My line dances through it all

Solidly in the centre

mixed media on paper

29.7 x 42 cm (11.69 x 16.54 in)

Sold

This month we are continuing to take a deep dive into my love of working on paper (see last week's post if you missed it)

Working on paper has a rich history and has been part of my art practice since the beginning. Its versatility as well as its ability to be easily preserved and displayed, as well as transported, make paper one of the first materials I reach for. The tooth and texture pull me in. The sound of the brush or pencil across it is one of my favourite things. Each type of paper has its own song and inspires the work.

A sequence of webs #3
mixed media on paper
29.7 x 42 cm (11.69 x 16.54 in)
£125

This is no child’s dance
No crayon across a blank page
It was born from there
Kept alive by sheer will
and stubbornness
It was encouraged by my mother
and father
It was grown by teachers, mentors, and even thieves

You don’t have to understand it
to feel it
You don’t need to have lived it
to know it
A scroll - a poem, a dedication, a prayer, a song…
My line dances through it all

A sequence of webs #1
mixed media on paper
29.7 x 42 cm (11.69 x 16.54 in)
£125

This piece above is all about the calming direct energy of the white stroke through the earthy noise and lines in the background. Like a ribbon or rope guiding us in or pulling us out on top. Perhaps it is a wave we are riding through life. If you look at the painting below, "A sequence of webs number 2". You can compare and contrast the two pieces and see how they are different chapters of the same tale.

A sequence of webs #2
mixed media on paper
29.7 x 42 cm (11.69 x 16.54 in)
Sold

The paintings often know the story long before I do.

Thanks for joining me this week here on the studio blog. Take care out there. 

Shop Small Feel Good: Art is the Answer!

Here we are, it's Black Friday, and then Small Business Saturday, and then Cyber Monday - it's a weekend where you can choose to shop big... Or shop small and support your independent makers and artists. I hope you will choose to shop with me and my peers! My wee ko-fi shop is restocked and I have a deal for you!

Use THANKS20 or click the link below for 20% off everything. Prints, Originals, and even some professionally framed smaller Canvas Paintings! The discount is good until midnight on November 29th. So get shopping and know with each purchase you are making a real difference in my life. Feel free to share the code/link with your friends too. Take another look in my shop if you haven't in a while - there are over 60 pieces available and with the code/link the prices range from £16 - 260!

https://ko-fi.com/meganchapman/link/THANKS20

If eco-friendly and artful t-shirts and totes are more your style - I have you covered! They make great gifts too and teemill is a company with an ethos after my own heart. There are several styles and loads of sizes to choose from. Shop here: https://gutlessapparel.teemill.com

My exhibition Divinations, Declarations and Whispers continues so please visit this online-only art experience if you haven't already. All the work is for sale and the majority of the portraits in the exhibition are priced at £270 (and that includes worldwide shipping!). If you have any questions regarding a purchase click the question icon next to the painting to send me an inquiry. If you know you want to buy just click the $ icon next to the piece.

Here is this week's video visit featuring some of the wonderful reviews folks have left me. Thank you all so much. I am delighted with the response and being able to present my work in a more accessible way. 

Last but not least, I do have a wide variety of paintings (small and large) that are available from my studio in Leith, Edinburgh. There will be no open studios this year in the building but my studio is always open by appointment and I am usually available to meet patrons there with just a bit of notice so if you find yourself in a last-minute worry for the perfect artful gift, just message me and I will meet you there.

Thank you all so much for your support - I honestly couldn't do this without you. 

Love what I do? Leave me a tip!

No longer a mystery: Art and Money

Between memory and story

Mixed media on canvas

100x120cm

© 2018 Megan Chapman

£2,200

“When bankers get together for dinner, they discuss Art. When artists get together for dinner, they discuss Money” ― Oscar Wilde

This week I sent art to two patrons through the post and met one patron for a long lunch and to hand deliver his piece from my online studio sale. I am also waiting to send a patron her piece when it is best for her schedule. I am delighted with these recent sales and thankful as always for my patrons. 

On Tuesday, I recorded my Tuesday Studio Video Visit and talked a wee bit about money and the value of art. You can see it again here. 

This lead me to think more about the art market, and what we have been trained or coached to do as we promote our work and why. One of the big rules used to be (and still is) don't put your prices on your website. Your website should stand as a priceless portfolio. The galleries will decide your prices.

There is so much conflicting advice given when it comes to marketing our art. The value and price of art feels mysterious, and I think perhaps it's meant to be (in an if you know, you know sort of way). If you know me, you know I like to demystify the art process and bring it down to earth (well, the parts that can be brought down - not the mystical bits). 

If I go to a yard/rummage/car boot sale/flea market/department store or any other retailer and the seller has their things set out but with no prices, I might see something I love but I will probably walk on by. I might not feel inquisitive that day - I might think that their items are way out of my price range, and I don't want to feel embarrassed, so I won't ask. I might also think their prices are variable and may change depending on the person asking. I will operate from my assumptions, fears, and limited information and go on my merry way. 

So why were artists coached to keep prices off our websites? The old dangling carrot, if you wanted gallery representation, or to be taken seriously, you just don't do it. So we did what we were told. 

Yesterday, I finally put my prices on my website (after twenty years). At first, it felt like I was doing something wrong or tacky. It was a strange mixture of rebellion and empowerment but more importantly, it felt transparent and honest. I was relieved. 

I also added a payment plan section. It's lovely when a patron knows what they want and knows they can pay for it outright and I am always thankful. I also love working with people who need more time to pay off their art purchases. Now, I state how this works clearly on my website in the contact section. Depending on the price of the piece, you can take up to 3, 6, 12, or 14 months to pay off your painting. 

We budget for clothes, cars, rent, mortgages, utilities, holidays, university costs, and charity. Why not budget for art? Making art a priority in your life and committing to building a collection one payment at a time feels good and knowing that you are supporting a living artist is icing on the cake!

Art doesn't need to be treated like a luxury because I don't think it has to be one. I think art can be a necessity and my desire is to get it to you any way I can. Whether it's a £20 paper piece or sketch from my online studio sale on social media to a £2,200 large work on canvas from my studio, website, or a gallery that represents me, I have you covered.

Thank you. Be well and keep fighting. 

PS. Are you looking for an art mentor? Work with me!