We have been riding the high of last week's successful east prospect exhibition. We are so glad that after our Thursday night exhibition we decided to do it again on the following Saturday. We had a smaller crowd on Saturday but it was lovely to enjoy the people who came and it allowed us all to have a more intimate appreciation of the art. Another perk of our encore was that the Sun Boxes were singing with out interruption all day long. It was a real thrill opening up the house to the public for this special two day exhibition. We wanted the show to be a success for everyone involved and we feel it was. Works were viewed, connections were made and many pieces of art found new homes! What more can anyone want from an art exhibition? Thanks again to all the east prospect exhibition artists and team members that helped us put on such a beautiful and diverse show.
In other news, I have decided to list all my remaining available works that I have in my possession in my Etsy shop, ArtMaven. It just seems to make sense. People often want to know where and how to buy my work and this makes it easier for all involved. Currently my small works on paper, my newly released limited edition prints, and works from my Falling into Sound series as well as some pieces from my more recent Sometimes I love you and other stories are now featured in my Etsy shop. I have even included the last four color works from the 2007-2009 season in my color super sale section.
Speaking of Etsy, I am really pleased with the response of my limited edition prints of A manual for living. I had been thinking about releasing those for a long time and I am glad I finally got around to doing that. So far nine prints have flown overseas and three have stayed local since I released them two weeks ago. I am grateful that the works are finally being seen, appreciated and purchased in print form. Besides my Etsy shop you can find even more of my work at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. You can click here to see which works of mine they have. Currently eleven of the works listed on their website are still available.
While I have been busy processing and paying the east prospect artists for their work, thinking about putting on another show and updating my etsy shop I am very happy to report that Stewart Bremner and I have been back to work in the studio! It has been hard work... really hard work, like pulling teeth actually. However, despite all of that we have eighteen pieces in progress for our upcoming exhibition, A place called home, next month at the Art Center of the Ozarks. I am excited to share the first three pieces from our upcoming exhibition with you here. I like how I can see hints of our series from last year but I can also see the blues from Stewart's last individual series and I can see the coolness of the white paint I adore from my recent series as well. I can feel the land of both our homes and I can feel the sky as we cut through it all to try to be together and perhaps find a place called home. I hope to have more new work to share with you next week.
Until then, please enjoy our new paintings and keep fighting! The world needs your art!
Happy Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day or just regular old Friday! Here I am with my weekly installment of what is going on in my art world. Let's see...
Last week fellow artist Jennifer Libby Fay and I drove down to Hot Springs to deliver my exhibition, A Certain Trajectory to the Blue Moon Gallery. My exhibition will open on December 2nd on First Friday gallery walk from 5-9pm. I hope all my friends and supporters from Hot Springs and Little Rock will pop in and say hello. It has been a long time since I have been at the gallery for a First Friday and I am looking forward to it.
Here is the press blurb for my upcoming exhibition:
Megan Chapman will be returning after three years for a solo exhibition at the
Blue Moon Gallery in December. A Certain
Trajectory contains paintings from two of her most recent bodies of
work. Previously, Chapman was known for her richly-colored mixed media
paintings. However, in these pieces she began the transition into more
minimalist work, featuring a near monochromatic palette comprised of various
tones of dark charcoal, translucent shades of blue, yellow, rust, and the
occasional flash of green. Several pieces in this exhibition contain the
artist's own words typed on paper torn from old books and give the viewer the
sense of reading pages out of a diary or letters to a distant lover.
In other news, the day before my exhibition, on December 1st it will be our last First Thursday as the Fayetteville Underground and at the location that has been our home for over two and a half years. I am sure it will be a bittersweet evening; I don't think I have really made sense of it all yet. All I know is that the artists will be having lots of special deals and a great selection of works for every budget and taste. Many of our visiting artists will return to show their work one last time in the Revolver gallery and the Hive Annex (the studio behind the Hive gallery). This is a great time to take advantage of great deals and score the perfect piece. All of my remaining color works will be on half price sale as I try to liquidate my older inventory to make room for new ideas and to raise money for my future travels.
For more information about our new organization please keep visiting www.morphtheorg.com and learn ways you can help, as we try to find a permanent home and come back better than ever in January as the Fayetteville Art Alliance.
I have been busy this last week as well, restocking my etsy shop with fresh new affordable works. It is always fun to restock the etsy shop and get to know the other talented etsy sellers. I have been very fortunate as my new works have been selected for many lovely treasuries and I have been asked to be a part of two impressive etsy teams. If you are looking for small, affordable, one of a kind works of art, then please visit my shop. These piece are fresh and elegant and will pop into any 5x7" frame making presentation a snap! I am currently offering free shipping and I will happily ship to anywhere in the world!
I think that is about all I have for you this week. I know that some bigger ideas are brewing, it is just a matter of time... Until then keep fighting!
A sneak peak of my upcoming exhibition, A Certain Trajectory
December 2011 Blue Moon Gallery Hot Springs Arkansas.
Dear Lovely Readers,
As some of you may have noticed, I skipped a week. I am not pleased about this but that is how it has to be sometimes. Life got in the way and I was happy to let it. I hope you all have been well in your art worlds and lives. Today, I just wanted to remind myself of some things and share some positive aspects of being an artist. I am grateful and here are some of the reasons why.
1. I have been showing my art in galleries since 1995. In those sixteen years I have been in over twenty featured and solo exhibitions and in over thirty group shows.
2. My work has been allowed to grow and change over these years because I have had good mentors in my life as well as friends, fellow artists and people around me who have supported, influenced and inspired me and encouraged my growth.
3. My art has put me in contact with lovely and diverse people all over the country and the world. My understanding of the world has been broadened because of art.
4. I am able to support myself doing what I know I am on the planet to do. I am able to express my inner most dreams, fears, secrets as well as passions and share them and give an image to feelings many viewers might not be able to express.
I am grateful for a lot more than this, but this seems like a good start.
In other news, I have been thinking about a new series of works. I am quite excited about the concepts, and truly I am just excited to be thinking of art again. I have been so caught up in the logistics of art and arts organizations that my work and that part of my brain have taken a back seat.
Soon the work will pour out of me again and I can't wait to share it with you. Thank you for being a part of it all.
What a week! My exhibition, Sometimes I love you and other stories came down last Saturday. Then rather than feeling too sad about it, I quickly changed gears and helped artist Stewart Bremner fix up his new studio space at the Underground. It was quite amazing to see all the work he has managed to do while he has been visiting. You can read more about that at his blog- he has lots of exciting news to share as well!
Then there was a whirl wind trip down to Hot Springs, Arkansas (ranked number 4 small arts community in America) just to get away, look at some art, and check in with the Blue Moon Gallery. I have been represented by the Blue Moon since 2004. They were one the first larger commercial galleries that accepted my work and for that I will always be grateful. Sadly, I have been so busy at the Fayetteville Underground that I haven't gone down there as often as I should. It was lovely to see everyone and I was thrilled when they offered me a solo exhibition in December! That is right around the corner! I look forward to sharing some of my Falling into sound works with them and perhaps a few new pieces... we will see!
In other exhibition news, I was also offered an exhibition at the Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Arkansas. This exhibition will be a two months in March and April. So I have things to do and soon!
I still don't know what I am supposed to paint next, and I probably won't know for a while. I am trying not to let that bother me and just focus on submitting my work to galleries across the country and work on getting more exhibitions scheduled. I am also quite busy with the Underground., as many of my readers know we have to find a new home soon, as we must be out by Janurary 15th. I will miss my studio and our beautiful galleries. I have learned so much and worked with so many talented people at the Underground. It really is a thrill and it is so exciting to see all the opportunities that have opened up for all the artists who have worked here over the years.
I think that is all I have for you this week, until next week keep fighting!
I can't wait until things really get cooking again in the studio, it will make this blog writing so much easier and more fun. I am waiting to start a large commission, and as soon as I get the canvas my world will be taken up with the exciting challenge of painting a 5.5x 7 foot painting. I really can't wait to get started and work on such a grand scale. That process will be documented here to some degree. In another week or so I plan to look back and do a year end review of 2010. It has been an amazing year for me personally and professionally. I think perhaps one of my best. I look forward to examining it and sharing it with you all. I have a lot of things going on currently and as you know I am frustrated I am not painting regularly at this time, but I know this is just a phase and I will rise above it soon enough. Who knows what my art brain has in store for us all.
Now, just in case the locals of Northwest Arkansas don't know where to find my work (and the work of many talented others) for your holiday gift giving or just for yourself.... We now go to a public service announcement courtesy of KUAF our NPR station.
In Hot Springs, Arkansas you can find my paintings at the Blue Moon Gallery, and some of them are specially priced for the season as well. Click on the image below for more information.
You can also find two pieces of mine at the first annual Snow Flake Invitational exhibition at 110 Church gallery and at Art @t Bridge Club of Center City in Philadelphia. I am very pleased to have been asked to participate, and have two paintings from the white series currently on display, one at each gallery. This is a cash and carry show, and 100% of the sale price of the work goes to the artists. To learn more click on the image below.
I hope you enjoy browsing the links, and if you are in Northwest Arkansas, Hot Springs, or the Philadelphia area, please check out my work in person.
Next week, the year in review...
********* For your listening pleasure : Please check out this video directed by my friend and fellow artist Thomas Petillo. This is a song off Hammock's newest E.P. The Longest Year.
I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas, and that 2009 is winding down nicely for you. I wish you well for 2010 as we enter a new decade.. Really already?
This post is mostly for me, as it helps me see what I have accomplished because I can't stand back or get enough space to see what all is happening. Plus to be honest in real life I am pretty horrible at not giving myself credit, always focusing on what I didn't do or what I could have done better. This is the proof I need to silence those voices. I encourage you to write up your own year in review- I bet you will be amazed at what all you have done in the past 12 months, or you will see where you want to make changes in the new year.
I started off the year completing twenty new paintings for my exhibition, Fire and Noise, that opened in Little Rock, Arkansas at the River Market ArtSpace. I enjoyed the color red as it made a strong showing in this body of work as well as being inspired by the Nick Cave song,"Do you love me." I had not worked with one song as a thematic device for a collection of paintings and enjoyed the experience, although I think it strayed a bit from the initial concept. I am happy to report that seven of the twenty paintings sold from this body of work.
After weathering a massive ice storm, and once the power came back on, I was strongly encouraged by a dear friend to join Blipfoto in February. I did as I was told and haven't been the same since. I am now obsessed with taking at least one photo a day and have really enjoyed getting to know several of the other blippers on the site. Three of my blips have now been used commercially, 2 in the inside of a CD package, and one will be a future book cover. Not to mention that many of my blips have been used in a recent project of my own, but I am trying to be chronological, so we have to wait for that.
My next show "Selective Evidence" opened soon after in March at theddp gallery in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This was a fun exhibition as the gallery owner, Dede Peters requested that my studio be recreated in the gallery. At first I wasn't sure about this idea, but people seemed to really enjoy it. They loved seeing my paint encrusted easel as well as the fifteen paintings never before shown in the region. I sold 8 paintings in 2.5 weeks ( it was short show) with several pieces being bought while still wet, fresh off the easel.
In April, my work became available in Austin, Texas. I shipped 5 paintings to a lovely boutique called Wear Art Thou. Sadly, these paintings did not fly off the shelves, but I was happy to have my work out of state on exhibition. One of my blog readers even made a special trip to the shop to view the work and took a photograph of the work on display. You can see her post about it here.
At the end of April I excitedly moved into my new studio space outside my home!!! I signed the lease on a studio in the Fayetteville Underground. This has been an amazing experience, learning how to balance painting with managerial skills, not to mention just working around other artists and having my studio open to the public once a month on First Thursday. I am proud of all the work I have done with the Fayetteville Underground organization, and pleased we were voted best commercial gallery in our local Citiscapes magazine. We work hard and play hard at the Fayetteville Underground, and the artists and the studios make it a special place. I am excited about our upcoming 2010 schedule of exhibitions and of course continuing to work in my studio.
In late May I took a road trip to Atlanta to see my niece graduate from High School but I also made time to see some great art in the galleries and museums. I was blown away by the George Long exhibition I saw at the Marcia Wood gallery. This body of work and trip to Atlanta was very inspirational and influenced my flashes of memory/secret blocks that would come later.
This same month I had several paintings in a group show at the ddp gallery called Now and Again.
In June, it was off on another road trip this time to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Kansas City. The show was amazing, but also quality art viewing was squeezed in yet again, going to the museums and galleries and being inspired. Seeing good art and hearing good music inspires me more than anything, so I am proud that I was able to fit that into 2009.
In July, I gave an artist talk to the Artists of Northwest Arkansas group about my art and process- which was my first paid speaking gig. I remember being excited and nervous, and so proud of myself for this talk, and thinking I want to do more public speaking. I also remember I had a horrible barking cough during this talk and was sucking on cough drops the whole time.
During that same week, I received a shocking email that River Market ArtSpace in Little Rock was closing its doors after eleven years of business. I remember being so excited about this venue for my work. It was a very popular gallery in the State of Arkansas in a wonderful bustling downtown area. My exhibition Fire and Noise found it's home in this gallery as did so many of my other paintings. I enjoyed showing and selling my work in this grand space for the year and half that I did. So, another gallery closed- three galleries that represented my work were lost to closure since the recession started.
During all of this I was busy painting these new works in my new studio and developing my concept of the 100 flashes of memory or what is currently known as secret blocks.
August was a blur, working at The Underground on policies and procedures, maintaining The Underground blog, painting, photography and secret block experiments. I was also painting small works on paper and restocking my etsy shop, ArtMavenseveral times; always thrilled with the sales there. I really believe in the power of original art and believe that everyone should be able to afford it.
In September, I lead an intuitive drawing workshop in an upper level Architecture course at the University. It was a 3 hour course, and I had never offered a workshop of that nature and was honored to be asked by my friend and fellow artist Laura Terry who is an associate professor of Architecture at the University of Arkansas. It was a very interesting experience. It really left me feeling inspired and again wishing I did more public speaking or workshops.
This photograph I took of artist Maggie Ivy sums up September for me as well. Again, I keep exploring photography. It helps when you have an expert painting by Wyeth for inspiration as well as a stellar friend and model such as Maggie.
October and November was another blur, with first Thursday open studio events at The Underground, painting, photography. Also painting charity pieces for the Blue Moon Gallery'sCASA benefit, and DDP gallery's Project Feed Local. Also working hard on the secret blocks.
During this time, a very cool project was born! I painted a small work on paper and mailed it to UK painter and friend, Steven Heaton where he then documents it and will paint over it and return the painting to me. When I receive it, I will document what he has done and paint over it again only to return it. We will do this several times, and show the painting in our respective studios as well as document it on a special blog as this one painting morphs and changes; getting battered and tattered on its repeat transatlantic journey. Something to look forward to in 2010.
At the beginning of December I received word that four of my paintings had been selected by the Aaron Gallery in Washington D.C. to be a part of their 20th annual small and miniature exhibition. I was beyond happy to ship off some of my new paintings for this special exhibition.
Also, I was thrilled to debut 13 of my secret blocks at the DDP gallery's small works show the same month. I also made a video of that installation that I was quite proud of, so here it is again. This marked the first time I had exhibited my photographs rather than paintings in a gallery setting. I was quite nervous, but people seemed to respond to them well and enjoyed the tactile quality as well as the secret aspect of them.
So that is it, that is my year in review.. I am exhausted, and if you actually read all of that, I bet you are too!
And of course I wasted time on the Internet like the rest of the world, ate too much crap food, didn't exercise enough, and probably drank a little too much as well. I didn't read as much as I would like, and should have called my family and friends more often and I had my share of personal problems. Why am I writing this part? I am writing this, because when I first read blogs, I thought everyone was just so amazing- that their lives were super human and I envied that. My life is out of balance many days of the year, there are days I just sit and do nothing and get depressed, but then there are the days where I can accomplish a weeks worth of business in a couple of hours.
All I know is this, I am an artist and most days I am glad to be alive. I feel fortunate to have the friends, family, and support that I have in my life. I am fortunate that sometimes people buy my art and I am grateful for that, because without their financial support I can't live. I know that I am inspired by so much that I see, hear, read and receive from people just like you. Thank you for 2009..
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have updated my Etsy shop, ArtMaven with fifteen new small works on paper. Currently through Sunday there are no shipping charges to anywhere in the world. I enjoy creating these small works because they keep me moving in between larger bodies of work and projects. Also, I really believe in the value of living with original art, and with my small works on paper, almost anyone can afford them. It is a fun way to build a collection. These works are one of a kind, original paintings on 140lb Arches paper. Once matted and framed they make a lovely addition to any collection, and at $25-40 they are a steal..If you have any questions about these small works on paper please let me know in the comments. Enjoy. They are on bright white paper, and many times the photographs do not do them justice.
I also hope you will enjoy this video I made of my secret blocks currently on display the month of December only at the ddp gallery. All of these shown in the video are $150.00. Three of the smaller wall mounted blocks have sold currently. Each block has it's own secret either on the back if they are wall mounted or on its base if they are the larger sculptural blocks.
And last but not least, again if you are in the Washington D.C. area please visit the Aaron Gallery and see the 4 small works of mine that are a part of their small and miniature exhibition the month of December. These works of mine range in price from $275-$375
So those are my special December offerings. Thanks so much for checking out my blog and my art and for your support and encouragement. For more information about my paintings and the galleries that represent me, please visit my website.
I hope all my readers had a wonderful holiday yesterday with friends and family. Perhaps you had a few minutes to yourself to just be still with a good song, a dream, a book, anything that makes you happy and that you were all safe and warm.
Time marches on, and this year seemed to go at warp speed. I know we still have some time and I am jumping the gun a bit. I just feel the need to see where I have been before I move into the next year. This may make for boring reading for you, but I hope it will encourage you to really think about all the things you have done with your art/life this past year. I don't care if you are only a part time or sporadic artist, or a seasoned professional. Last year in my post Bravery and the Art of being an Artist , I challenged my readers to set some goals and really go for it in 2008. I know that many of you have really been working hard this year and you deserve to give yourself credit for all your efforts. Sometimes it is easy to disregard your accomplishments unless you write them down. Feel free to post them in the comments or keep them to yourself. I try to keep up with many of you, and I must say how impressed and inspired I have been with your amazing paintings, your promotions, and your shows over this past year.
My 2008...
We will start with some of the negatives...
I dealt with a major rejection last January after my work had been sought out and was considered for reproduction by one of my favorite stores, an international company based in Sweden(you know the one). Going through that long process was a thrill and filled me with hope, confidence, and excitement but also drained me. It looked like it was a "go" right until the end and then it just wasn't. I posted about it vaguely in my blog and said I was going to give myself half a day and some soy ice cream to be really miserable and then just get over it. Ha! If you noticed less "rah rah- you can do it", and more "what is this all about?" in my blog posts this year, I suspect this had something to do with it. It took more than a half day to get over it to say the least. All in all, it was an honor to be considered and I did learn a lot about the process and also how I feel about the business of reproductions.
Last year, I said I was going to enter a particular juried publication, even though I always get rejected, well I entered and I got rejected again! I will probably enter it again this year as well; sometimes we just have to do these things.
Also, two of the galleries that represented my work unfortunately closed this year due to the economy among other things. I was sad that they closed, but like they say "one door closes, another one opens." Thanks for the memories, Gallery Fraga and Remy Fine Art. It was a pleasure to work with you both.
Alright, enough of that.. lets get to the fun stuff.
I didn't get in the one publication but I did get in another. Studio Visitaccepted my work, and the reproductions of two of my paintings in that journal were stunning. I was very pleased to be a part of the first issue of that publication. I also received a very nice letter from a stranger who had come across my work in Studio Visit and they shared how my work had moved them and that meant a lot to me. Also because of the Studio Visit publication, I was approached by a company that specializes in reproductions for the hotel and hospitality industry, and was offered a contract to have my work reproduced. This was again a thrill to be sought out, but in the end the contract didn't meet my needs and I passed on the opportunity. I learned a tremendous amount about the reproduction/art licensing industry in 2008, and I am grateful for that knowledge and I hope I will be able to use it in the future. I am now getting pretty good at processing these types of contracts from these experiences. I am also getting pretty good at listening to my gut and making sure I don't jump on every "opportunity" that comes my way.
Another of my goals for 2008 was to submit my work to at least two new galleries for consideration, and I am pleased to report I did fulfill this goal. I submitted my work to two galleries in Atlanta, Georgia, one gallery in Kansas City, Missouri and one gallery in Portland, Oregon.We will see what happens. At the present time, none of these galleries showed me much, if any interest, and I did get one firm rejection but I am putting myself out there and that is part of the game, you can't win them all. One day soon, there will be an opening for my work in these larger markets.
Another positive in 2008 was my newly revamped website, created and updated by myself using iweb on my imac. I am so happy to have a website that is easily updated, that I can managed quickly and easily by myself. I am very proud of myself for taking care of this part of my business.
I had a successful exhibition at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs in June and July, Evidence of the Disappearance. This show taught me so much about myself, my art, and my need to share the experience with other creative people. I felt that I had been working in a vacuum before this exhibition and it was such a wonderful experience to bounce ideas off fellow artists and receive invaluable feedback and inspiration. I picked up a lot of blog readers during this process as I promoted my work in progress through as many online outlets as possible. I blogged and MySpaced about it, I made youtube videos, I vlogged, pod casted, created an exhibition catalog with blurb.com, and a beautiful postcard. I explored all means available to me in promoting this show. I was very proud of the paintings that were created, and my use of technology to promote and share these paintings. I will always look back on Evidence of the Disappearance as a success and an important time in my life.
I also tried to diversify and offer other services as the economy took a down turn. I offered portfolio reviews for the first time ever, and really enjoyed the opportunity to look through other artist's work and give them feedback or answer their specific questions at an affordable rate. I am still available for this service.For a $25 suggested donation through my paypal button on my blog, I will look at up to 20 images of your work and give you detailed written feedback, note themes or problems or answer your specific questions regarding your work. Artists who have used this service in the past have found it helpful. Contact me for more details.
I also started my own shop at etsy.com called ArtMaventhis past September. I have been thrilled with the response to my Etsy shop, and happy to be able to offer people my affordable, one of a kind original small works on paper.I have sold fifty five small works to people all over the country and world since opening my shop. Every time a small piece sells for $25 or $40 it is a thrill and keeps me excited and hopeful while waiting for my larger paintings in the galleries to sell. The galleries that represent my work sold quite a few larger paintings this year as well, and I enjoyed working on several commissions through the galleries as well.
And now as 2008 wraps up I am busy finishing up my next exhibition, Fire and Noise which will open Friday Feburary 13th at the River Market ArtSpace in Little Rock Arkansas. I look forward to seeing this body of work to completion and sharing these works with you all as well as the public that will come to see them.
These are just some of the highlights of 2008, a bit of a mixed bag. A lot of learning, a lot of communicating and making connections, a lot of wonderful and new friendships forged. A lot of 3am wake up calls and many many many paintings of iron oxide, blue, textured atmosphere, lines and shapes. Many great songs played full blast over my headphones while jumping up and down in front of my easel. I want more of all of that in 2009.
I have many more coals in the fire as well, I am currently looking at getting a studio space outside my home and talking to an out of state gallery about a possible show in the Spring. I have some goals planned for the new year as well. I want to take more risks with my work. I want follow up with the galleries I submitted to earlier this year as well as submitting to more galleries this next year. I want to travel more and get out to see more great art in museums and galleries. I also want to keep painting small works and restocking my etsy shop regularly. I want to enter more juried exhibitions like I used to do before I was represented by galleries. These are just a few ideas...
How was your 2008 and what do you have planned for 2009 ?
I wish you the freedom to know your talents and strengths and to be more kind to yourself this year than you were last year. We are all going to get rejected, have slow months, question our work, question ourselves, but just know we are in this together. In the new year when you are painting and it is clicking, when you suddenly feel free and like everything is possible; hold on to that moment. They come and go so fast but those moments are why we do this work. Those flashes keep calling us back to this madness, this amazing life as an artist.
May 2009 be filled with these flashes for us all...
At a loss for words (I wanna be adored) Mixed media on Canvas 30x30" copyright 2008 Megan Chapman Fire and Noise series
For those of you celebrating the holiday today, I hope you have a happy and safe fourth of July.
For those of you in and around Arkansas, I will be at the Blue Moon Gallery tonight, Friday July 4th from 5-9pm for first Friday gallery walk, as my exhibition is still featured. I would love to see you there.
Thank all of you for reading and watching, and for sharing the next nine minutes of your life with me...
Congratulations to Ginna Funk Wallace! She is this month's winner of the small painting give away! Thank you to all my regulars for commenting. The odds were great this time around, sorry you all can't win one.
I would like to take this time to mention my latest offering. With the help of the online publishing website, blurb.com, I have just published an exhibition catalog for my current showEvidence of the Disappearance.The 8x10" soft cover, landscape oriented catalog is thirty eight pages, with all thirty of my paintings from the exhibition reproduced in full color.
You can preview the first fifteen pages of the book online, by clicking on the "badge" posted here on my blog or visiting this link http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/275573
If you have enjoyed being a part of the process and reading about my exhibition, then this catalog would be the perfect souvenir. I will receive 5 dollars for each book sold, and those funds will help me to continue my work and encourage me greatly.
I wanted to present Evidence of the Disappearance in a permanent and cohesive way. I also wanted to create a catalog as a souvenir for those who saw the work in person as well as for those of you who may never have the chance and I wanted to provide this at an affordable price.
The book is available for sale in Dollars, Pounds, and Euros, and is priced at $24.95 before shipping. There are online coupons codes for reduced shipping rates that will work in the United States and perhaps elsewhere (click on this link and then istockphoto2008 for $7.00 off) this will open the site. You will then click on "bookstore" and then type my name and the discount will be automatically be applied at checkout. Thank you to those who may have already purchased my book, and to those who will in the future. I do appreciate your support, please tell your friends about my publication, or consider putting a badge or link advertising it on your blog or website.
One more news item before we get to work. There is a new project I am involved with in the blogosphere, that I would love for you to visit and bookmark. You Have Us Now, is an artist curated online gallery maintained by Megan Chapman, (that's me!) an artist living in the United States andSteven Heaton an artist living in the United Kingdom. Together we bring you exhibitions of artists from all over the world that we think you should you know. Our tastes may be a bit different, but our commitment to art and to what we like is the same. Our current exhibition is entitled, Two American Men and Woman from Berlin, and features the work of vrno, Mark Traughber, and Isabel Reitmeyer. This exhibition will be up through July. Enjoy!
The Artist Statement:
This topic usually sends artists running for the hills, it seems almost gauche to talk about ourselves, our inner workings, and our work. It really seems absurd to talk about ourselves in the third person (and you really don't have to). Many artists feel that words just get in the way, and that their paintings should speak for themselves. Some artists may even feel that the statement is just pretentious fluff to help shed light on the process unable to be understood by the inexperienced or bourgeois art patron.
To those artists saying all of that, I say get over yourselves. It is not that I don't understand all those feelings I do, but if we are really going to make a go of this we need to learn how to move forward.
Know that your statement is always going to be a work in progress, it is always going to change, there may be periods of time that your statement will be static, but eventually your work will change slightly and your statement won't ring as true and you will know it is time for an edit or a rewrite. So, even if you have a statement currently, look at it with fresh eyes and see if it is still relevant to the work you are producing now. I think many artists cling to their old statements, because they were an arduous task and they just don't want to go through that process again.
When I approach my statement or rewrite I like to brainstorm for a while first. I may sit in my studio with all my work around me, and just look at it, and see and feel what the work conjures up. Then, I may write down words that come to mind when I look at the work- things that stand out. Color, texture, shapes, balance, and concepts. It is important to let go and really just get the words out on paper, you don't have to use them, this is just an exercise.
I am sure you have read artist's statements that are pretentious, reaching, grandiose, stuffed with artsy jargon, yet they mean nothing, and only serve to confuse the viewer more. Your art may be complex but your statement should be as straight forward and with as little artistic jargon as possible. You are trying to bridge a gap, not create a larger one between your work and the viewer. Think of your statement as a short paragraph to help spell out your process and guide the viewer into your work. This is like leaving a bread crumb trail in the forest, you want to lead them in, to explore your art but you also want them to find their way back out again. Make your statement clear, simple and easy to follow. Don't write statements to create further mystique in your work, create them to help clarify.
Use positive action words in your statement. Eliminate words like: try, attempt, hope, strive, etc. You are doing, not trying, you have accomplished this, you are not attempting, and you are not hoping that your attempt to capture whatever was successful. It is successful. This is going to be stretch for some of you, because it seems egotistical, and you are attempting, trying, hoping in your mind. I get that. Keep the statement positive and avoid the passive voice.
Here are some examples of my statements from over the years, some are more passive and fluffy than I would write today, but you can see an evolution, a tightening, a clarification.
2002 "My paintings are an attempt to catch the flashes of buried insight: a haunting memory, a sound, a stillness from within. I approach my painting as a journey. I let the painting pull me along, as if I am following an internal equation. As I look for the solution, I maintain balance within the work. Using a subtle palette, of rusty orange, yellow ochre, pale greens and peaches, as well as rich black dusty charcoal, I strive to let the shapes converse with each other and the viewer. Using a host of almost familiar organic shapes, layers of texture, and faint colors, I create a primitive dream, and the paintings take on an otherworldly quality. I use materials together in a non-traditional manner to create a new world on canvas."
A couple of years later when I was going through a more abstract landscape period of work, this was my statement.
2004 "When I paint, mysteries unfold before me on the canvas. I feel a meditative, yet powerful, connection to the work-a sense of wholeness. These paintings are a series of strange vignettes- little timeless stories, abstractions that touch the sky, the earth, and the mysterious happenings in between. Abstractions turn into something recognized: a sense of place, the expansive sky and horizon. A place to feel the wind or wander through the darkness. The land simply emerges."
Again a couple of year's later upon my return to "pure abstract" painting, my statement became a close version of what is today.
2006 “I love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I have been exploring different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. They reflect my love of mark making and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal or the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere.”
And my current statement very slightly altered, as my body of work and voice have solidified.
2008 "My work is about my love of color, and the subtle changes that occur when colors overlap, react, and create something new. I also love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I enjoy exploring space and balance in my work, as well as different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes or design elements are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. These shapes reflect my love of mark making and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal of the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring all of these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere."
There are many resources available either at your library, or online to help you craft a good working artist's statement. If you read a statement by another artist that resonates with you, use it as a template of sorts, but again be careful not to mimic their statement too closely. Remember this is about your work. Good luck! If you have further questions about this topic, lets hash it out in the comments section!
Evidence of the Disappearance New paintings by Megan Chapman Blue Moon Gallery 718 Central Ave. Hot Springs, Arkansas June-July 2008 Join me for first Friday gallery walk! July 4th 5-9pm www.bluemoonartgallery.com www.meganchapman.com We Carry On 30x40" Mixed Media on Canvas 2008 Megan Chapman Evidence of the Disappearance Blue Moon Gallery $1,200
The week has passed quickly after the successful opening of Evidence of the Disappearance at the Blue Moon Gallery. Thanks to all who attended. I hope you enjoyed the show, it was wonderful to meet and talk with everyone. Thanks to all my readers who got caught up in the excitement, no matter where you might have been. Glad you all enjoyed my first vlog last week as well!
Six pieces have sold so far, so I am very pleased with the response the exhibition has received. The exhibition will be up for another seven weeks (until the end of July), so I hope as many people as possible will be able to see the work. If you have seen a piece that you might be interested in, don't hesitate to contact the gallery! I will also be present at the July 4th gallery walk from 5-9pm. Hot Springs, Arkansas has such a vibrant arts community and is always an inspiring place to visit. If I missed you at gallery walk this month, I hope to see you in July!
Today, I want to share some of the images from my opening, so you can get a sense of how the show was hung and the gallery space itself. I also included a few pictures from early in the night, as people first started to arrive. It was a fun night! I am really pleased to be represented by such a wonderful gallery. Mother and daughter team/owners Pat and Dishongh Scavo are incredible. Major thanks goes out to them, and their behind scenes team/spouses Phil Scavo and Steve Lawnick.
Enjoy the slide show and as always thanks for your support.
For my lovely blog readers I am thrilled to present... Evidence of the Disappearance.
I have updated my website with my new work and created two new pod casts about the exhibition on there as well.
I hope those of you in and around Arkansas will plan to attend the opening reception on Friday, June 6 from 5-9pm at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs. I would love to see and meet you there next Friday!
Thank you again for all your encouragement, love, and support. I couldn't do what I do without you all on my team. You lift me up and inspire me on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy my new work!
The press release follows:
Painter, Megan Chapman featured at Blue Moon Gallery, Hot SpringsArkansas.
Evidence of the Disappearance an exhibit of abstract, oil and mixed media paintings by Fayetteville artist, Megan Chapman will be featured for two months beginning June 6 – July at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot SpringsArkansas. The gallery is located at 718 Central Avenue in the downtown Historic Arts District.The opening reception will be held June 6th from 5-9pm, during first Friday gallery walk. The artist will be present. The exhibition includes thirty new paintings never before exhibited.
Chapman's work has been featured in solo exhibitions at Remy Fine Art in Ft.Smith, the DDP gallery in Fayetteville, Julie Wait Designs in Rogers, Mullins Library, at the University of Arkansas, and at Gallery Fraga in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Chapman's work was recently on display in the ArkansasWorldTradeCenter in Rogers, Arkansas.
Chapman's mixed media abstracts have been well received, and can been seen in the Fayetteville Shogun Sky bar's permanent collection, as well as other corporate collections. Most recently two of Chapman's paintings were published in Studio Visit, a national juried exhibition in print.
Megan Chapman was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She received her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Oregon. Chapman has shown her paintings over the past ten years in Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington; her paintings have appeared in various publications, and are in private and corporate collections around the country.
About the concept behind the title and the exhibition, Chapman says...When I paint I listen to music on my headphones, and the music is always a constant source of inspiration and helps me to dive into the work and away from this world; the paintings that result are the only "evidence" of this time spent "away."
My work is always about my love of color, the subtle changes that occur when colors overlap, react, and create something new. I also love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I have been exploring different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. These shapes reflect my love of design as well as "mark making" and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal or the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere.
Please join us to welcome Megan Chapman at her opening reception of Evidence of the Disappearance June 6, from 5-9 PM at Blue Moon Gallery. The exhibition will continue through July. For further information please call the Blue Moon Gallery at 501.318.2787 or visit the website at www.bluemoonartgallery.com
The winner of last week's small paper painting give away is the talented author Suzi Parker! Congratulations Suzi! Please contact me so I can mail the painting (shown above) to you. Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful comments! It is so nice to have readers, I remember when I had very few, and rarely any comments. Knowing that you are out there reading this means a great deal to me, and is very encouraging. Thank you all. Please tell your friends about my blog and about my paintings!
Today, I want to switch gears. Last night, I was visiting with a friend who is not an artist, so I took the opportunity to pick his brain about growing up with or without art, buying or not buying art; and what art can bring to a person's life, as well as the misconceptions that hang over the art world.
I asked my friend if he had grown up with art (original or prints) around his house. It turned out he had not; on the walls were mostly family photographs. However, he did remember a few limited edition prints by a well known regional artist that were in his house. He also remembered that his family had actually persuaded other members of his extended family into buying the same regional artist's prints as well. I then asked him if he had art around his current home. Not surprisingly, he did not, but he did have that same regional artist's prints in his closet propped up against the wall! When I asked why he did not have any other original art, he said, he simply did not trust himself, and wouldn't know what was "good" or what he "should" like. I am over simplifying our conversation, and this idea of not trusting oneself isn't completely new to me. I know some people feel they need to be told what is good. My friend was quick to point out the role of the interior decorator (telling people what to like and putting it together for them in the "right" way.) My friend enjoys art and he values it, but he just doesn't think to buy it, and he is not alone. There are many people out there who enjoy art, but just don't feel the need to purchase or simply don't trust themselves to take the plunge.
Living with art is so ingrained within me, that I forget about "trust." For me, wanting and buying art is a natural and intuitive process. I explained to him that I have never lived without it.There were always prints of Picasso, Cezanne, Modigliani, La Tour, Ben Shahn, Klee, and O’Keeffe, along with a good smattering of original art from friends and others in my family home. When I moved out, every apartment of mine had sketches from friends, art oddities, my own paintings, as well as prints. Today, I am the proud owner of many original works by local and national artists. It is a part of my life and in my life; it is a necessity. You are likely to see me wearing the same "good" pair of shoes I have been wearing for the last 5 years, but I will have bought many small affordable pieces of art since. The longer I am a part of this profession, the more I feel the need to support my fellow artists in this way.
I just received a new piece of art in the mail this week, and it is always so exciting and so rewarding! Another connection is made, another artist is encouraged, and my home becomes a reflection of the inner worlds and dreams of another, that then meet with my own visions to create the most personal and unique atmosphere.
I guess today's message is trust yourself to know what you like, and don't wait for someone to tell you when something is good. Don't be afraid to mess up, there are many affordable pieces of art in the world to purchase and to help build your confidence level. For the price of a nice dinner out and drinks, a nice outfit, a trip to the salon, or a new ipod, you could have something special and one of a kind; all the while doing something for the artist that is priceless, encouraging them to continue on the path.
Art is not food, shelter, or a full tank of gas; it is not required to live. Art is not really about having the right taste or style or about value or investment. Art is about a connection, and isn't that what we are all searching for?
Only two weeks away!!
Evidence of the Disappearance Blue Moon Gallery 718 Central Ave. Hot Springs, Arkansas June and July 2008 Opening Reception: Friday June 6 from 5-9pm, during first Friday gallery walk.
Threads Megan Chapman Mixed Media on Canvas 30x40" 2008
She calls at 3a.m. like clock work for a couple of weeks out of each month. She is the breeze through my window that kisses me awake. She is the lone bird that sings in the dark, and she is the street light that filters through the leaves and onto the side of my house. She is the blue purple sky with dark tree silhouettes. She stirs my heart, and then grabs me by the neck and pushes me up the stairs to the studio. She chooses the music as she clears the path for me, and if she is willing, she allows me to remember my last dream before she called.
Once in the studio, she starts to fade away and sits guard in the corner to watch the show unfold. The blank canvases, stark white stand before me, I glide my hands down the surface, and I breathe in their size and tooth. I must cover them up; and any color will do, but gold is preferred these days. I breathe a sigh of relief. Blotter paper comes out and is pressed to the canvases, picking up paint and revealing texture. This must dry before the layers of oil can be applied, blotted again, and wiped away. Slowly building up the textures and color overlays that create the depth and atmosphere that I hunt for. I go within this process and disappear.
I dive within the diptych before me; again I lay the gold, then a swath of my blue, jagged across the canvases like a horizon line. The diamond shapes arrive stacked on top of each other oddly like a totem. Yellow ochre comes a long, then some white, and then more diamonds. A rich earthy brown comes on the scene. I add some charcoal dust, and the spray bottle does its work and papers are applied to blot the excess and the painting starts to become something interesting. I vow to set it aside until tomorrow...
She calls at 3a.m. like clock work for a couple of weeks out of each month. She is the breeze through my window that kisses me awake. She is the lone bird that sings in the dark, and she is the street light that filters through the leaves and onto the side of my house. She is the blue purple sky with dark tree silhouettes. She stirs my heart, and then grabs me by the neck and pushes me up the stairs to the studio. She chooses the music as she clears the path for me, and if she is willing, she allows me to remember my last dream before she called.
Finding myself back in the studio, the rich earthy brown is taken over by an olive green. The diamond shapes are blanketed with transparent orange oxide, and the spray bottle comes along again and then more blotter paper. The diamonds remain but they are softer now, and the orange film on top suits them. This same oxide takes over the gold on the two top sections, and creates a type of nuclear sky. Hours pass as I work the painting, and again I must set it aside until tomorrow. She gets up from her corner post and whispers in my ear, "see you in the morning, you are almost there...."
Pictured Above: Stamina and Refrain Megan Chapman 40x 60" diptych mixed media on canvas 2008
Evidence of the Disappearance June-July 2008 Opening Reception Friday June 6 from 5-9pm Blue Moon Gallery 718 Central Ave. Hot Springs, Arkansas
It is time once again for the paper painting/print give away! This month I will be giving away a small paper paintingto one lucky reader that leaves a comment on today's blog. I will mail to anywhere in the world. I will randomly draw a number to correspond with the comments in the order they are received. Leave your comment between now and Tuesday at midnight. I'll post the winners name in my blog next Friday; please be sure to check back, so that I can contact you. I really appreciate everyone who reads and comments on my studio blog. Please don't be shy, and if you want to comment but don't want to be included in the drawing (previous winners etc.) just say so. GOOD LUCK!
First, a quick status report on Evidence of the Disappearance. My studio is very empty now. The acoustics in my space are so different as the majority of the paintings were delivered to Hot Springs last weekend. Currently, I only have the two large diptychs, and two large horizontal paintings left in my space. I have been finishing up the last two paintings this week, and I am pleased with the way things are wrapping up. This next week I will be working on photographing the last of these works, finishing up with the titles, and working on publicity, and postcards. Not to mention a website and a MySpace overhaul right before the show. I do hope folks in and around Arkansas will try to attend my exhibition, the opening reception will be Friday June 6th from 5-9pm at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Evidence of the Disappearance will be on display June through July. I am so proud of this body of work and can't wait to share it with you all, either in person or online.
With that said, I want to share some of the things I have been experiencing lately that push me forward and inspire me, or even just make me laugh. Things might get a little random here this week, but there are a lot of amazing things out there, and I hope these selections will inspire you too.
First of all YOU inspire me, yep you. If you share your ideas with me, or the things that inspire you, if you make me laugh, if you give me your time, if you are fighting to discover the answers in this life, or even if you are struggling, you are inspiring me. If you have shown me your human side, or your vulnerabilities; then you have given me a gift, and helped me feel less alone in this life, and that propels me forward. Thank you.
This week a dear friend of mine told me to get Portishead's latest album, "Third" and I did. I have been listening to it ever since. Listening while painting at 4 am, walking my dog, walking alone, while napping, while writing my blog. Fresh sounds, good textures. I really needed this.
Another friend, sent out a bulletin containing this Bat for Lashes video, and I fell in love with it's melancholy sweetness. Who wouldn't get excited by BMX bike riding "animals" clapping and doing tricks to the beat of this catchy song. I love the concept and atmosphere.
Another friend, (oh I have some good friends!) Sent out this Andy Warhol video the other day and it brought a smile to my face, and was simply a bit of light in this serious art world.It is only 8 seconds long, so I had to watch it again and again.
And yet another wonderful friend, sent me this Bjorkvideo for the song Wanderlust. I had never seen this before. This is such a good example of the power created when music and art combine to produce something magical. This video is really astounding.
Well, that about does it for this weeks post, but I must leave you with this random oddity. The other day I got some junk mail, in fact every Wednesday I get this thing called Extra, a cheesy section from the newspaper that mostly is full of adds, and it always goes straight into the recycle bin. This week my copy arrived torn, with a chunk of it missing and I could really care less. But on Thursday, I received this in the mail...Click on it for a better look. And yes, that is the missing chunk...
Until next week friends, thank you as always for your support, encouragement and inspiration.
Pictured Above: Unspoken Truths Megan Chapman 20x16" mixed media on Canvas 2008
Evidence of the Disappearance June-July 2008 Blue Moon Gallery Hot Springs, Arkansas
