Buy Nothing Day

"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."

- Lloyd Dobler, Say Anything

Cup full of can

Big painting stored for now - makes the door to the sink area feel almost festive

Well hello there! It's the first Friday in November. Can you believe it? 

My studio schedule for the past couple of weeks since the big painting has been a wee bit spotty. My cat Theo has needed some veterinary attention and he comes first (he's mostly fine) but I have been wanting to spend time with him as we begin medication for his condition. Anyway, this isn't a cat blog so I will get back to the painting aspect of life... 

I haven't painted anything in the studio since last week's "removable face" and that's a-ok. I have been exploring some other creative outlets. I have made a hair fascinator, a crown out of vintage lace, some homemade clay dough, a miniature paper cup, and some wee things from commercial air-dry clay. I have been practising my ukulele too. All will be revealed or it won't - I'm just having some fun. I especially enjoyed the wee teacup. I think it is actually magical. It taught me a lot - but that's my business. 

My wee cup full of "can"

I recorded my Tuesday Studio Video Visit and showed how I decided to temporarily store my big painting (as pictured above). If you missed the video on the socials you can see it again here.

I put the finishing touches on this month's 13-song playlist for my ko-fi supporters. Anyone who has supported me in the last 30 days for as little as £3 gets access. I really appreciate my regular and one-off supporters. Not only do you help with studio expenses and art materials but also with my daily life. Thanks! TIP HERE

Don't forget I offer limited and open edition prints in my shop. SHOP PRINTS
Also eco-friendly t-shirts and totes. SHOP SHIRTS AND TOTES

What can I do for you? What can I offer you? What do you need to feel better? What can I create for you? I'd surely try to help if I only knew. 

Until next week, keep fighting - don't let the bastards get you down and if you are in America - VOTE like the underdogs of the world depend on it. 

La La love you.

Values Here

Vision of the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
Paul Gauguin, 1888, Oil on canvas
72.20 x 91.00 cm (framed: 96.00 x 116.70 x 8.30 cm)
National Galleries of Scotland

Whew! What a week. I am overwhelmed and exhilarated. I was out more consistently in the world this week than I had been in two years. 

I decided on Tuesday that I probably need to keep "a reintegration journal" and I did get a special notebook for the purpose because I am a good consumer just like you. 

So part of me wants to write about what I saw and thought about being "out there" again and part of me wants to write about the 8 hours of union training I participated in for the past 2 weeks. I have four more hours of training next week as well. This has been a profound learning experience and very helpful to me personally, as well as seeing the larger picture for all artists as workers. Let's just say there are a lot of people out there thinking radical thoughts and working for the betterment of us all and that excites me.

Okay, so which route am I going to take? 

Let's talk about that "outside world" 

I think I was in three shopping centres this week and of course, the middle of the city is filled with places for you to spend your money and I spent some, but mostly I just marvelled at it all with love, disgust, and a humorous critique. 

Armed with my "hardcore mask" on Tuesday I went to a well known open-air mall-style shopping centre in Leith called the Kirkgate. This place has a bit of a local reputation sitting at the foot of the walk. I know it well from living in the neighbourhood and I have always liked it just fine. It now has a Costa coffee and that makes it seem a bit more posh. In the Kirkgate, I popped into two chain stores and one charity shop and purchased just a few items I was after (I did have a purpose in my first wander of the week). 

I felt out of practice at browsing and shopping - I have never been too good at it, to be honest, but this time was more laboured. I was like the tin man with rusty joints. The music they played over the shop speakers certainly didn't help. I wondered if it was real music at all or just manufactured for shopping, it sounded like something between a poorly written advertising jingle and sounds from an 80s radio alarm clock. 

I moved on and sent a bad photo from the foot of the walk to a friend "I'm oot the hoose shopping."

I wandered down the road through tram construction to another charity shop - the one where everything is hung up high for giants. I never find anything there because I can't reach it. Then I visited another couple of charity shops nearby. Nothing there, grasping for treasure and coming up empty in mind, body, and soul - I  decided that was enough exploring for the day. I meandered back to the Kirkgate, purchased an overpriced soy chai latte (because now I can) and took it to the cemetery - ah the cemetery (my safe space). The latte was mostly shite but still warm as I wandered around the graves realising how excited I was to see my favourite skull and crossbones, angel faces, and the script on the old stones. The sun was shining, birds and squirrels were playing and flowers were blooming everywhere. This was the best part of my outing and it has been available for the duration of the pandemic. Nature never disappoints and rarely asks you for your debit card. 

On Wednesday, I had to head out to see a nurse about a blood test (routine). A pal met me outside and we took to the city for a bit more capitalism and culture. First stop, the antithesis of the Kirkgate, the New Saint James Quarter. I had heard good things (minus the golden jobby hotel) so off we went. I would have to describe it as dystopian capitalist chic, designed for future living - it was serving up Epcot centre vibes. 

Multrees walk followed and that's all I'll say about that - some strong window critiquing happened there. We walked across St. Andrews Square and a mix of tourists and workers ate their lunches in the sun. We walked over to the National Galleries of Scotland to hopefully catch a glimpse of my favourite Van Gogh in their collection but it was not there, however it was just as good to walk into the red-walled fortress holding so much art of antiquity. Stepped right up to the DaVinci (I think most people walk right by its strangeness without even knowing). Enjoyed El Greco, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin - you know, the usuals... 

I must state that being from Fayetteville, Arkansas I used to have to get on a big yellow school bus to go to Tulsa Oklahoma (2 hours away) to see art (and not of this calibre) when I was a child and only once a year - so when I can just walk into the city centre and see "proper" art, it always feels like I have landed at the end of the rainbow. I must also mention that the one Gaugin painting "Vision of the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel)" from 1888 that they have in their collection is one that I strangely chose to copy and write a paper about while studying art at the University of Oregon. Finding that painting in their collection on my first visit here and all the daffodils that bloom everywhere in the spring were two signs that convinced me I would probably be okay if I moved to Edinburgh. 

After the art, another cemetery visit was enjoyed, sitting on a bench in the sun with a salad for lunch. My pal and I enjoyed a chat with a elder gentleman from the church with flowers, birdsong and the city, on all sides. I did step in a chain shop for that salad. Princes street gardens were also enjoyed and the gorgeous Parisian fountain. A hellish stationery store was visited and then on to Princes Street Mall for the paper I needed so I could write my thoughts on capitalist culture down. Jokes on me... as I type it all to you anyway. Then it was back down Leith Walk and into a wee local independent shop I had missed and then to a wee antique and vintage store for a nice chat about blankets and cats and then we ended it all at LIDL for some marzipan chocolate eggs. 

I paid attention to what excited me about being out - walking and talking with my friend, the gardens, the cemetery, chats with strangers, and of course the paintings in the permanent collection - and the grand space for art - like a church of old friends. 

On Thursday I mentored a brilliant artist and went to union meetings, all online - just ducking outdoors for a few walks in the sun. A good day for recalibration and learning - I enjoyed all of it.

Friday, it was back out into the world again, another bus journey into the city, this time staying in Leith. Popped by a friend's house in the morning, enjoyed a cup of tea around her kitchen table with the double doors to her garden wide open letting the sun and spring in. It was so nice to just drop in on someone and be welcomed with open arms and a cup of tea and a bit of a chat. Left there and popped into my studio building but didn't even open the door to my studio (telling) - I  saw a studio mate for a wee chat and then went on my way to a favourite old charity shop on Leith walk that I hadn't yet visited since the before times. I was on a mission to get a vintage half apron from the window display, yellow with my favourite flowers in red and purple and then of course I had to get a crazy necklace of glass beads for next to nothing as well. 

Onwards, walking down Leith Walk noticing all the changes, the gentrification is in full effect now. Feeling more like Stockbridge all the time. My shopping and mooching muscles getting warmer by the minute, stopped by Stories Bakery for a vegan sausage roll, Home Essentials for Nag Champa, and the Kilted Donut for a vegan jelly-filled that was over the top, passed another cemetery, sat on the bench in the sun by the water of Leith, and then on to the new ALDI "just to see it" and then the bus back home for two hours of art biz and life discussions with a dear friend back home over the phone. 

The highlights of Friday -  the friendly tea stopover, chatting with my studio mate, seeing some of my favourite daffodils blooming, supporting the charity shop by buying something that makes me happy, and just walking in the sun and sitting by the water of Leith. Phone call with a dear friend. 

If I am going to reengage with this world again, I want to do it as closely aligned with my values as I can. I emerge changed and I am more certain of what I value and what I do not. I am paying attention and taking notes.

PS. Artist readers: Join your Union! 

Scottish Artists Union: https://www.artistsunion.scot/ 

Artists' Union England: https://www.artistsunionengland.org.uk/ 

Praxis Artist Union Ireland: https://www.praxisunion.ie/

Wherever you go, there you are

September is here. Autumn approaches. 

I can't say that I am exactly ready for it. Time moves so quickly and I am not looking forward to the short, darker and wet days. 

I have to borrow inspiration. I can feel that seasonal new beginning feeling around the edges of things if I close my eyes and try (like making a wish on a birthday cake). Like the best parts of a "back to school" montage from my youth. A time of reinvention. Every autumn I tried to be someone else - I believed it was as easy as changing your hair and makeup while trying to emulate a Benetton or Espirit advertisement from my Seventeen magazine. It never worked and the weird, old soul, new waver/art-punk kid emerged after a few weeks.

Wherever you go, there you are.

I am sort of ready to get clear on what that weird, old soul, new waver/art-punk now squarely middle-aged woman needs right now in her life, in her work and in her community. I am thinking the next 6 months may need to be radical and filled with hard work and deep truths. 

I haven't been painting much lately - mainly because I feel that I have exhausted the home studio capabilities. I am ready to "fuck shit up" with paint and I can't do that in a rented house. Also, I have a perfectly good studio just waiting for me. It's so complicated. The studio costs money, getting to the studio costs money, covid is still out there (public transport). Making art costs money and I have a studio full of completed paintings just waiting to find homes. Art sales have slowed to a stop and it almost feels decadent to paint more things to store, document, and archive. I have been quite down about it. I wrestle with the whole point of this art thing. The market is saturated, everyone's work starts to look the same, and social media can feel like a cornucopia of shite. 

However, regardless of my feelings, opportunities keep showing up and I am prepared for them and this is a good thing. 

Helensburgh Art Hub

Dalkeith Palace

Solo Gallery

And a visit to Bannockburn House as a potential venue for the Abstractionistas collective. Enjoy the latest Tuesday Studio Video Visit if you missed it. 

 

I am honoured to be a Ko-Fi ambassador and feel truly supported by the Ko-fi platform. I will be launching my membership tiers in the coming days with lots of wee treats and rewards for my ko-fi friends when you become a monthly supporter. I am excited to be getting that in order. 

Don't forget I also sell my small works and prints exclusively through my Ko-fi Shop.

I am learning new skills, networking and trying to get clear.

I've been hitting the yoga mat more regularly again and soon, I will be out exploring on more walks (as I do walk more in the autumn and winter here in Scotland to make sure I get the light and nature I need). 

I even have an idea for a future body of work so that is a good sign. 

This is such a weird gig. Being a painter is like putting on ill-fitting clothes, all the seams are wrong and it's been cut strangely but you still love them, even though you can't lift your arms or sit. 

This is my blog, my space, my truth and my feelings and there is nothing to fix. 

Bring on the soup, the cosy jumpers, the long walks, the plans, the dreams, and especially the "fucked up" art. 

Let's get radical.

Thanks for being here.

Needs must

I have been focusing on selling my older small works, studio sale works, works on paper, and my book works. Working on the promotional aspects of my art world than the making and doing. Honestly, I would rather be painting but I have to stand squarely in the reality that I need to sell the works I have already made so that I can survive and continue to work in the future.

The bottom line is I want to be able to continue being a painter and in order to do that, I have to sell some work. I am still paying rent on a studio that I have only been to about 4 or 5 times since the pandemic hit Scotland in March. I am not even sure if in the future I will be able to maintain or support a studio. Like many people, the virus is making me rethink a lot of things and to consider different approaches to living and working. 

The one thing that hasn't changed is that I have a strong belief in the power of art and I want more people to have access to my work. That is why I always have more affordable pieces along with the more expensive gallery pieces. 

I am grateful to all my patrons and supporters past and present that have continued to support my work, especially during these strange days.

Here are some of my remaining affordable original works for sale. Follow me across my social media channels to always stay up to date with sales and my available smaller works. I only post my larger canvas series on my formal website. 

Little anchors #2
15.2x15.2cm/6x6”
Mixed media on card
Framed in black, no glass
Signed and dated on the back
© 2019 Megan Chapman
£45 (free shipping in the UK)
to purchase email: megancha at gmail dot com 

An image of the same piece to show you the frame. 

Dark Sketches Transition # 2

Original, signed on the back
Mixed media on acid-free 300 gsm/140lb Watercolour paper
Mounted and ready to pop in a frame
10x8”/25x20cm.
£25 (free UK shipping)

to purchase email: megancha at gmail dot com

Isolated Moment #10
Original work on paper! 
Mounted and ready to pop in an 8x8"/ 20.x20cm frame
£20 (free UK shipping)
to purchase email: megancha at gmail dot com

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!

I tally, check off, and list.

I often don't think I work hard enough. I tally, check off, and list.

My monkey mind rages even with daily yoga and meditation. Am I working? Yes. Am I working hard enough? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Are you working when the work doesn't earn money? Yes, sometimes I am in action and I think action counts as work. Money is separate. Was I ever expected to make money at this? Yes and no.

Do I earn my keep? Yes. Do I earn my place in society? Yes. Do I have to cook and clean to earn my place? No. Do I have to put on lipstick to earn my place? No. Do I have to wait in line? I have been waiting politely for what seems like forever so maybe that is on me. Do I have to wait for permission? I do this too often. Do I have to follow the rules? I hope not but I do. Do I have to censor myself? No, but I do. Do I have to watch as man after man and after man's paintings get featured on abstract painting pages? Seems like it.

With the perfect storm raging in the background of my life I took to the beach for some space.



It's on me to make this work. It's on me to make peace with my calling. I take responsibility for my choices and I am not giving up. I am going to raise my voice a little louder and show up a little bolder for myself. Let's see what happens...

Until next week, I am grateful for you and your work. I see you.
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Do you enjoy my blog, my video visits, the paintings I share, or the other content that I provide for free across social media? Consider buying me a cup of coffee in support of my work. I am a member of Ko-fi.com, A friendly way for creators to get paid! Thank you!

Money, art, and more onion hospital days

It's grey and overcast and the cobbles are wet. I have a cup of coffee and I am listening to this beautiful album to conjure up a mood. My headphones are on and a pad of paper is next to me with a pen. On the paper are social media stats and in my mind are the beginnings of yet another idea to bring my art to more people and also bring some money into my bank. Of course, I didn't want to write the sentence including the words money or bank. Like many other artists, I wonder why can't it just be about the art? Naive, I know.

I am continually reminded of this quote and I wish I wasn't.

“When bankers get together they talk about art. When artists get together, they talk about money.” -Oscar Wilde

I try my damndest to just talk about art, pretend I don't need money, don't want things, don't worry about "security." However, I need, want, and worry like everyone else.

So we will see if the ideas come to fruition from the pad of paper sitting beside me and if I can find that balance of making art and making money.

In other news, this week's Tuesday Studio Video Visit seemed to have struck a chord with folks, as it received 1,800 views! I talked about intuition, imagination and the importance of play. If you missed it on my facebook art page you can see it again here. Thanks to everyone who viewed the video and commented on it on facebook, it feels good when we can connect this way.

You can see in the video that I worked on another canvas this week and made some "spirit bundles." I mostly took it easy as I nursed a trapezius injury which frustratingly kept me away from painting. I love getting to that point in my life where I can injure myself in my sleep.

So, that's all I have for you this week. I wish you more onion hospital days. Keep fighting. Keep playing.