Last weekend's Abstractionistas exhibition

Thanks to everyone who came out to support the Abstractionistas exhibition at the Granton Hub. Here are a few snaps of our art in the space. We each had a few sales and it was lovely to have an exhibition in the community where I live. 

My work and Susan Wilson's. 

Susan Wilson

My work in the corner browser rack and Susan's on the wall

A close-up shot of my work on the wall

I hung 6 works from my 15-piece series "This is how we tell the story"

Judith Shaylor

Madelvic House, Granton Hub

Paper by the Abstractionistas our 5th featured exhibition as a collective

geraniums outside the large windows of the exhibition space

The light was lovely in the space

We provided some Scottish favourites during our reception

Here's a wee video tour of the exhibition: Paper - Abstractionistas

That's all I have for you this week. Next week, there will be some new developments... Stay tuned and thank you so much for your support. Until next week, keep fighting! 

Exhibition and Market News!

Way down inside
mixed media on 200gsm acid-free paper
42x59.4cm/16.5x23.4"
©2021 Megan Chapman
£475

I know the way
mixed media on 200gsm acid-free paper
42x59.4cm/16.5x23.4"
©2021 Megan Chapman
£475

On Tuesday, I varnished all day long... I had quite the pile of works on paper created in 2020 and 2021 to get through. It was so good to see the works and even find a few more that hadn't been finished the last time I checked. I love it when they finish cooking on their own. A watched pot and all that... 

The two above are the newest editions to a now 15 piece series called, "This is how we tell the story." They are all A2 sized and make a great impact, filled with gesture, drama, and mystery. 

In other news, I will be participating in the Christmas Exhibition and Makers Market at the Edinburgh Palette on London Road in Edinburgh, the 11th and 12th of December from 12-4pm in the 3rd-floor galleries at St. Margaret's House. I will have three paintings on the walls of the gallery and I will also have loads of works on paper and canvas in the Makers Market along with my fellow Abstractionistas at our stall! So put it on your calendars now and plan to come and see us and our dynamic work (covid restrictions permitting of course). We look forward to seeing you! 

Don't forget I am also having an ONLINE STUDIO SALE with ten of my paintings listed at 50% off. Click to SHOP the sale here.

That's all I have for you this week. I hope you are well, happy, and inspired. Please stay mindful of COVID and the new variant, and take really good care of yourself and each other. Thanks for your support. 

Final Weekend: Advancing the Abstract

This is the final weekend to view 'Advancing the Abstract' in Gallery 2 on the third floor of Edinburgh Palette

Open from 12-5pm this Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy this video visit and come see us!

Featuring work by:

Esther Donaldson

Megan Chapman

Judith Shaylor

Susan Elizabeth Wilson

Don’t miss it!

#Artunlocks #abstractionistas #Edinburgh #Scotland

Advancing the Abstract continues...

'Advancing the Abstract' in Gallery 2 on the third floor of Edinburgh Palette

Open from 12-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy this video visit and come see us!

Featuring work by:

Esther Donaldson

Megan Chapman

Judith Shaylor

Susan Elizabeth Wilson

Don’t miss it!

#Artunlocks #abstractionistas #Edinburgh #Scotland

Exhibition update: Advancing the Abstract

Advancing the Abstract

Friday 9 July 2021 - Sunday 25 July 2021

Reception: Saturday 10 July 2021, 2-6 pm

Open daily from 12-5 pm

Gallery Two, Edinburgh Palette, St. Margaret’s House

151 London Road

Edinburgh

EH7 6AE

Follow our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abstractionistas/

Follow our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Abstractionistas

Get your free Tickets: https://bit.ly/exhibitiontickets

‘Advancing the Abstract’ is the debut exhibition from a new collective of abstract painters based in Scotland. The collective, aptly named, The Abstractionistas, is currently made up of four artists - Esther Donaldson, Megan Chapman, Judith Shaylor and Susan Wilson. These women bring a depth of experience in the arts and a firm dedication to abstract expression, each one striking a different chord with their use of colour, line, space, and drama.

The goal of the collective is to create more opportunities to share the enduring importance, power and pull of abstraction with viewers across Scotland. Please join us for this exciting inaugural exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to the public, subject to current government guidelines. Masks are required except for those who are exempt, social distancing will be in place, and hand sanitiser will be available.

Please book your free tickets on Eventbrite so that we can provide you with a safer and more enjoyable exhibition experience. There are 10 tickets available for each 30-minute time slot to allow for physical distancing.

To attend the opening reception please select ticket times between 2-6 pm on Saturday 10 July. All the artists will be available at this time and would love to see you there!

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.

I'll meet you there

Everyone has that one friend

It's Friday night, I have a cup of tea and a marzipan Ritter Sport chocolate bar to my right, battery-powered candles light up the paper snowflakes stuck to the window panes. The fairy lights are ablaze in the fireplace (the gas fire disnae work) and I have some globe lanterns dimly lighting a trail up the wall, woven in and around the art.

I took a good long walk today with a friend. We walked along the Firth of Forth and the River Almond. The colours were so beautiful, purple-blue hills in the distances dotted with warm rust and tan sands while the water changed from a baltic blue to green. The clouds and skeleton trees high above framing it all so perfectly.

Once home, I washed the dishes - plunging my hands into the warm soapy water was a joy. I thought of Thích Nhất Hạnh and meditations past. Anything can be a joy with a certain type of mindfulness. After the dishes, I had a meeting with an art collective of which I am a member. We are the Abstractionistas: A Scottish all-woman collective aiming to debate, challenge, make and exhibit abstract art. We have been meeting regularly online since October. We are in the early stages but it is already feeling exciting and hopeful. I will, of course, keep you posted on our activities and our public presence as it develops. 

I have been listening to new (to me) music, as you know discovering new music is the portal to painting for me. The band I am into right now is Heimat and my favourite song of the album I discovered on YouTube is Weider Ja!  It's especially good with headphones. Everything is better with headphones - well, most things. I have also been enjoying the music of Nina Harker. 

I did a few drawings this week, some small and medium-sized ones, I wasn't in the mood. However, there is really only one way to get in the mood and that is to make some art, draw a line, make smudge and see how it feels. And it feels a hell of a lot better than not making anything. 

Yes, Mary, I cut down your zinnias.

Humour is very important to me and it may be getting more and more important the older I get. I have been laughing a lot and when I can fit that into my work, it is a real joy. I can't afford to take it all so seriously. Life is too fucking short. 

I also managed a Tuesday Studio Video Visit again this week. If you missed it on Facebook you can see it here. 

Besides, all of this, I have been enjoying cooking and walking up a storm. These little rituals keep me grounded and my mind clear. I hope you have little rituals, I hope you have passions and new discoveries and a group of peers to discuss things with whether near or far. One day at a time, one step, plunge your hands into the hot water and wash one dish, draw one line, take one picture, make one snowflake, listen to one new to you song. Feel better. Move forward. Be here now. I'll meet you there.