chapman, Commission, Sold

By Monday afternoon I had booked this rather large commission and sale and ordered the two canvases I needed. The canvases would not arrive until Friday, December 7th. On that Friday afternoon, I would begin painting. I would drink cups and cups of tea and listen to my best working music and worry and reach out to friends and put in some intense hours in the studio for the next few days. I would learn about booking a courier to get the paintings from the studio in Edinburgh down to Cambridge. I would learn all sorts of things about myself, my strengths, my friends, my resilence, and my passion. I was honoured by the trust the designer had given me to complete this project and I was grateful for the work. 

I had less than a week to complete both the 100x70cm and 100x100cm painting. This is not how I normally work. However, I can say that these paintings are honest, good, and true. I am grateful for my years of experience that allowed me to get the job done and for the confidence required to believe that I could. I stressed, cried, and even felt fear over the work. I was continually humbled by the process and I kept going. The pieces were completed, varnished, documented, and packed up and ready to go by Thursday, December 13th at 9 am and by Friday night I had confirmation that the pieces had reached their destination at The Picture Framers by the deadline. Relief!

The whole project was a thrill! I enjoyed the challenge and the feeling of having worked hard to accomplish the task at hand. I can't wait to see them photographed in their new home, in their beautiful new interiors. I am trying to make sure I take a minute to celebrate this moment in my art history. Thanks for being part of it. 

Come Monday morning, I will be back to work in my studio and with a smile on my face. I say this to all the artists out there, often it seems like the good stuff shows up right about the time you feel like you don't understand anything anymore and you just want to quit. I've been there, so please don't quit. Keep showing up, keep saying "Yes, of course, I can do that" and start believing it!

Now, I think some rest is in order.

 

With love and gratitude for everyone on the path. We are in this together, keep fighting.

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