Rest before the fall

rest before the fall

21 x 15 cm, mixed media on canvas

© 2023 Megan Chapman

Dear Reader,

Did you go to the UK cinema last weekend to see California Schemin'? If not, make plans to go soon. Hopefully this brilliant film will be released in the USA soon as well. Thanks to everyone who has been excited to see my painting in the film. Having your support and enthusiasm means a lot to me and it is so fun to share this experience with you all.

In other news, I had a bit of a full on week - a lot of "go-go-going" without much time in between things which I usually require and prefer. I am glad the week is behind me. It brings a somewhat gross but catchy song from my childhood to mind, and if you click this you will get to experience it too. 

In the few spare moments, I worked on finishing off a wee series of paintings from 2023 that I always liked but hadn't been able to complete. You know - the boring (but somewhat meditative) bits, such as painting the sides of the canvas, signing, dating, titling, and adding the hanging hardware. I decided I needed to photograph them again too as my previous images just weren't up to par.

It's a dark and textured series, a set of six small canvas works that were the offshoot of a larger series painted in that same year. I have a backlog of unfinished projects that I am trying to get sorted in between my other work and my desire for a bit of fun and a lot more rest.

I went back and read one of my early blog posts from 2007 and decided to take my own advice and I am glad I did. I was reminded that little by little the work gets done and action is always where it's at. A lot can be accomplished in 15 minutes and it all adds up. I am feeling good about the progress I have made.

So, that's how you find me, recovering from the week and taking everything 15 minutes at a time. 

holding everything dear

15 x 21 cm mixed media on canvas

© 2023 Megan Chapman

Until next week, keep fighting - the world needs you and the gifts you bring. Thank you for sharing your time with me. 

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.