Safe as houses

Safe as houses

30x22"/ 76.2x55.8cm

Mixed media 

640gsm smooth fabriano artistico paper

Megan Chapman 2023

Hello, Dear Readers, Skimmers, Browsers, Lurkers and Clickers - 

This person (above) showed up on Monday. I was feeling the deep need to give some time and attention to something creative and expressive, so this is what came of that. I was surprised by the stir she caused over on my FB Art Page. I am always surprised by the portraits. Maybe we all are. Can you believe it was around this time last year that I had my exhibition, Declarations, Divinations, and Whispers? 

You can see all of those portraits again HERE.

And of course, my special sale continues to help out Bikes for Refugees. There are plenty of affordable original pieces of my art on offer with 40% being donated to help them rebuild after a recent break-in. Thanks to my patrons who have supported me, and Bikes for Refugees so far by shopping my sale. You can also donate to them directly and skip the art. 

Go have another look!

I don't know about you, but I am feeling kind of worn out and blue as the nights are drawing in and news of the world is decidedly grim. I plan to make myself some hot chocolate, curl up under the duvet, and rest. Sending love and care out into the world. I hope you can come up with a soothing plan for yourself. 

Thank you for being here. The world needs you and the gifts you bring. Please believe that. 

Precipice

Precipice 

mixed media on canvas

51x41x4cm/20x16x1.5"

© Megan Chapman 

Sold

I have good news to share! The painting above, Precipice, just SOLD from the brilliant SOLO gallery in Innerleithen in the gorgeous Scottish Borders! Gallerist, Kate Hayes, messaged me with the good news just a little while ago! Every time Kate messages me with news of a sale, it is a unique thrill because it feels like a real victory for us both in every sense of the word. You may recall I took my work down to Innerleithen soon after Kate opened her new gallery and as luck would have it, the pandemic hit -  changing both of our courses. However, Kate stuck with me and I stuck with her and here we are, celebrating another sale! Another painting finds just the right home. Thank you, Kate, and thank you, lovely new patron!! It is always an honour and a delight to have my work chosen and enjoyed. 

Kate has a selection of my paintings available to purchase, you can see them here. 

Dancing in the old house Archival print A3 sized/11.7x16.5"  Sold (but you can get one too!)   

In other good news (and this time back in the States) - a lovely friend from my University of Oregon days purchased one of my prints for her daughter's house in Eugene! Her daughter is now enrolled at the U of O. So I am loving this full circle moment! I just sent this one off to the printer this morning, and I am looking forward to seeing it before I sign it and send it on its way! 

I have loads of prints and small works to choose from in my online shop. I have a range of sizes and prices to fit most budgets and I can post anywhere. Visit my shop today.

Speaking of print sales, I want to thank Blunt Knife Co. again for carrying my work in their sweet shop. They have recently closed their doors on Thistle Street in Edinburgh, but I look forward to their next incarnation! They were a delight to work with - they sold a couple of my prints and called my work "subversive," so I will always love them for that. 

You can find these prints in my online shop too! 
SHOP

Last but not least, it's FREE POST weekend here in the UK. So, grab a t-shirt or tote from my Teemill shop and look cool while supporting my work and not damaging the planet. YAY! https://gutlessapparel.teemill.com 

SHOP

That's all I have for you this week, I am still in the throws of the covid funk so I am grateful to have some good news to share because honey, this shit is harrrrrrrrrrrrd.

Thanks for your support. (Especially my regular ko-fi crew)

If you are looking for a sign to not give up - consider this it. Do not give up! The world needs YOU and the gifts you bring. Keep fighting.

Northwest Arkansas, my art is with YOU!

Dissonance
mixed media on canvas
6x8.5" © Megan Chapman 
$75.00

Listen to the wind
mixed media on canvas
6x8.5" © Megan Chapman
$75.00

Dear Northwest Arkansas Friends and Art Lovers,

I may be miles from Arkansas living and working in Edinburgh, Scotland but this special collection of original works and limited edition prints are with you in Fayetteville and available now to purchase for two weeks only! This special online sale runs from April 29th to May 13th.

These works once reserved and pre-purchased online will be available for collection from the Ozark Natural Foods outdoor dining area from my friend and fellow artist Maggie Ivy on Saturday, May 14th from 12-2 pm. There will be no work for sale at the collection site - only pick up of presold/paid for works.

20% (after PayPal fees) will be donated to Northwest Arkansas charity, Able Talks "providing high-quality learning experiences for young adults with autism."

If you have any questions regarding the sale or collection of these pieces click the purchase button, this will send me an email to simply start the conversation. To finalise your purchase I will send you a PayPal invoice.

Currently, my archive only allows me to post in GBP (£). Here are the conversion rates (these can vary slightly).

Works on deep edge wood panel: £160.80 ($200.00)
Small rectangular slim profile canvases: £60.30 ($75.00)
Small square slim profile canvas: £52.26 ($65.00)
Limited edition prints - square: £40.00 ($49.75)
Limited edition prints - rectangle: £44.22 ($55.00)

Thank you for your continued support of my work, you are a rare and wonderful community of art lovers and a tough act for any city to follow.

Sincerely yours,
Megan Chapman

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AVAILABLE WORK

In the house you live
12x12" mixed media on panel
© Megan Chapman
$200

Our stories align
signed limited edition print
11.7x16.5"
© 2017 Megan Chapman
1/25
$55.00

A most perfect obstacle
signed limited edition print
11.7x16.5"
© Megan Chapman 1/25
$55.00

I have only shared a few of the available pieces here in my blog. There are 11 original works on panel and canvas and 11 limited edition prints to choose from. When you click the purchase button it will send me a message with any questions or concerns you may have and we can go from there. Reach out - there are no silly questions, I just want you to live with my art and support a great organisation in the process. 

Thanks! 

- Megan 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AVAILABLE WORK

In Scottish art news, I will be setting up my work along with the Abstractionistas and many other talented artists at the Dalkeith Palace this next Wednesday for the Inception exhibition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 6-8th. Get tickets to attend. 

See you there! https://www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk/event/inception-art-show/

Small framed works available!

Hello! I hope you have a happy, sunny weekend planned. 

I’ve just listed six framed small works in my ko-fi shop! All of these have been beautifully framed by Leith framing studio and are ready to hang. These works are 24x18cm and 24x32.5cm framed and are priced at £225-285. Payment plans are welcomed and encouraged, I want you to live with my work. 

Lost moments 21x15cm(framed 24x18cm) mixed media on canvas Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2018 Megan Chapman £225 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK Collect   Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com

Try not to forget 21x15cm(framed 24x18cm) mixed media on canvas Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2018 Megan Chapman £225 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK  Collect Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com

What is enough 21x15cm(framed 24x18cm) mixed media on canvas Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2018 Megan Chapman £225 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK Collect  Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com

Sleep laughing A4 size - 21x29.5cm(framed 24x32.5 cm) mixed media on 280gsm/80oz primed canvas board Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2019 Megan Chapman £295 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK  Collect   Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com

What a dance it was A4 size - 21x29.5cm(framed 24x32.5 cm) mixed media on 280gsm/80oz primed canvas board Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2019 Megan Chapman £295 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK Collect  Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com

Swept Away A4 size - 21x29.5cm(framed 24x32.5 cm) mixed media on 280gsm/80oz primed canvas board Signed and dated on the back professionally framed and ready to hang 2019 Megan Chapman £295 includes free tracked and insured shipping in the UK Collect  Happy to work out a payment plan - message me or email megancha at gmail dot com  

In other news, thanks to everyone who helped me achieve my goal of raising £105 to pay for my first year with Artwork Archive! This will help me archive 500 works into their online system and get everything in good order. Once I reach 500 works I can upgrade then. I am hopeful that this new system will really help me take my art to the next level and allow me the ability to share even more of my work with you! Thanks again! - Megan

That's all I have for you this week. I hope you are well, happy, and inspired. Take good care, until next time.

Trusting Yourself Enough To Buy Art

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

Original art is like fresh basil.

Christmas came a bit early for me this year. I first saw the artist, Michele Maule's work in person at the DDP Gallery Small Works show and knew I liked her paintings. I wanted something a bit bigger, so in this case I needed to buy it from Etsy. I came across a painting called Detroit Water Tower, and I decided I had to have it, so I placed the order. The piece had the right mood for me, I just felt it. A short couple of days later, the painting arrived in the mail! I was so excited, there is something a bit scary yet thrilling about ordering art online. We all know that everyone's monitor is different and that photographs of art can be wildly different as well. However, when I pulled it out of the box it was perfect!! I propped it up in its temporary home, and kept stealing glances at it all day. I looked at it from far away and up close. I studied the piece and I thought about the process involved and about the artist who created it.

Later that night a friend called, and I had to tell her about the new piece of art I had received. I was so excited, buying art is such a thrill and I mentioned to her that I felt original art is like fresh basil. Fresh basil is so alive, the smell, the texture, it is like pure energy in your hand. Dried basil is so different, it works but the energy isn't the same, it smells different, you don't feel its wet freshness in your hand, it doesn't interact with you the way fresh basil does. Fresh Basil can be transporting. Original art has this same energetic presence, it enters into your environment and has the power to change it. Simply amazing.

I never used to buy art. I made art, so I hung my own paintings around the house. I wasn't making any money selling my art back then either, so I couldn't afford to. As my pieces began to sell, I decided that I too needed to walk the walk and start buying original art. It is one of the best things I have ever done. Speaking from experience I know how that artist feels when they sell a piece of their work. I also know that selling that piece can be the difference in sticking with it and packing it in. My collection is just getting started, most of it small works, and mostly from Arkansas artists. I have the under $200 collection so far, and I have found gems for $40.00 and even under. Remember, it is not what you pay, it is how it makes you feel.

Anyway, this is another challenge if you haven't already or if you haven't in a long time, consider buying yourself or someone a small original piece of art. You are worth it, they are worth it, and that artist's work is certainly worth it. Buying art is such a profound thing to do for yourself and your environment and for the artist you are now supporting and encouraging.

Don't miss the small works show at the DDP gallery in Fayetteville. My small collection has several pieces by some of the featured artists represented there. I have several pieces of Ginny Sims' stunning decal ceramic works, several of Mark Traughber's fabulous stenciled wood panels, and some of those cool Wrecords by Monkey bracelets. Sarah Nunn's purses are the only purses I will carry (don't miss Sarah's fresh modern felt wall art as well) and now I have a Michele Maule piece too! There are many other talented artists showing their work at the DDP gallery that might be just perfect for you!

Pictured above:

Small Works 2007 postcard image ( courtesy)

Artists listed from left to right, top to bottom: Helen Phillips, Susan Freda, Nicole Sharp, Toma Miller, Mark Traughber, Lucas Taylor, Wrecords by Monkey, Ginny Sims, Joseph Maggiore, Michele Maule, Sarah Nunn, Alexander Abajian

DDP Gallery
7 East Mountain St.
Fayetteville. AR
On Display December 05, 2007 - January 19, 2008