Music, Studio Visits, and Preparation.

I will let my Tuesday Studio Video Visit (that I recorded this week on a Thursday) tell you what has been going on this week in the studio (click the bottom right corner to turn on the volume on the videos).

Part 1.



Part 2.



This morning, I had a studio visit with Union Gallery owner Alison Auldjo to talk about the upcoming July show. I always enjoy studio visits! Alison has picked out three new pieces from my current series and I am going to be completing a fourth that is currently in progress for the exhibition. I am very pleased with her choices and I can't wait to see them all together on the gallery wall. I am glad to know where I stand in regards to preparing for the exhibition.



Next week I must turn all my attention towards preparing for open studios. I am enjoying the warmer weather, the sun and getting out in it as much as I can. I am working with that elusive life-work balance, that for me is a bit more challenging in the summer months as the weather improves and there are things to do and people to see.

That's all I have for you. Until next week, keep showing up for yourself and your art. The world needs you.

Field trip, Studio makeover, and exciting news!

This week started with an adventure to Dunfermline to see Robert The Bruce, King of Scotland's grave. Genealogy is a hobby of mine and finding him in the family tree was a fun discovery. More than anything though it was just great fun to cut out on a Monday, get on a train and go see new things. Dunfermline is a beautiful place in the spring and the birdsong, ruins, and trees caught my fancy. The air smelled more like home. I put it all in my internal bank to draw from on another day.

On Tuesday, I recorded the video visit that you can see here if you missed it.


As you can see, I was spending the week getting my studio organised and fitting in my new canvas storage and chair that was found in the street! I seem to always find everything I need on the street... The video cuts off (of course) but rest assured I was wishing you well and hoping you were inspired and encouraging you to take some time off and to not be so hard on yourself and to "do no harm but take no shit."

By Wednesday evening I had my studio pretty well sorted out and I must say I love the way it feels right now. It almost feels new again. I have been enjoying the space and have been painting the sides of small works to get them ready for the upcoming Open Studios Event.

Yesterday, I shared some exciting news on my Facebook pages and I will share it with you right now...

My armor, my solace, my connection
© 2017 Megan Chapman 
signed limited edition print
paper size A3 42x29.7cm/11.7x16.5"

Resolute
© 2017 Megan Chapman 
signed limited edition print
paper size A3 42x29.7cm/11.7x16.5"

Paths, ravines, timeless tales
© 2017 Megan Chapman 
signed limited edition print
Paper size 29.7x29.7 cm/11.7x11.7"

HBO bought three of my limited edition prints (see above) from The Distillation Process to use in their series True Detective!

I am beyond thrilled and so happy that they saw them while part of the current exhibition, "From the Ashes" at Fenix Fayetteville in my hometown.

You can see the whole series here: http://bit.ly/2KONcs4

If you are local to the Northwest Arkansas area, please go check out the exhibition before it comes down in June. "From the Ashes" is the inaugural exhibition in Fenix Fayetteville's beautiful new space on the square. There is so much wonderful work to see, enjoy and purchase! Don't miss it!

I appreciate everyone's support and enthusiasm in the sharing of my good news. We'll all have to watch season 3 of True Detective when it comes out!

As I was walking home from the studio the other day, I thought to myself that having the space to create really is the ultimate reward. May you have a room of your own and all the materials you need. 

Cardboard meditations and open studios

This week in the studio I played a bit. I enjoyed the freedom of a meditation in motion in the form of working on "throw away" materials such as cardboard from the studio recycling bin. A simple way to loosen up after working on my larger canvases as well as my smaller series. I enjoyed the freedom to just move along with the paint with no destination and no finished product in mind. You can learn and see more of this on my Tuesday Studio Video Visit, in case you missed it on my Facebook art page here it is again.


You can see the studio snaps of the results of this process.

In other news, we are still gearing up for our Open Studios event at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. Stewart Bremner of IndyPrints has designed a wonderful poster for our event. We have an exciting and varied lineup of artists and other exciting groups opening their doors on the 9th of June, so please make plans to attend.

If you are on facebook, please say you will attend by marking it so on our event page. We really would love to see you there!

Every day we paint is a victory. Every day we care for ourselves, each other, and the world is an even bigger one. The world needs you. Thank you.

We are more alike than we are different

The latest pieces from the series
"Communication techniques of the easily silenced"

This week in the studio layers of paint and paper continued to be added to my latest canvases from my "Communication techniques of the easily silenced" series of small works. I also finished another wee square work on canvas (20x20cm/8x8") and worked on two large 80x80cm canvases, getting one of them close to completion.

Small work

I also filmed my Tuesday Studio Video Visit, if you missed it on my Facebook art page, you can see it here. You will be able to see the small works being created and that my studio is getting a bit messy again (always a good sign).

Small work

I continued working on organising Open Studios this week as well. I think we have it mostly together now, just a few more nuts and bolts and finishing touches and then I can turn to getting my studio in order so that the public can enjoy it!

Large works in progress

Last week, I mentioned our culture jaunt to the modern for the fabulous Jenny Saville paintings in the NOW exhibition. This week in cultural outings, I had the pleasure of meeting visiting Australian artist, Jan Allsopp. Jan is visiting the UK on holiday and delightfully arranged to visit with me in my studio. I adored spending time with her in a local coffee shop as well as in my studio. I have admired Jan's work and ethos for a while now and to meet her in person was a treat. It is always good to talk with other artists that share the same painterly language and headspace. Visit Jan's website and learn more about her beautiful work.

This world is large and we are all so spread apart. The world is at the same time, small and filled with kindred spirits tucked in the corners and it is always a joy to meet one.

Until next week, know in your heart of hearts we are more alike than we are different and the world needs you and your art.

Step out into the light

Small work from my latest series

This week I worked on more small works in the studio, my 'communication techniques of the easily silenced' series.These small works were born between bursts of organising and meeting with artists and administration of the Drill Hall as we ready ourselves for our Open Studio event to held 9th of June from 11-5pm at 36 Dalmeny Street at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. Put it in your diaries if you are in the area, we would love to see you there!

A small collection of new works.

Back to the art, these small canvases are layered with paint, paper, and more paint. They are a bit dirty, with the colours muddied a bit, just how I like things. With these small works, I allowed myself the pleasure of creating pieces that look like they could have been found mouldering away on the floor of an abandoned house in the sultry south. I would love to stage them in such surroundings.

I have been thinking more about what I love about the south, the wildness of it, the heavy air and the electric charge that comes with the change in the weather. I would say that all of my work since I have returned to Scotland from visiting Arkansas in December and January has been an atmospheric homage to where I am from. 

It's been a curious and exciting week, lessons were learned. Intuition is always something that I have relied on in my life. However, sometimes I still forget to heed it. All will be revealed in time. Keep listening to your intuition.

Jenny Saville, Propped, 1992 

Oil on canvas, 213.5x183cm. 

In other news, I took in some much-needed culture and stood before the impressive Jenny Saville paintings at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. They taught me a thing or two about space and commanding it while retaining our vulnerability and humanness. Saville's larger than life paintings of women are raw and unadulterated, personal, universal and moving. They were a treat for the senses, painterly visions of flesh and blood. I will be returning to spend time with these works again before they move on.

Francesca Woodman (1958-1981)
Self-deceit #6, Rome, 1978

As I rounded the corner from Saville's work and into the hall, I was delighted to discover five photos by Francesca Woodman  (one of my favourite photographers). These dark photos with their intimate scale and searching feminine voice were the perfect counterpoint. 

If you are in the area, I would not miss the exhibitions on now at the modern one and two.

Until next week, the world needs you and your art. We need to share ourselves and our visions so that others may see themselves and step out into the light.

Communication techniques of the easily silenced

this is my paradise

I worked most of this week in the studio helping to organize our Open Studio event (Saturday 9th of June 11-5pm). I have now been to parts of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall I had never seen until this week. I also finally met loads of folks that I have been working alongside for years. I cleaned my studio, filmed my Tuesday Studio Video Visit, and started twenty-three small paintings (but only nine actually got somewhere)!? I even worked on a couple of large ones too!

That's ridiculous and because of that, I am tired. The sun has been out a bit more too, making it hard to stay focussed and in my windowless studio.

Not to worry, this weekend I will have a chance to recover, regroup and start again on Monday. I think everything is going pretty well, I am just using my brain in different ways and talking to more people than usual and not working quite as much as I would like (except for those twenty-three wee paintings!).

There is some sort of hunger or reaching for something or waiting for something to happen and I can feel the tension of it. I'll just observe it for now. Perhaps it is some sort of longing. Spring is about to burst open and I want to be out there in the midst of it and not miss anything.

Communication techniques of the easily silenced
Small works in progress

I want to be warm.

It's all kicking off!

Everything I Love
mixed media on canvas 80x80cm
©Megan Chapman 2018

This week was a busy one. It was a week of painting documentation, deadlines, meetings, finishing touches, mentoring, the one-year anniversary of the Tuesday Studio Video Visit, and using an online calendar to keep it all straight. It was a great week of work moving from one thing to another and feeling in the zone, staying up late and getting up early. I even managed a massage, a community meeting, meeting a friend for tea, and a few moments by the beach. Yes, I had help to accomplish all of this and I am grateful for it.

I happily delivered the painting above, "Everything I Love" to the Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello to replace the one that recently sold as part of the 'Spring, Thy Name is Colour' exhibition. I am very pleased with this piece, it's one of my favourites from my latest series.

There are a few exciting things coming down the line soon, the first one is that I am to be featured in the upcoming UK edition of Painters Tubes Magazine #8(available in print and online). I am also being interviewed for the Jackson's Art Supply Blog. I will let you know when both of those are available for you to enjoy. It's all very exciting!

Next week, I need to start getting busy as I am helping to organise as well as participating in the Open Studios Event at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall on June 9th from 11-5pm. We are proud to be part of the Leith Festival. It should be a great event as folks will get a behind the scenes of our studios and there will be a wide variety of art available to enjoy and purchase as well. Last but in no way least, this July, I will have four large-scale pieces in the 'Summer Garden Party' exhibition at the Union Gallery. As they say here, 'it's all kicking off!'

It's almost 10:30pm on a Friday night and this blog has been brought to you by a Chinese delivery meal, most of a Marzipan Ritter Sport chocolate bar and this song turned up way too loud in my headphones.

Thanks for being part of my art world, please consider me part of yours. Until next week, the world needs you and your art!

Keep showing up

I haven't had as many words available for my blog lately. Perhaps it's because of my Tuesday Studio Video Visits. Or that I have been using my words in my recently revamped mentoring practice. Perhaps, it's because it's the middle of April and it's still winter here in Edinburgh. Either way, I keep showing up here each Friday and manage a few words and share a few photos and I am glad of that. It's an important part of my practice. I am sure there will be more thoughts and ruminations on art and the bigger picture again soon (like when the sun comes out).

This week I started a new 80x80cm canvas, I also bought a couple of new paint colours to excite and partially bribe myself to get in my studio after a less than inspiring weekend. That worked for Monday but by Tuesday I needed a field trip and went to the Royal Botanic Gardens to spend some time in nature and the Victorian Glass houses for the warmth and a change of scenery. It was a beautiful way to spend an afternoon and a complete feast for the senses. I even filmed a quick two-part video visit from the gardens. You can see part 1 here and part 2 here if you missed it on my Facebook art page.

Paradise at the Botanics

Wednesday, I took another day off from the studio to recover from my garden sensory overload but by Thursday I was ready to get serious again and mostly finished the large 80x80cm canvas (see at top of post) I had started previously as well as three 20x20cm/8x8" wee canvases. I have to say I was very pleased with how the wee ones turned out (pictured below).

Wee abstracts

I think that's all I have for you on what's been a slightly off week for me personally. However even on this off week, I still painted and spent time in my studio, I saw beautiful things and was inspired and I showed up as best as I could for myself. It's all part of the creative process, the great ebb, and flow. Thanks for being part of my art world. Until next week, we need you and your work! Keep showing up!

Back to the place I enjoy and remember

My latest work from the studio

After my cold last week, this week saw me mostly back to work in the studio. Monday through Wednesday I was in active painting mode (see painting above) complete with the Tuesday Studio Video Visit. I didn't sleep too well on Wednesday night so by Thursday I just spent some time looking at my current work in the studio and attended the initial planning meeting for our upcoming Open Studios at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall (locals mark your calendars: Open Studios will be Saturday, the 9th of June from 11-5pm, more on this as it gets closer). 

By Thursday night I could tell I was feeling run down again, with a bit of a cough and a sore throat. Because of this, I spent most of today in bed, until it was time for an energising online mentoring appointment with a new artist client.

In other exciting news, I was contacted for an upcoming interview in the blog of a national (UK) art supply retailer. I am honoured and delighted to have been asked and will let you know all about it soon!

So while I am frustrated to be seemingly under the weather again so soon, it was still a rather productive week. I am feeling good about things; productive, spirited and in the zone. I am getting back to a place in my art world that I enjoy and remember. I am grateful.

Thanks for being part of it all. Until next week, please remember that the world needs you and your art.

New work, exhibition news, and a sale!

I am writing you from my bed this week, no coffee shop experience here. This week I came down with a wee cold. I only made it to my studio on Monday. I worked on two paintings, quite energetically. It felt so good to work that I just went for it and I think I just did myself in. By the evening I knew I was heading down sore throat lane and would be soon spending quality time with our sweet cat, Theo and Netflix for the remainder of the week (there are worse things).

I even missed the Tuesday Studio Video Visit! Even with all this, I do have a fuzzy image of my latest painting to share and then later some good news! First the painting, this is just a snapshot from the studio (my old iPhone is showing it's age with the blurry camera- but you get a sense of it).

New work

This piece is a bit smaller than the others in the series. I was having a bit of trouble with the much larger 100x120cm canvas I was working on and needed to make something come together, and this 51x41cm did the trick.

In exciting news, I was just asked by the fabulous Union Gallery here in the west end of Edinburgh to paint 4 large-scale pieces for a group exhibition coming up this July! This thrills me to no end and I can't wait to get to painting these pieces. I will keep you posted as the work emerges and it gets closer to the show but if you are local/regional to Edinburgh pencil sometime in July to attend an opening.

In addition to that great news, today I was informed that one of my new large-scale works just sold from the current exhibition at The  Velvet Easel Gallery! I may have squealed a bit when I read the good news from the gallery owner. It is always such an electric charge to sell a painting, it feels like the best reward for years of hard work and I am overjoyed and very thankful! It's an honour for me when someone sees and responds to my vision for my art and chooses it for their own.

Acceptance 80x80cm mixed media on canvas sold

With this good news, as well as my art mentoring continuing to pick up steam, things feel very hopeful at this moment professionally. I am working hard and it's weeks like these when it all starts to feel like it's coming together. I am grateful.

Next week I look forward to catching up in the studio and having a nice long chat with you all on the Tuesday Studio Video Visit, along with a dash of mentoring with my fellow artists near and far.

I hope you are well, happy, and inspired. If you are not any of those things, I hope you know the world needs you and your art and the good things usually will come back around, so hang in there. Thank you all for being part of my art world.

Ride this wave with me: New paintings and mentoring

I am sitting in the coffee shop, listening to the Brambles (again). I have written several blogs from the coffee shop since my return after the winter holidays. The coffee shop is my generic paradise complete with sickly sweet soy chai, gluten-free biscuits, and free Wifi. It is a simple respite from the demands of the studio, the dishes at home, and the clamor and drink of a pub as well as a wee reward for working hard.

So, now that I have set the scene, let's dig in. It's been a busy week.

First of all, there have been paintings. I worked on a total of four paintings this week and I think I resolved two of them. Here are the studio snapshots of the two pieces.

A slightly smaller piece than what I've been working on in this series but still a good size. 60.9x91.4x4cm/24x36x1.5" Mixed media on canvas

A larger piece, 100x120cm mixed media on canvas

Besides working in the studio, finishing these two paintings and recording the Tuesday studio video visit, I also started mentoring two artists this week! If you recall, last Friday I mentioned I was going to reintroduce mentoring as part of my art practice. I really enjoy helping other artists work through their obstacles. I offer support and am an ally for artists so that they can push through barriers and refine their goals for their art. It was a joy and an honour to work in this way again and it left me feeling very excited and inspired.

So often artists just need a sounding board, someone outside of the situation to survey the scene and offer a little guidance. I get such a thrill when I can step into this role. The two artists I worked with this week, live and work outside of Edinburgh, in other parts of Scotland so we used the benefits of modern technology and worked together through Skype and Facetime. I am looking forward to working with both of them again soon.

Perhaps this is a service you might benefit from or perhaps you have more questions about how I could help you? Please email me at meganchapmanart@gmail.com My fee is £30/hour if we work together online and £35/hour if we work together in my studio and includes a pre-meeting email sharing of what's going on for you as well as a follow-up email summary of our session. Make sure to read last week's blog for a more detailed outline of what I offer and what people have said about working with me in the past. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next week, the world needs you and your art!

I want to paint and I want to help

This week saw more painterly progress in the studio. I completed two more new pieces in the series.

Again I am flirting with harder shapes and angles combined with an ethereal atmosphere with an icy yet earthy palette. In these pieces, I enjoy playing with the consistency of the paint as well. As the series progresses, I continue to expand on the concept of "what is enough" to tell and teach me when to stop with these works. Less is more.

I feel good about my painting progress this week while also taking time away from the studio for some necessary art administrative work. I also managed my Tuesday Studio Video Visit. You can see it here if you missed it. I can't believe that my weekly studio video visit series will be a year old next month!



Here are the latest four painting in the series. Soon the work will be properly documented and titled.

In other exciting art news, I have decided that I want to return to mentoring artists who could benefit from an understanding ally in their creative practice.

I have worked in this capacity formally and informally with various artists over the years and have always enjoyed it. I recently mentored a fellow artist for several hours at the start of the year and realised once again how much I not only enjoy this work but how much I have missed it. I am an enthusiastic believer in art and artists and I want to help more artists feel supported and encouraged.

I now offer one to one mentoring/coaching services for artists who are at a crossroads with their work or for those who have been away from their art for a while and want to return to it. I want to gently mentor artists by working with them to examine their past work, creative habits, and blocks - working together to push through obstacles in a supportive, encouraging and yet challenging way.

I will work closely with the artist to create a customised plan to jump-start their art making through the use of various process exercises, guidance, and accountability. This can be done in person at my studio at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith, Edinburgh as well as online via Skype and through email. In accordance with the Scottish Artists Union 2018 rates of pay, my fee for this service is £30-35/hour (depending on if we work together in person or online only) payable through PayPal or bank transfer.

If you think this is something you might be interested in or have additional questions, please email meganchapmanart@gmail.com

*I will have a few reduced fee scholarship spots available to those artists in need (especially to those who identify as women, people of colour, single mothers, differently abled and LBGTQIA+ each quarter - you do not have to identify to me, just mention "underrepresented" in your email and I will see what I can do). Please don't hesitate to inquire about these slots.

Here are a few things that folks have said about working with me over the years.

"Megan Chapman is an inspiration with her passion and commitment to art in the community and this spreads worldwide through the power of the Internet. Early on in my career, I commissioned Megan to do a portfolio review which was absolutely brilliant and helped me a lot with my path forward."
– Deborah E Burrow

"Ms. Chapman has reviewed some of my paintings and helped me fine tune my process, allowing me to take my work to the next level. In addition, she has offered a constant stream of encouragement for my installations. I will be forever grateful."
– Craig Colorusso

"Megan Chapman exudes kindness, enthusiasm, and passion so that art can live, projects can exist and for all of this to be shared."
– Christian Demare

"Megan Chapman helped me progress experiments, to an international standard. When we first communicated, I painted in a dusty cold garage, yet through her guidance, I have progressed to a studio, and then to director of studios, and my work evolved with her input at every stage. I'm grateful for her experience, talent and willingness to share technique, style, and presentation."
– Steven Heaton

"Megan is the person you want in your corner when it comes to promoting your art. As a novice artist, her encouragement and belief in my work was the primary motivation for getting my art exhibited. No one works harder on your behalf."
– John Spurgeon

Well, that's all I have for you this week. Thanks for reading my blog. Until next week, keep making, doing, and seeing. The world needs you and your art.

The muses smiled (as did the fox)

The Muses smiled on me again on Monday. I was able to get the grounds going on four paintings. I painted over two older works that didn't make the cut previously and was relieved to make some good progress on my latest series. I always have to remind myself to let loose and to just create "backgrounds" so that I can react against them with purpose, once I remember this, things really get going in the studio.

painting sounds

I made a short video of the painting process as I love the sound of a brush against the canvas (that is when I can hear them- I usually have my music turned up way too loud on my headphones to shut out the world). I also wanted to capture the physicality of working. At times I can be pretty exhausted from painting, not just from the mental and emotional aspects of it but from the physical demands. I was so glad that I was able to begin the week with a strong start on these four pieces.

Tuesday happened to be my 46th birthday so I popped into the studio to record my Tuesday Studio Video Visit and then I went out to celebrate. It felt good to spend a little time in the studio on my birthday. Here's the video if you missed it on facebook.



After the birthday excitment, I took Wednesday off (I actually think this had more to do with my Monday session of painting) but it seems more fun to blame it on my birthday. However, I was back in the studio to work on Thursday and Friday, which leads us to these two works below.

I am playing with the cool pallette again, with the addition of an orange and a grey. I am also playing more with thick vs. thin paint, as well as harder angles against the etheral atmosphere. It's feeling good and I am glad to be getting back in the zone. I like how the warmer under paintings peek out from beneath the surface.

new work from the studio this week

new work from the studio this week

In other news, the sun came out today and it felt like a miracle. I forgot how good it feels. While out walking and enjoying the sun, I met a fox and he told me to tell you to pay attention to how unexpectedly beautiful the world can be. He then jumped up a wall, making easy work of it. You and I might have looked at that wall and thought we were trapped but he didn't even think of it as an obstacle. He asked me to have you think about that too.

Until next week, everyday we paint is a victory.

Spring Thy Name is Colour

"Spring, Thy Name is Colour" opens tomorrow with an all-day drop-in opening with sparkly and nibbles at the fabulous Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello, Edinburgh. I am so pleased to be part of this, not to be missed, group exhibition. We have had the "Beast from the East" visiting us with lashes of snow since Tuesday, but the show must go on! I plan to drop by the gallery at some point tomorrow so if you are local, perhaps I will see you there! Here's a behind the scenes photo of the gallery owner Rosalind Walker hanging the work. You can see two of my three pieces in the show on the back wall behind her as well as many other exciting works!

Courtesy of The Velvet Easel Facebook Page

Other than this exhibition excitement, I went to the studio Monday through Wednesday and then took Thursday and Friday off due to the winter storm. I recorded my Tuesday video, worked on a couple of new 80x80cm pieces, and had two short meetings with a fellow artist on how to create and organize more opportunities for ourselves and our fellow studio mates, such as hosting more open studios, exhibitions, as well as increasing promotion of our events and workshops. Stay tuned for more about that in the coming days.

The snow was magical, beautiful, and it filled me with childlike excitement. While away from the studio, I enjoyed a few short cold and snowy walks, took photos, met a friend for lunch, took some time for myself, made some soup and let time slip away. It doesn't really feel like a Friday as I type this. The snow does that- makes the time shift and become much less rigid. I like that.

I like you too. Wherever you are I hope you are warm and well. If you are not inspired now, you will be again soon. You are important for the world and its character and you give us a lot when you share your work. Don't let the bastards get you down (and I know that's easier said than done). You will get down (I do too). Just know you are not alone and it will all come around again. Just wait it out, find your people, and take solace.

Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs you.

Finishing touches

This week in the studio has mostly been about finishing off the work (same as last week). You'll be happy to know that I found the varnish I needed locally at the Edinburgh Art Shop. I went with a satin finish this time as gloss seemed too much when I am pleased with the matte finish of the work.

Monday, I spent time in the studio painting the sides of the pieces with a fresh coat of white (it takes many coats depending on how messy the sides are from the process). I also started a new 80x80cm painting on Monday. I added a bit of orange oxide to the palette. Here is a detail.

detail

I look forward to getting back into the painting soon. However, painting must wait until the current works are finished off and delivered to The Velvet Easel and The &Gallery. The paintings are signed, dated and titled on the back and they have been varnished with the expert help of Stewart. I was feeling a bit under the weather on Tuesday when I recorded my short video visit, if you missed it you can see it here.



On Wednesday I had a lovely meeting with Union Gallery. It was good to check in with them and have a chat. It's such a beautiful space. Their website is now up to date with my currently available works. I am honoured to be represented by three brilliant women-owned galleries in Portobello, New Town and the West End of Edinburgh. After a little over three years of trying to figure out the art scene here in Scotland, it finally feels like I am getting somewhere. Next stop, Glasgow and beyond!

After the meeting on Wednesday it was back to the studio for more coats of white paint on the sides and Thursday the hanging wires were added again with Stewart's expert help. I will be putting one more coat on the sides later today and then deliver the works this weekend.

So, that was this week in the studio. It feels good to be getting things ready to go out, to have work in these three galleries, as well as work back home in the Fenix Collective. I took a break from brick and mortar galleries for a while due to the economy caused closures and simply because I moved countries. It is so good to be getting back to what feels "normal" to me. Thank you for being here for the exciting moments as well as the necessary ones.

Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs you.

Gallery news!

I am delighted to share that the following paintings from my latest series will be heading to two galleries in Edinburgh soon.

These three pieces will be in the Spring, Thy Name is Colour exhibition at The Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello, Edinburgh. Opening Saturday, the 3rd of March.

All that I am
Mixed media on canvas
80x80cm
© 2018 Megan Chapman
£1,450

Acceptance
Mixed media on canvas
80x80cm
© 2018 Megan Chapman
£1,450

Echoes and memory
Mixed media on canvas
100x120cm
© 2018 Megan Chapman
£2,200

In other exciting gallery news, the painting below will soon be going to The & Gallery on Dundas Street in Edinburgh.

Only to disappear

Mixed media on canvas

120x100cm

© 2018 Megan Chapman
£2,200

It is a joy to know that the work I am creating currently is not only ticking my own personal boxes but that it will also be reaching the public so quickly after painting it and in two such beautiful and unique galleries.

It is moments like these where every question and doubt, every frustration or worry, quiets and I know once again I am on the right path. This path I have been walking down for over twenty years. In fits and starts, my dedication to painting never truly wanes. I am grateful for all the lessons I have been taught and continue to learn through art. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get some more varnish and get these pieces gallery ready!

Until next week, the world needs you, and your art.