I hope you enjoyed last week's post featuring a new wee painting and poem. If you've been following my work long enough, you'll know that titles are very important to me. Naming my work is an equal part of my process. The poem was a way for me to illustrate how titles serve as keys to let the viewer in to the work.
Last week's small painting and poem (and the work shown above) were all inspired by being invited by fellow artist and dear friend Steven Heaton to participate in Saul Hay Gallery's 10th anniversary exhibition next month in Manchester.
50 artists from Saul Hay’s past and present have been challenged to create a piece measuring just 10x10cm. In turn each artist has invited a new artist, one who has never shown at Saul Hay before, to join the show.
painting collaboration in progress & the shoulder of artist, Stewart Bremner
This week was a bit scattered in the art department. I followed through with a few leads, sold a couple more flashcards and made a house call regarding the large commission. I also started a collaborative painting with visiting Scottish artist Stewart Bremner. He started the large canvas, worked on it for about ten to fifteen minutes listening to his music while I watched. I then plugged my ipod in and dove into the painting also for about ten to fifteen minutes with my music on as my usual guide.
Working with another artist is a complex process. I have done it before with English artist Steven Heaton on our delay before abandon piece, but it is a different process when the artist you are working with is actually in the room with you.
It is an interesting thing to watch an artist you admire as they choose their colors, their brushes and plan their next move. The color choices and strokes you recognize after studying their work, yet you also recognize the fact that this work it is not going to be your own but something shared and new, a strange hybrid. My internal dialog while watching Stewart paint runs amok..."Do I paint over that, do I leave it? What if I don't like raw umber...?" Let's just say there was a spirited debate during and after painting. There are lines and boundaries that get pushed and crossed when collaborating with other artists, even ones you are close to. We laid the frame work for something is about all I can say. Will this painting be something we will ever show? Is this just an exercise? Only time will tell.
I enjoyed the experience and I look forward to working back into the painting with Stewart and seeing how it evolves. We have set some basic guidelines and have agreed that both of us want more time with the painting and more consistent music selection. Alternating every ten minutes just never let me connect to the piece or go inside of the painting the way I am used to doing when I work. It is a telling experience, one that I look forward to exploring further this week. I will keep you posted!
This post is really for me. This is a page in my virtual scrap book, so I can keep this information all in one place when I am looking back and perhaps when I am looking forward and making new plans. Needless to say I am inspired and pleased with the attention Delay before Abandon has received so far, it is going to be much harder to cover up now...I am glad it is Steven's turn after the show is over!
I wish I could see it in person, but I know the work is in good hands, and I am grateful for this opportunity and for those who have gone to view the work and especially for those who have documented it so I can see it in it's new temporary home.
For those in and around the Liverpool area, please go check out the exhibition, and don't forget to search out Steven Heaton's work. I can't get enough of these resin pieces of his and if I had the opportunity to see them in person I surely would. I think these are some of his finest works to date and therefore I am going to post them again for your enjoyment...
I just want to remember some of the things that inspired me this week. Things that sent shivers down my spine, things that made me feel like anything was possible. I want to remember the little connections and the epic ones.
This week, I had the pleasure of hosting visiting artist and friend Thomas Petillo. He arrived on Tuesday and left this morning. He brought his beautiful photographs with him, and presented Fayetteville with his stunning exhibition, North, West, East, South in the Hive Gallery at the Fayetteville Underground. It was so lovely to have him around the Underground and introduce him to my studio mates, and show him around town. Having him here really helped me appreciate my town and what is happening at the underground even more. It is always nice to see your world through a different set of eyes. It was a joy to be able to introduce such a beautiful soul and talent to the folks of Fayetteville. If you are local or regional don't miss Thomas Petillo's exhibition, his work will be up through October 2nd. The Fayetteville Underground's galleries are open W-F 12-7 and Saturday 10-5.
Also to learn more about some of what I do at the Fayetteville Underground, please check out this recent interview. I was thrilled to be asked to participate in Christopher Spencer's Five Questions segment for Ozarks Unbound.
First Thursday was last night, and it was another wonderful event. I didn't spend the usual amount of time in my studio, as I wanted to be in the Hive gallery with Thomas for his show. At the end of the night I went back to my studio and found this note on my desk. I had a moment to myself, so I picked it up and read it. I must say this note moved me so deeply. It meant a lot to me that this high school art student would take the time to write. As I read, tears welled up in my eyes. This is something I will treasure always. I hope he doesn't mind that I documented this note and am sharing it. I also hope to meet this young artist one day, and even more that that, I hope to see his work on a gallery wall in the near future.
In other news, I am still so pleased that Delay before Abandon, the collaborative paper painting that Steven Heaton and I have been working on is going to be in the Chaosmos 2010 exhibition as part of the Liverpool Independents Biennial, which opens this month. Last month, I mentioned that besides our collaborative piece, Steven Heaton would have other works in the exhibition. Well, I just want to show you a couple of those pieces because I am also so inspired by them. I could get lost in all the layers of paint and decay, the hints of color and sparks of orange and rust all encapsulated in resin. I like everything about these rich and layered works. How I wish I could see them in person.
And lastly, this song and video sends shivers down my spine, and will serve as an anthem for the upcoming Fall. I look forward to returning to my studio on Monday to paint to this song on repeat. The world is full of magic, beautiful people and beautiful art. I am grateful for it and for you...
Let's see... Hello? I don't think anyone reads this thing anymore, but I enjoy the routine. I think? No, I know I do, and I always like to be able to look back and see what was going on in my little corner of the art world.
First of all, the Christian Demare exhibition in the Hive Gallery is still just so dark, rich, and lovely. Yesterday, while taking a break from painting, I walked out of my studio and just looked at the work again; letting myself become absorbed into his dark worlds. I am so lucky to be able to work around such great and varied art at the Fayetteville Underground. It truly is inspiring. If you are local or regional please come to the Underground to view Christian Demare's exhibition, Ghosts in the Landscape #2. The Fayetteville Underground is open W-F 12-7 and Saturday 10-5. This world class exhibition will remain up through August 28th.
Speaking of work, I was the lucky recipient of two large 36x48" canvases from a lovely patron this week. I usually only paint 40x30" as my largest size, due to the shipping charges for over sized canvases. I am very grateful to be able to experiment with painting larger again. I haven't painted this size since art school, when I would stretch my own. So, I have been working on thebehemoth this week. I love a challenge, and that is what it has been, marks that make sense on a smaller canvas don't on a larger one, and of course it takes a lot more paint. Then there is that voice that says- you are repeating yourself, this looks just like all the other ones... I just have to turn the music up a little louder to drown out that voice. I hear there is even a larger canvas coming my way soon!
In other news, some of you may remember a collaborative paper painting that artist Steven Heaton and I have been working on. "Delay before Abandon" Well, our painting is going to be in the Chaosmos 2010 exhibition as part of the Liverpool Independents Biennial. I have been friends with Steven for over three years now, and we are both very pleased to be in an exhibition together. I am very excited about this opportunity, as I have my work in many private international collections, but have never been a part of an exhibition overseas. I have seen the other pieces that Steven will have in the exhibition, and I have to say they are really exciting. I plan to do another blog feature on Mr. Heaton in the near future to share his latest and greatest works with you all. I have a lot to say about them.
Also this week, a big sale came through for me! A two panel (diptych) 40x60" painting called Stamina and Refrain from the Evidence of the Disappearance series found a good home. It serves as a reminder, that it takes time to find homes for our art, but usually a home is found. It may take years and we may have our doubts, but hopefully it will happen. Stamina and Refrain was a special painting to me for many reasons, and I couldn't be happier that it has found a place in the world. Painting sales have been picking up since April which is a wonderful feeling. I have sold sixteen paintings in the past four and a half months and I am grateful. I hope that everyone is enjoying my work, and I hope they realize how important they are to me as I continue on this path. A sale is more than just money in the bank for living and supplies, but it is the validation and encouragement that I thrive on and that helps me to continue on and make more art.
I am still thinking about the issue of balance, which has always been a concern and has popped up in numerous posts in my blog over the years. I have never been good at balance, being more of an all or nothing type of person. I know this is not healthy, and I keep trying to work it out. When I am not painting, talking or writing about my own art, I am talking with other artists, helping them with their art, sharing my resources, encouraging them to continue, curating shows, and helping at the Underground etc. I love doing this, but I do wonder if I am not hiding in my work at times. It is my passion, it is what I am here to do. I am here to tell stories, make connections, take photographs, paint paintings and then share it with the global arts community and beyond. I know this is my purpose on the planet, but I still need to remember to touch the ground on occasion. Anyway, just some thoughts.
This week in the studio consisted of starting one new painting ( it has a long way to go, or I would show you) and completing the third installment of my collaborative effort with English artist Steven Heaton. I also managed to mail out some art as well, which for some strange reason is always the hardest part.
I wish I could say I was on fire in the studio, but this week consisted of a lot of business emails, tax preparation, inventory, promotions, meetings, and mixers with potential clients. It was productive, but not in the creative way that an artist dreams of. However, necessary just the same.
I've come to some conclusions this week. I need to change some things in my life so that I can pursue my art while maintaining my health and peace of mind. I don't really want or need to get into them here, but lets just say things are out of balance. Making art can be just like any other career, and you can push yourself too hard at times and lose sight of the other elements of your life. I am struggling with this currently, and need to stop just escaping into my art world. I have always had issues with balance, but it is really catching up with me. To remedy this, I hope to spend some time out of doors in the sun (if the weather cooperates) out of my studio, away from my cell phone and over long lists, and away from the computer too. It is time to refocus my energy.
As a dear friend put it, I need to switch off and become a cloud watcher for awhile. So that is what I plan to do.
Music for watching clouds:
see you next week, with either stories of clouds or more art...
This painting was finished all along. I looked at it in the natural light, I thought about it and studied it for days and whatever I thought I needed to do to it faded away. I am glad I left well enough alone.
While I was waiting for the above piece, I started a new one.
There are currently seven paintings in the new white series. Last night was First Thursday art night at the Fayetteville Underground; the crowds were huge, it was wonderful. My studio was open, and I received great feedback on the new series- it was wonderful to give people a taste of what I have been so excited about. I had moved all my colored paintings out of the studio, so that patrons could only view the new white series and The Manual for Living (a ten page guide). Many people talked about the Manual. My newest work could not have been received much better. I am so pleased and I can not wait to get back into the heart of a painting.
the beginning pieces from the new white series in my studio
Also in my studio, I debuted Delay before Abandon: A Transatlantic Collaboration a new project between myself and English artist Steven Heaton. Click on the link above to learn more about the project. We are both very excited about being able to work together. This project seemed to catch patrons imaginations, all of them thought it was an interesting idea, they wondered how we met, how it felt to cover over each other's work, how thick the paper would become as it is encrusted with paint, would the project last 6 months, 6 years, or twenty? So my studio feels a buzz with new activity, inspiration, and some sort of renewed power.
And last but not least, my work debuted in the Vault Gallery at the Underground last night. I love showing my work in the old vault of the bank that the Underground is housed in. It just fits with the space and came alive under the gallery lights.
Selected works by Megan Chapman: Vault Gallery
So that has been my week! Tomorrow is my birthday, and I don't know what the next year holds for me, but if I can remember the power and passion I have felt in the last month even half the time, I think this year could be quite special. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.
I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas, and that 2009 is winding down nicely for you. I wish you well for 2010 as we enter a new decade.. Really already?
This post is mostly for me, as it helps me see what I have accomplished because I can't stand back or get enough space to see what all is happening. Plus to be honest in real life I am pretty horrible at not giving myself credit, always focusing on what I didn't do or what I could have done better. This is the proof I need to silence those voices. I encourage you to write up your own year in review- I bet you will be amazed at what all you have done in the past 12 months, or you will see where you want to make changes in the new year.
I started off the year completing twenty new paintings for my exhibition, Fire and Noise, that opened in Little Rock, Arkansas at the River Market ArtSpace. I enjoyed the color red as it made a strong showing in this body of work as well as being inspired by the Nick Cave song,"Do you love me." I had not worked with one song as a thematic device for a collection of paintings and enjoyed the experience, although I think it strayed a bit from the initial concept. I am happy to report that seven of the twenty paintings sold from this body of work.
After weathering a massive ice storm, and once the power came back on, I was strongly encouraged by a dear friend to join Blipfoto in February. I did as I was told and haven't been the same since. I am now obsessed with taking at least one photo a day and have really enjoyed getting to know several of the other blippers on the site. Three of my blips have now been used commercially, 2 in the inside of a CD package, and one will be a future book cover. Not to mention that many of my blips have been used in a recent project of my own, but I am trying to be chronological, so we have to wait for that.
My next show "Selective Evidence" opened soon after in March at theddp gallery in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This was a fun exhibition as the gallery owner, Dede Peters requested that my studio be recreated in the gallery. At first I wasn't sure about this idea, but people seemed to really enjoy it. They loved seeing my paint encrusted easel as well as the fifteen paintings never before shown in the region. I sold 8 paintings in 2.5 weeks ( it was short show) with several pieces being bought while still wet, fresh off the easel.
In April, my work became available in Austin, Texas. I shipped 5 paintings to a lovely boutique called Wear Art Thou. Sadly, these paintings did not fly off the shelves, but I was happy to have my work out of state on exhibition. One of my blog readers even made a special trip to the shop to view the work and took a photograph of the work on display. You can see her post about it here.
At the end of April I excitedly moved into my new studio space outside my home!!! I signed the lease on a studio in the Fayetteville Underground. This has been an amazing experience, learning how to balance painting with managerial skills, not to mention just working around other artists and having my studio open to the public once a month on First Thursday. I am proud of all the work I have done with the Fayetteville Underground organization, and pleased we were voted best commercial gallery in our local Citiscapes magazine. We work hard and play hard at the Fayetteville Underground, and the artists and the studios make it a special place. I am excited about our upcoming 2010 schedule of exhibitions and of course continuing to work in my studio.
In late May I took a road trip to Atlanta to see my niece graduate from High School but I also made time to see some great art in the galleries and museums. I was blown away by the George Long exhibition I saw at the Marcia Wood gallery. This body of work and trip to Atlanta was very inspirational and influenced my flashes of memory/secret blocks that would come later.
This same month I had several paintings in a group show at the ddp gallery called Now and Again.
In June, it was off on another road trip this time to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Kansas City. The show was amazing, but also quality art viewing was squeezed in yet again, going to the museums and galleries and being inspired. Seeing good art and hearing good music inspires me more than anything, so I am proud that I was able to fit that into 2009.
In July, I gave an artist talk to the Artists of Northwest Arkansas group about my art and process- which was my first paid speaking gig. I remember being excited and nervous, and so proud of myself for this talk, and thinking I want to do more public speaking. I also remember I had a horrible barking cough during this talk and was sucking on cough drops the whole time.
During that same week, I received a shocking email that River Market ArtSpace in Little Rock was closing its doors after eleven years of business. I remember being so excited about this venue for my work. It was a very popular gallery in the State of Arkansas in a wonderful bustling downtown area. My exhibition Fire and Noise found it's home in this gallery as did so many of my other paintings. I enjoyed showing and selling my work in this grand space for the year and half that I did. So, another gallery closed- three galleries that represented my work were lost to closure since the recession started.
During all of this I was busy painting these new works in my new studio and developing my concept of the 100 flashes of memory or what is currently known as secret blocks.
August was a blur, working at The Underground on policies and procedures, maintaining The Underground blog, painting, photography and secret block experiments. I was also painting small works on paper and restocking my etsy shop, ArtMavenseveral times; always thrilled with the sales there. I really believe in the power of original art and believe that everyone should be able to afford it.
In September, I lead an intuitive drawing workshop in an upper level Architecture course at the University. It was a 3 hour course, and I had never offered a workshop of that nature and was honored to be asked by my friend and fellow artist Laura Terry who is an associate professor of Architecture at the University of Arkansas. It was a very interesting experience. It really left me feeling inspired and again wishing I did more public speaking or workshops.
This photograph I took of artist Maggie Ivy sums up September for me as well. Again, I keep exploring photography. It helps when you have an expert painting by Wyeth for inspiration as well as a stellar friend and model such as Maggie.
October and November was another blur, with first Thursday open studio events at The Underground, painting, photography. Also painting charity pieces for the Blue Moon Gallery'sCASA benefit, and DDP gallery's Project Feed Local. Also working hard on the secret blocks.
During this time, a very cool project was born! I painted a small work on paper and mailed it to UK painter and friend, Steven Heaton where he then documents it and will paint over it and return the painting to me. When I receive it, I will document what he has done and paint over it again only to return it. We will do this several times, and show the painting in our respective studios as well as document it on a special blog as this one painting morphs and changes; getting battered and tattered on its repeat transatlantic journey. Something to look forward to in 2010.
At the beginning of December I received word that four of my paintings had been selected by the Aaron Gallery in Washington D.C. to be a part of their 20th annual small and miniature exhibition. I was beyond happy to ship off some of my new paintings for this special exhibition.
Also, I was thrilled to debut 13 of my secret blocks at the DDP gallery's small works show the same month. I also made a video of that installation that I was quite proud of, so here it is again. This marked the first time I had exhibited my photographs rather than paintings in a gallery setting. I was quite nervous, but people seemed to respond to them well and enjoyed the tactile quality as well as the secret aspect of them.
So that is it, that is my year in review.. I am exhausted, and if you actually read all of that, I bet you are too!
And of course I wasted time on the Internet like the rest of the world, ate too much crap food, didn't exercise enough, and probably drank a little too much as well. I didn't read as much as I would like, and should have called my family and friends more often and I had my share of personal problems. Why am I writing this part? I am writing this, because when I first read blogs, I thought everyone was just so amazing- that their lives were super human and I envied that. My life is out of balance many days of the year, there are days I just sit and do nothing and get depressed, but then there are the days where I can accomplish a weeks worth of business in a couple of hours.
All I know is this, I am an artist and most days I am glad to be alive. I feel fortunate to have the friends, family, and support that I have in my life. I am fortunate that sometimes people buy my art and I am grateful for that, because without their financial support I can't live. I know that I am inspired by so much that I see, hear, read and receive from people just like you. Thank you for 2009..
Well, yesterday marked the first Friday in my studio blog's history that I didn't post something while not on some pre-arranged hiatus. Is this the beginning of the end? Is this the Saturday blog now? You can rest assured I sat in front of my computer logged into blogger, waiting to write something, anything- yesterday but nothing came to me. I have a pretty good idea why. In my opinion my blog has lost something, it has been here but it hasn't been the in-depth, inspired blog of the past. This saddens me really, as this blog was one my favorite things, but it appears to be one of the first and obvious victims of my lack of balance.
This lack of balance stems from many things and many of them good and happy things. Rediscovering my love of photography and posting an image everyday on blipfoto has taken some of my focus away from my painting and has been an additional and very rewarding way to express myself and has put me in touch with a new community. Moving into my studio outside my house and being heavily involved in the artist community of the Fayetteville Underground has taken a lot of energy and stamina. I love the community there, but it has taken a lot out of me to learn how to deal with ten or more personalities, and go to all the organizational meetings to get this all off the ground. Keeping the peace, trying to play all sides, and all the while maintaining a studio practice is a harder than I thought it would be.
But, while it has been a busy and scattered time, I have been productive. I had to take stock of all this on Monday. I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed that I wasn't doing enough, as I don't have a exhibition on the horizon any time soon and sometimes I can lose my way when I don't. So, I went to the studio early (before my peers- when all is quiet) and I wrote what I had done in the last 8 weeks or so.
"Just in the past 8 weeks, I have sold 7 canvas paintings and 14 small works on paper. I was in a group show at the ddp gallery. I moved into a new studio. I have painted 6 new paintings and have 8 new paintings in progress. I have painted 20 new works on paper. I have checked in with all my away Arkansas galleries in person- and now have work in Texas. I keep exploring my passion for photography every day on blip. I have a whole new multi media project that I am excited about in the works and I am learning new things, had the guts to ask Swedish musician Af Bellinde to perhaps collaborate. I went to Atlanta and Kansas City and fed my need for new art and music and culture. All this while going to all sorts of meetings and helping to make The Fayetteville Underground (fifteen artist's studios and four galleries) a successful place."
So, I missed yesterday's blog, and some past entries haven't been as rich as they were before. I can see why, and ultimately it is no big deal. Ideally, I could manage it all, you would still be getting the quality you deserve here, my house would also be super organized and lovely, my dog would not feel neglected by me, I would be the picture of complete health and all my relationships would be in tip top working order. But I am not that skilled at managing it all, and my expectations for myself are unrealistic.
So, I suggest that you too, slow down and take stock of what you are doing, it is sometimes hard for us to see how hard we are working, especially when we are always moving at a certain velocity through this life, through our art, our career. You may be surprised at what all you have accomplished and what you are capable of. Trying to find balance in this life is a worthy pursuit, but if you are not able; don't beat yourself up either. Know that you are doing the best you can do, and that everyone in your life is doing the best they can do as well.
I am awake- it's morning. I am listening to the most beautiful music in the dark of 3 a.m. and this is my life. It's a wonderful life.
Thank you.
PS. If you happen to live in Manchester England, Steven Heaton's Dreams in a changing landscape opens today! Good luck Steven!
Hope you all enjoyed the Vlog last week. As I mentioned in my talk, I am very impressed and honored that many of the readers of my blog are taking amazing steps with their art and their self-promotion perhaps due to something they have found inspiring or encouraging within my posts. This makes me so happy! Today, I want to share some of their hard work with you as well as let you know of a few local artists' current exhibitions.
First the local bulletin..
Basil Seymour Davies' masterful paintings are currently featured at the Art Center of the Ozarks in Springdale, Arkansas July 11-August 15 with an opening reception on Tuesday July 15th from 5:30-7:00pm. I cannot wait to see a whole room full of his paintings. If you are a regular reader you may remember I featured him in Six Amazing Artists You Should Know. If you are local, do not miss this show!! Congratulations Basil! Visit his website here.
Craig Earl Nelson's haunting and intimate portrait series, "Strangers and Not So Strange" is currently featured at the Mullins Library at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. The exhibition will be up until August 31st. This is an impressive show, not to be missed! Congratulations Craig! You can find out more information about Craig's work on his blog and at his website here.
Local gallerist Dede Peters and co-curator Robin Atkinson, have put on a rousing show sure to be talked about at the DDP gallery in Fayetteville. The exhibition is entitled, "Dreadful Objects" and features the works of Shane Richey and Jason Clinton Barnes. Visit the DDP gallery website here.
Alright, now to the readers and friends who are working hard at the self promotion of their art. You all inspire me.
Steven Heaton created some amazing postcards using Vista Print. I can't wait to receive mine! His postcard features one of his latest paintings and his contact information on the back, along with his artist's statement. This is a beautiful example of a great piece of promotional material. Steven also created a carbonmade portfolio. Steven just had two pieces accepted into the West Lancashire open exhibition at the Chapel Gallery, and one of the accepted pieces is on the front of the card. This could not have worked out better for him! He is now prepared to promote his work in the show. Congratulations Steven! Also, Steven was recently interviewed by fellow artist Tim Lane, for Artist interviewing Artist. Check it out here.
Deborah Eileen Burrow recently created her own website, showcasing her landscape and abstract work, has an artist statement, and links to her Keeping Creative blog as well as other helpful resources and artists she enjoys. She has also created a line of refrigerator magnets with images of her paintings and is selling them through Paypal. Contact her on her MySpace page for more information about her magnets. Deborah is also researching galleries in her area and surrounding region that might be a good fit for her work. Congratulations, Deborah!
Stephanie Mallicote, who works full time, is a wife and mother of two and is carving out her own space in the living room to paint again after a bit of a break. She is always doing something creative and inspired. Stephanie just created her own carbonmade portfolio. She also writes a great blog. Congratulations Stephanie!
Enjoy the local art that is right outside your front door, make a postcard, make a magnet, make a website, make some space and keep fighting, and most importantly keep painting. It is worth it. Thank you for all you give to me and to the world through your work.
Please note that all the art featured on this blog post is copyrighted by the respective artists. I asked permission to use these images.
Today, I would like to take the time to spotlight some very hard working artists. These artists deserve your time and attention. They deserve your business, your gallery representation, and your blog comments. They deserve your MySpace messages, and your Etsy reviews. Some of them, I am lucky know locally, and some of them I know only from the Internet, but we are good friends just the same. These six artists blow me away with their skill, determination, and style not to mention the honesty and passion they bring to their work.
First, from Fayetteville, Arkansas, painter Basil Seymour-Davies. His paintings seem impossibly accurate yet loose enough to be abstract in spots and almost surrealist in nature. Upon viewing Basil’s paintings, I am immediately drawn into the psychology of the person who appears caught so elegantly being their true self. Basil’s paintings are always intimate, and they serve as a window into the subjects inner workings. However there is still enough space around the subject to allow our own psychology into the mix. These paintings create an edgy narrative without being overbearing. Basil’s skill in painting portraiture is tremendous and luckily for those of us in the region he will be having a solo exhibition at the ArtCenter of the Ozarks in Springdale,Arkansas in June 2008. Please Visit Basil Seymour- Davies' MySpace page and his Website for more information about his work and process.
Also from Fayetteville, the incredible work of artist Ben Strawn. For those of you who know me, you know I am a champion of this artist’s work. Seeing Ben’s work was love at first sight! I am not the kind of person who sees something on the web and says “I must have that now,” but I did with Ben’s work. I own a piece from a different series than he is currently working on, but I love everything this artist does. He is an amazing illustrator and painter working with meticulous detail to create this beautiful and strange world filled with insects, animals, and figures co-mingling in odd habitats and homes. He works with paint on layers of Plexiglas which then gives his work a multidimensional feeling. As Ben builds up his inventory of paintings ( he practically sells out every time he shows) he has gotten in the habit of posting a Friday painting on his My Space blog. Please check out his MySpace page and his websitefor more information about Ben and his exciting and innovative work. On his website you will find a link to prints he has for sale.
Third, Cuckoo Bags by Prairie Grove artist Sarah Nunn. Sarah is an amazing abstract painter in her own right, but she has now turned a corner and created her own wonderfully stylish brand of bags and purses. She has sold her impressive line of "Cuckoo Bags" at local boutiques, and galleries in Fayetteville and Tulsa, and now she has turned to Etsy to market her chic recycled fabric bags. This woman has mad style and a quirky take on fashion. So, if you like being earth friendly and chic, these are the bags that you must carry. I always have one on my arm, and each is unique. For more information about Sarah Nunn’s Cuckoo bags, please visit Terra Tots in Fayetteville or buy online at Sarah's Etsy store.
Now, onto my international friends (thanks to MySpace).
The work of German artist Isabel Reitemeyer. I was immediately drawn to these stark and lovely collage pieces. Isabel’s work struck a chord with me that I couldn’t shake, eventually with the help (if you can call it that) ofan online translator I tried to communicate that I was in love with this piece (pictured here) and the rest of her work as well. I attempted to ask her about them and where she showed her work. The translation was a wreck of course and we quickly moved on from there. She said that she is just getting started with these collage pieces and is trying to get together a show, and at some point she may create prints. I love going to her MySpace page, which is currently the only place I know of to view her work. She also has a cryptic website, with her contact information, but that is it. I would love to one day see her work in person. I think her sense of composition, line and humor is spot on. Spare but engaging, I absolutely love this artist’s work. She is one of my favorites. I think she may be a children’s book illustrator as well, but I can’t be certain. Please view her work on her MySpace page. She seems quite prolific, and her page is a joy to visit.
Last but certainly not least, is the work of English painter Steven Heaton, he is also known as “The Factory Supervisor.” Readers of my blog may recognize the factory supervisor as someone who leaves thoughtful comments that seem to come from experience. Steven is an abstract painter that creates brilliantly colored atmospheric worlds made up of paint, metals, strings, and whatever caustic chemicals he can combine to create a beautiful patina. Sometimes Steven turns to his “garden” to take care of any missteps in his process, as he lets the weather and earth do their thing to enhance his stubborn paintings. This artist amazes me in his sheer dedication to his art. He works what seems like beyond a full time job, with hours that reach long into the day and night, and yet he keeps painting regularly; entering and getting accepted into exhibitions, not to mention selling his work. I have included a detail of his work, which shows the lovely metallic patina that adorns his vermilion streak of "sky."This artist also writes a blog that I frequent, and I highly recommend it. The tone of his blog, as he maneuvers us through his life as an artist, is more honest and vulnerable than many I have read. He isn’t selling anything here; he is simply sharing his artistic world and musings with us. This includes all the questions, problems, and inspirations that may pop up in this messy life and take form in his art. I take considerable comfort in his words, and I think you might as well. Go to his Blog, his carbonmade portfolio, and find even more of his work at the ok studios website.
Here are just six of the many amazing artists I know. Again, please give them your time and attention. These artists make me work harder, they fill me with wonder, and they make my world a more beautiful and inspired place.
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