We are the Abstractionistas!

Esther Donaldson
estherdonaldson.com

Megan Chapman
meganchapman.com

Judith Shaylor
judithshaylor.com

Susan Wilson
susanelizabethwilson.com

Join us next week at our inaugural exhibition, Advancing The Abstract in Gallery 2 at the Edinburgh Palette, St. Margaret's House, Edinburgh. Reserve your free tickets now. The exhibition is from July 9-25. Gallery hours 12-5 daily. Reception July 10 from 2-6pm. Click for tickets. We'd love to see you there. 

July is the month to come out and see art!

July = Art. Here's where I will be showing in July. Find my work in these exhibitions. "Defying Sameness" at The Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello. "Summer Garden Party" at Union Gallery in the West End. "Makers Marque" Open Studio (G23) at The Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith! I would love to see you at any and all of these events

I plan to be at The Velvet Easel Gallery around 12:30 for the opening (it's an all-day pop in affair from 10-5pm) tomorrow, so if you are planning on coming to the opening and want to catch me there please come around then. I would love to see you. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I will have two pieces in the Defying Sameness show. The gallery is hung salon style and often one or two works by each artist in the exhibition is on display and as things sell and the show gets freshened up and new work appears. It's such a charming gallery and this looks to be a brilliant show. 

Next Thursday night July 12th from 6-8pm. I will be at Union Gallery for the duration of the opening for the brilliant Summer Garden Party exhibition. I am very excited to have five paintings from my latest series on show in the front of the gallery on the left-hand wall as you walk in. I am thrilled to have these works shown together and Union Gallery is a perfect venue. If you are local or feel like making a wee trek to Edinburgh next Thursday night I would be honoured if you would attend in support of my work. It's going to be a stellar exhibition with many gallery favourites on show. 

July 15th from 12-5pm I will have my studio open once again for the Makers Marque at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. There will be market stalls in the main hall and my studio G23 will be open. I will have a selection of small works on show and some new things not seen before. So come on out for some quality art viewing and conversation.

So as you can see there are plenty of opportunities to visit with me as well as view and purchase my work in Edinburgh this July. This is one of my favourite parts of being an artist. Making art is a solitary process and I love that part as well, but I believe it is in the sharing of the work, the ideas, and listening to the stories that the work conjures and inspires from viewers that is crucial.

We live in a modern world filled with information, graphics, photos and images. We think we see, know, and understand a lot of what we see. We think we are experiencing the art of the masters and our peers through a computer screen or on our phone. We are and we are not. Seeing art and having an artist present with the work in a space that showcases, supports, and elevates the work is an important and separate part of the process. 

Viewing art doesn't need to be stodgy, elite, or uncomfortable. We don't need to talk in riddles and meaningless concepts. Viewing and loving art are as basic as enjoying flowers that you don't yet know the names of and perhaps never will. It is innate, human, and basic. The more people that show up to have these conversations around art and artists, the better. Come on out and let's talk.

The privilege of being a painter

Pinterest is my safe place when the news of the world gets too much, I go and hide out there and look at art.

A cascade of beauty and hope washes over me. Old, new, and so many unknown works, flood the electronic pages. I get a rush as I discover a new work or artist, but it doesn't stop there, they are connected by an algorithm designed to lead me to more. It feels like online gambling but with a much bigger payoff.

I click on a favourite Motherwell which in turn leads me to a colourful Kline that I have never seen which then takes me to an unknown Diebenkorn. As I work the site, it keeps peeling back yet another layer of these painter kings.

A coveted image of an anonymous yellow ochre and black midcentury abstract in situ finally gets named and then I am off down a rabbit hole to discover all I can about Conrad Marca-Relli.

I double back and look at the work of Hartigan, I read her words and thoughts, Mitchell and Frankenthaler too. These gutsy, tough women who just wanted to paint and be seen.

I receive an electric charge as I look at these collections, feeling fevered and excited. I look for secret messages, connections, and validation. I am comforted by the others that share this work and sweet affliction. I have never found being an artist easy or even smart. I have never completely trusted this calling, yet I have sacrificed so much for the privilege of being a painter.

An exchange of space and energy

Open studios went very well. It was a lovely event that reminded me of everything I love about being an artist and being part of a community. Besides painting, it's the conversations and communication that I really enjoy. It is always a thrill to witness folks take the time to breathe and let go as they view the work. A wonderful exchange of space, energy, art, and thought happens in these moments. I can sense it when it happens and it fills me with joy. I feel seen and understood, this is a rare gift. I am not being the cool or aloof artist, I am open to questions and the sharing of my process with fellow artists, patrons, and the non-buyer alike.

Here's my Tuesday Studio Video Visit, in my rather tidy studio, chatting about open studios and what comes next.



I was delighted that there were several sales during the day. Two pieces from my new series sold as well as several other earlier paper series pieces. Thank you again to everyone who came out and enjoyed my studio, spoke with me, and supported my work.

To continue on in the open studio spirit, I have created a site for my small works on canvas from my recent "Echoes and Memory" series. These small works range in price from £175-250 and will be available for the next 12 days.Visit:www.meganchapman.myshopify.com.

As the small works site went live this morning, I was delighted with a sale right from the start. I am grateful for this support and appreciation of my work.

Until next week, sing your song, make your mark, and know that there are a few people out there that do speak your language. Find those people and celebrate. We need you here with us. 

All Things Open Studios!

Poster Design by Stewart Bremner

This week it is all about Open Studios!

A HUGE Saturday coming up at the Drill Hall with Out of the Blue Open Studios, Bruncheon! feat. the Sound of Muesli with Toby Mottershead, Lewis Gibson (of The Midas Touch) & Ruth Marie Cumming, Architecture Fringe's Crumble Magazine Project plus a chance to see the #Exposed18 Edinburgh College and Out of the Blueprint exhibitions.

11am - 5pm (live music from 11.30am-2.30pm) and it's free entry all day! 36 Dalmeny Street Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG. Visit The Out of the Blue Drill Hall website for all the details.

I will be in my studio G23, on the ground floor. As you come in, turn right once you are through the entryway and before you get to the cafe, keep turning right passed the notice board, there will be signage. My studio will be the first door on your left and it will be open. You will be given a programme at the entrance with a map indicating all the open studios participating. I hope to see you there!

This Tuesday, I was calmly getting ready as you can see in my video visit.



As today is Friday, I am not quite as calm but I am focused and getting things done for tomorrow. As luck would have it Interpol dropped a new single yesterday so this will help push me the rest of the way (if you have been reading this blog since 2007 you know I am a bit of a fan...)

I have updated my website with my latest large works from my Echoes and Memory series so please go have a look. I also have new beautiful postcards to hand out at open studios!

And last but not least, you can read more about my work and my process regarding my latest works in this recent article. Megan Chapman: A Strange Alchemy. An earlier version of this article appeared in Painters Tubes magazine. Click on the images to read.

And that's all I have for you this week. Music is everything, I love painting, and I am grateful for you and everyone else who brings beauty and thought to this world.

I want to tell you everything

I think I spent most of this week recovering from the past two. Thanks to everyone who came out to the Welcome to the Jungle preview last Saturday evening at Union Gallery. It's a lovely show, for a great cause, and if you are local to the area I hope you will pay it a visit. The show remains up through the 25th November. You can see a gallery of photos from the preview over on facebook. Click here.

This week, I delighted to be able to share a digital copy of an article that came out about my work in Sogo Magazine about this time last year. The author Brian McFie and publisher Craig Wallace of the brilliant Glasgow arts publication graciously gave me permission to share it on social media and I was so glad to be able to share it with folks further afield who might not have access to the publication. I would, of course, encourage folks to subscribe if they are able. Print journals are a very important addition to the art world and they can't do it alone. If you missed it, you can find the article by clicking here.

Continuing on the theme of the article, I talked about it further on my Tuesday Studio Visit Video over on my Facebook art page as well as talking about the value of titles of art to engage views with a language they can understand and the importance of art being accessible for everyone. If you missed it the first time, you can see it again here.



This week, I also returned to the studio for a large spot of painting, laying the groundwork for this large piece. Here is the underpainting for a 120x100cm canvas. I am loving the size. I am just getting started so we will see where the piece is again by next week.

Just a quick reminder, pop by The Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello for their latest mixed exhibition, Winters Edge. This exciting exhibition opens tomorrow, Saturday, November 4th and runs through 25th of February. 

There will be drinks and nibbles and artists popping in throughout Saturday from 10-5. I plan to stop by. I always find new art I love at the Velvet Easel and I am so pleased to have my work there. 

Winters Edge
4.11.17 - 25.2.18
The Velvet Easel Gallery
298 Portobello High Street
Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 2AS
Thursday - Saturday: 10.00 - 5.00pm
Sunday 12-5pm

Thanks for reading and clicking on links, looking at my paintings and for sharing this story with me. Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs you and your art.

A series about resilience

I am showing up again, doing the real work for myself. Everything I do is the real work of course but sometimes it is in the way some work comes about that feels better and more concentrated than others. I am in that place again, feeling more focused and working exactly the way I need to.

I have firmed up my work schedule. I am also remembering and making myself be okay with how I lay the foundation for pieces in a series. See, I know that I have to show up every day or at least a string of days in consecutive order to make the best work. I also know that I have to work on several canvases at once and work the paintings at the start a bit like an assembly line. I also know in my heart I don't like that word or action, it makes it seem rote or mechanical so I resist it. I know that I need to put down a lot of garbage to tease out the good stuff but who enjoys painting like garbage? Not I. However, if I don't allow myself this assembly line garbage process or if I don't have enough paint or canvases to work in this manner then I will never get to the weeding and true gardening part of the painting process that I love.

At first, it is simply showing up and putting in the time. If I don't show up, how is my best art going to find its way to me? It won't and then I will be disappointed and then I will show up even less and it's a vicious circle. The next step is the ability to make marks and paint without censorship and judgment, laying it all out there, experimenting and manifesting the pure energy required to transfer something of myself out into the world through the brush and onto the canvas. Then comes the looking, editing or loosening what is too tight. My paintings have been too tight off and on for years. You might not think this, but I know. If you talk to any massage therapist that has ever worked on me, you would also know I hold myself tightly. I have been protecting myself from this world for decades. So my goal as I get older is to trust myself and the world and fall into it all and take you with me in my work. Things are getting looser, especially in this series.

Of course, I didn't mention my palette. Color has always been extremely important to me. Even though the bulk of this series seems to be covered over with a neutral grey, there are ochres, greens, blues, pinks, Payne's grey and charcoals dancing or wrestling together. The colors are flickering, sputtering, jumping, and clawing their way up out of the grey. There is a faded beauty, something beneath the surface dripping and aching yet energetic, always making its way through the grey. Sometimes the grey is well known and comforting in its nothingness. This is a series about resilience.

In other news, I am honored to have my painting, A Change in the Frequency, featured on the cover of the brilliant Interim, Poetry & Poetics Journal. From their website, "Interim was founded by poet Wilber Stevens in 1944. In his tenure as editor, he published such luminaries as William Carlos Williams, Henry Miller, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and William Faulkner." Please visit the journal here and be sure to give their Facebook page a like as well.

Besides reading my news here, be sure to tune in every Tuesday for my weekly video studio visit. I publish them on my facebook art page but you don't have to be on Facebook to enjoy them. Just click here.

That's all I have for you this week, I hope you are well and happy. Thank you for being here. Please keep fighting, the world needs you and your art!

4000 miles and an ocean

The most complicated plan
Mixed Media on Canvas 12x12"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
$250

Things have been humming along in my studio in fits and starts. Yesterday was a particularly good day for painting as I finished some new works for my upcoming exhibition. I can't wait to get back to the studio today to finish up more of these latest paintings. My exhibition will be here before I know it. "Sometimes I love you and other stories," opens on September 1st from 5-8pm as part of the Fayetteville Underground's First Thursday artists' receptions. If you are local or regional or just happen to be passing through Fayetteville, I hope you will join me in the Vault Gallery. I would love to see you there.

This work might be different from what most would consider my style of painting. The addition of the typed words along with the paintings changes things. It is at once an aesthetic object to be enjoyed and viewed as a whole, as well as something that asks to be read and digested. Time is being asked of the viewer. One can't just give these works a cursory glance and move on as with traditional painting. If the words are not read, one may leave feeling cold, but if the viewer takes the time they will be rewarded. Across between poetry, love letters and slips of dreams on canvas, these minimalist paintings share my sense of longing for and separation from, someone I love. They also speak to the universal longing that we all feel at one time or another. The secret thoughts and wishful hopes, the romantic notions that float through our minds only to fade, are somehow caught on the canvas to remain a permanent reminder.

Within the exhibition there are also the other stories, the paintings that do not contain my words, yet still obviously tie into the series. Some of these pieces may have parts of books embedded within as well as the same color palette used throughout the show, mostly comprised of brilliant white, rusty orange, graphite and charcoal. Lines feature heavily in these works as well. My love of line has never been stronger than it is within this work. These lines reach out across the pure white, sometimes like vines, wires, sound waves, an electric current or even the ocean. Perhaps they are the threads that connect and sometimes break between people. These lines stretch and reach darkly across the white, searching.

There is a surface quality to this work that is a bit different from my previous work as well, it is a bit glossy and slick yet also waxy. I am really excited about this aspect, as many know I flirted with a waxy, foggy surface with my Secret Blocks, but this time I have found a new medium that does exactly what I have always wanted! It is very exciting to find and use a new tool in the studio.

I think you can tell I am pleased with how this body of work is shaping up and I could tell you more and analyze it further, but I really must get to the studio and get to work!!

Thank you always for your support and interest in my work. It helps so much to know you are out there and that you are keeping up with what is going on in the studio and beyond. I am very fortunate to have made so many friends and supportive collectors because of my art.

Until next week, keep fighting!
Remember the world needs your art.

Like painting under water...

she's of two minds

This week was busy almost. Many days were spent in the studio and certain rushes of excitement were felt as small breakthroughs have been made in the series. The paintings, rather than forming one by one seem to be forming more as a whole. I currently have thirteen new paintings on the go for my series Sometimes I love you and other stories. THIRTEEN! Yeah, it totally caught me off guard as well. This has been some strange painting, minute movements, as the title of this post suggests, like painting under water. The words are there but the paintings are being slower and more coy and as I sit here this seems to make perfect sense. Coy on the surface perhaps or maybe a bit shy and reserved until you get to know them and then BAM! I think they will pack one hell of a lovely punch. I will keep you up to date and yes, of course there will be some sneak peeks along the way as well...

In other news, I must say again how pleased I am to have returned to Etsy. My flashcards have been selected for many lovely treasury lists, which are collections curated by other members. I am always honored when my work is chosen and fits in perfectly with all the other impressive selections. So please check out my Etsy shop Art Maven for affordable works on paper. There are only eight flashcards left and I do not plan on offering any more of this series.

And lastly here is the sound on repeat from studio...



PS. Keep fighting. The world needs YOU and your ART.

PPS. Artist Stewart Bremner is letting go of the past and you can pick up a painting for a song! If bold, graphic paintings with a pop art bent are your style then he has the paintings for you! Even with shipping from Scotland these paintings are a steal! Check them out. There are only twelve left! Go here to explore!

Maps of the Night: The Final Six

They have surrendered into this ocean

mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
Sold

I am very excited to share the latest six works from my Maps of the Night series. These works are about me, my life and my current story but I hope you will find yourself within them as well. It has been an exciting time in the studio as I have worked on this twenty-piece series. The Maps of the Night were just the thing I needed to refuel after my Falling into Sound exhibition this past November that featured my white series paintings and the Manual for Living. The Maps of the Night are a continuation of the larger white series but at the same time a departure or expansion.

As I have mentioned before, these works are mixed media on paper and are 24x 36" with approximately a 1.5" border on all sides of the painting. The edges of the paintings are not kept pristine and one can see some of the process left behind in the inky stains and drips.

I believe in the power of original art and I am glad to offer these affordable, original works to collectors at just $100.00. If you are interested in a particular piece for your collection please email me at megancha@gmail.com with the name of the piece and I can send you a paypal invoice or information on how to make a payment or reserve the painting for pick up and payment through the Fayetteville Underground if you are local. I love shipping nationally and internationally, and these works can be safely shipped in a mailing tube to your location.

I have been happily overwhelmed by the response of collectors to this series, and there are currently only three remaining maps available for sale, with several of the works finding good homes in Canada, the U.K., as well as in the States.

Thank you again for your support and interest in the Maps of the Night. If you have any questions about these works, please don't hesitate to email and ask.

click on the paintings to see them larger

She would remember for him, he would forget for her
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
$100

They took turns peeling back the layers
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
Sold

She dreamed his secret language, the one he was afraid to speak
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
Sold

Their words intertwined across time, like roots, like vines
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
Sold

They found their quiet under one of many clouds
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
$100

PS. This map from the original fourteen is still available as well.

it all points to an expertly crafted myth
mixed media on paper 24x 36"
© 2011 Megan Chapman
$100

Until next week...

She lives. She paints. She breathes...

something big in the studio (we will talk about it later)

Happy New Year to all my lovely blog readers, lurkers, and others. I hope your year has begun in stellar fashion. I know mine has. I have been back in the studio this week and it has been wonderful! I am enjoying coming home with paint on my hands, it had definitely been too long. Again, I remind myself that not painting is not an option. Some might call it relaxation or taking a break to refuel or whatever, but it is not that way for me. Plain and simple, not painting is a form of self torture and there has been enough of that.

Besides working in the studio, I started the year by taking a chance and entering a juried competition, it will be a while before I know if I got in or not, but I am glad I entered. Each year I tell myself I will not enter this competition because I am always rejected, but I do it anyway. Hope springs eternal.

It has been great being back in the studio and reconnecting with my fellow studio mates, we all seem excited to get back to work after the holidays and for what is in store at The Fayetteville Underground for 2011. I am still so happy that I decided to get a studio outside of my home, it has its challenges, but its advantages far out weigh those.

So, what will 2011 hold in the studio? I am not sure. Will I continue the white series? Will I revert back to color? Will there be more manuals? Works on paper? At present your guess is as a good as mine. I am okay with that. I know inspiration will strike, and the work will emerge and it will inform itself and let me know the way it needs unfold. I think words might stick around and I think large works on paper are a good possibility. We will see. When it hits me, it will hit me with a bang and there will be no turning back. I just have to be patient and I just have to keep showing up and working.

I hope 2011 is a wonderful year for us all. Good luck and best wishes in all your endeavors. Keep fighting and keep coming back here, because soon... this place is going to teeming with fresh art.

2010: My year in review

old roses and my painting when I close my eyes from the white series in my studio

Here we go, it is that time of year again where I cull my mind and past blog posts and remind myself what all happened in my art world over the past year. I think it is important to have a snap shot remembrance of what all was done before I trod of into the New Year. As I have said in the past I am always working and it is very easy to forget what all I have managed to do as I get caught up in the day to day.

I remember not having a plan for 2010. I started the year knowing I just wanted to focus on my work, whatever that meant.

In 2010, I curated and facilitated a number of exhibitions for the Fayetteville Underground. This was a challenging and exhilarating experience. The first of those exhibitions being Pedigree from Hot Springs, Arkansas. I loved that show so much. I remember spending a ton of time in the Revolver gallery the whole month of January just looking at Michael Shaeffer and Christopher Baber's work. I will always look back at that time fondly and with a sense of pride. I hope the artists will as well.

2010 also found me immersed in photography as well as painting, and I had the thrill of two of my photographs being used for the inside cover of Wade Ogle's CD, Lovers and Fighters. I am also excited to have had my photography used for the cover of Melanie McDonald's upcoming novel, Eromenos to be released in March 2011.

I had four pieces in a small and miniature works show that was held over until the end of January 2010 at the Aaron gallery in Washington D.C. The show was reviewed in a D.C. art blog, and I was thrilled when my work was mentioned in the write up. I recall how pleased I was that my work was sought after by the gallery and it was my first showing in Washington D.C.

In January of 2010 the white series was born as well. This will possibly prove to be one of the most exciting developments of 2010.

There were several public speaking gigs in 2010 either about my art, the Fayetteville Underground, the shows I curated, or marketing art in general. I gave a lecture to the Boston Mountain Potters Association, on ways to successfully market ones art. I also gave the talk Art Collecting 101: The Thrill of Original Art at the Revolver gallery. I also gave a 2 hour lecture/tour for students of The Osher Institute . The course was called Artful Spaces: A visit to the Fayetteville Underground. It was a large group of very receptive students, many of which just happened to be my teachers from elementary and junior high school. I remember feeling nervous about the role reversal and I remember how good I felt after I gave the tour. In July I gave an art talk about Institute du Loop's exhibition and in August I spoke about the photography of Christian Demare. In September I lead another lecture/tour for the students of the Osher Institute. In November I gave an informal lecture about my work to a group of university students studying with artist Cindy Wiseman. Speaking about art is something I really enjoy doing, and I hope I have many more opportunities to give these talks in the future.

I mailed off a small work on paper from my Etsy shop to Finland. I had never sent anything to Finland before, so that was a thrill. Thanks to my etsy shop ArtMaven, my work has been collected in Canada, England, The Netherlands, Australia, France, and Scotland as well as all across the United States. 2010 also saw less Etsy work created and sold, simply due to the fact that I was so busy with the white series and all the other work I was doing.

By the end of January, I previewed the first three paintings in the new white series on my blog and the feedback there and on facebook was off the charts- I am so happy I took that perceived risk (there is a lesson in this somewhere). By the second week of February I debuted the first eight pages of the ten page Manual for Living and started to solidify the concepts behind this book of stills. I remember being very inspired and working full tilt as I dove into the white series and didn't hold back. I completed The Manual by the third week of February and finish two more new white series paintings as well. This was a very exciting time for me as an artist.

Sometimes © 2010 Megan Chapman

By the end of February/beginning of March, I paint Sometimes, which for me, is a break through painting in the series. I remember being concerned that I could have pushed it further, but I held back and I am so glad I did. Sometimes, still receives many comments when it is viewed. I will always remember jumping up in down in front of my easel as it was completed as well as the initial feedback this painting received from my studio mates near and far.

By the first week in March there were seven paintings in the new white series and I was still jelling the ideas behind the Manual for Living. Going to the studio everyday was a thrill and I hadn't felt that inspired since art school. During all this time, there was much Underground work being done, as well as showing and selling of my colored paintings. There were a few times while working on the white series that I got temporarily sidetracked or had to take a break to refuel before I could continue. Part of the refueling, was a trip to Picher, Oklahoma to take photographs of this lead poisoned ghost town. It was an experience I will never forget.

In April, the Fayetteville Underground celebrated their one year anniversary and it was great to be able to step back and see what we had all accomplished as a group. By the beginning of April, I had completed ten new white series pieces. The second week of April was spectacular. That week I sold nine of my paintings to a brand new collector. I was so happy to work with this young collector as she bravely selected painting after painting for her collection. I was giddy with excitement and still can't believe it unfolded the way it did. I have been to her house to see the collection and they all look so beautifully hung in her home. I am grateful to her for her support. Her patronage changed the course of my year drastically and for the better in all ways. I will never forget this or her.

Also in April three of my photographs were accepted into a juried exhibition entitled Crafting Place: Interpretations of Natural and Constructed Environments from the Kitchen to the Forest. The Juror was Kenneth Trapp former curator-in charge of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The exhibition was held in Bentonville, Arkansas at the Sugar gallery. The selected photographs were from the Picher, Oklahoma trip. I was very pleased to be able to share them. This marks one of the few times I had shown my photography in a gallery setting. All the while this is happening, I continue with the white series, steadily building the collection.

White Series debut, Back Vault Gallery, May 2010

In May, with encouragement, I decided to test out the waters with the New White series and I hang three pieces in the back Vault gallery at the underground. I was thrilled when two out of the three sold! At the same time the white series is featured in a couple of fellow artists' blogs and I keep selling my color series works as well. Several new paintings are born in the white series, the painting, Somehow we find ourselves on the same continent is a standout for me from this time period and in fact ends up on another continent, in late 2010. I am spending long hours in the studio at this point, sometimes up to ten hours just painting, I am happy. More paintings are being created I am finding my stride again.

Suddenly we find ourselves on the same continent ©2010 Megan Chapman Sold

By June there are fifteen paintings in the new white series. By mid June I sell another three of the new white series, to a wonderful pair of patrons. I remember the experience of staring at the works with the patron in the gallery. We both just got absorbed into the work for a while, just standing there in silence. I loved that moment. I also loved the experience of going to their home to deliver the work and seeing how well it fit into their space. I love this part of the art world, these connections.

institute du loop: a place to drown from Megan Chapman on Vimeo.

After this experience, I slow down a bit in the studio again, thinking about the upcoming exhibitions I planned to curate in the summer at the Underground. In July, I curated The Institute du Loop's A Place to Drown in the Hive Gallery. This was an enormous task. There were countless emails, chats, diagrams, photographs, writings, ideas, and questions sent back and forth from Taipei to Fayetteville and vice-versa in preparation for this exhibition. It was a very interesting experience to work with another artist in such a way. Clear evidence of how our world has changed, how much technology allows such amazing and inspiring things to happen. I received the exhibition via Fed Ex on two thumb drives with a Chinese stamp in order to sign the work. I also received the artist's composed soundtrack for the exhibition electronically as well. After a lot of hard work by myself and Henry Turner the exhibition was printed and installed and looked wonderful. We were all pleased, and the institute du loop seemed very thrilled. I will always be proud of the work we did together on this.

Even though I was exhausted and busy taking care of the institute du loop's exhibition, I am inspired and complete three more paintings in the new white series bringing the total to eighteen. By the middle of July I also return my focus to the Manual for living, putting into words the concepts behind the works. This was a thrilling experience. Thanks to artists' Stewart Bremner, Jennifer Libby Fay and to my brother, writer Sean Chapman for helping me to edit the words for the statement for the Manual for Living.

a manual for living: a ten page guide from Megan Chapman on Vimeo.

Things Fall Away (as we go under) ©2010 Megan Chapman

At this time I was also able to regain focus and pour myself into a new large painting in the white series, Things fall away (as we go under). I can remember the soundtrack to this painting vividly and walking to my studio smiling. This was a happy time.

Christian Demare in the Hive Gallery August 2010

In August, I curated another exhibition at the Fayetteville Underground, this time the work was by French photographer, Christian Demare. The exhibition is titled Ghosts in the Landscape #2 and contains forty-six images all in the square format. I have long be an admirer of Christian's dark and dreamy worlds and I am thrilled to be able to present his work to my local community. Again, I am thankful that the Internet makes this global arts community possible.

Upon Waking © 2010 Megan Chapman Sold

By mid August, I was the lucky recipient of two large 36x48" canvases from a lovely patron, and then later she brought me an even larger canvas! I found the size an inspiring challenge and produced one of my most favorite paintings called Upon Waking, which got snapped up by a lovely patron in Washington D.C. before it ever left my studio. The other 36x48" painting I create gets traded for a masterpiece by artist Matthew Lyman. Thanks all around.

Delay Before Abandon © 2010 Megan Chapman & Steven Heaton

Also in August, I got word that a collaborative paper painting that my dear friend and fellow artist Steven Heaton and I have been working on, "Delay before Abandon" is going to be in the Chaosmos 2010 exhibition as part of the Liverpool Independents Biennial, in Liverpool England. I have been friends with Steven for over four years now, and we were both very pleased to be in an exhibition together. I was very excited about this opportunity, as I have my work in many private international collections, but had never been a part of an exhibition overseas. This is a highlight of my career.

Thomas Petillo © 2010

Also in August a big sale comes through for me. A two panel (diptych) 40x60" painting called Stamina and Refrain from the 2007 Evidence of the Disappearance series finds a good home. By late August another painting is created in the white series, as I prepare to host photographer and friend Thomas Petillo for his solo exhibition, North, West, East, South. September comes on strong, with some major life transitions. Thomas' brilliant exhibition debuted in the Hive and I was so happy that I got to spend some time with him while he was here for the opening of the exhibition, again I am so fortunate to be a part of this art community that stretches around the country and the world. I have the best friends.

This same month I was interviewed about my responsibilities at the Fayetteville Underground by Christopher Spencer at Ozarks Unbound and it is nice to be recognized for what all I am doing at the Underground. I also received the most lovely letter, left on my studio desk after that first Thursday from a high school student. I remember reading it and tears welled up in my eyes, I was so moved. During this time, I was also finding a bit of press online for the work in the Liverpool independents biennial. I was very excited by all of this.

I managed to break away for a day for a quick trip to Kansas City to the see The Pixies. It was an amazing show, and I come back inspired. Reminding myself again the importance of stopping every once and a while to experience art and different places, that these things are so important to my creative brain. I continually struggle with balance and music is often the answer. By the end of September, I work on one last painting before my exhibition. This begins the cycle I currently in, where I have not been painting.

In October, I kept working on the last painting, while Julie Wait Designs sold five paintings from my colored paintings to a new corporate client, a regional bank. One white series painting travels to Seattle to be a part of the Underground's group show, 13 Underground at the Shift gallery. I also start preparing for my exhibition Falling into Sound to be held in November. I update my website and have business cards and postcards created and devise a way to display the Manual for Living that makes the works on paper presentable but doesn't detract from the art. By mid October the final painting is complete, and I decide it is too different to include in the exhibition, and it is the painting I end up trading with artist, Matthew Lyman- which turned out to be a perfect solution.

Falling into Sound: Hive Gallery from Megan Chapman on Vimeo.

Falling into Sound debuted in November, and I was truly overwhelmed by the way the work looked together in the gallery. Tears came to my eyes often when I talked about the work to my studio mates and at times I still can't believe that I painted the work. It was such a unique experience and what I consider my finest work to date. I will always remember 2010 as the year of the white series and the manual for living. I learned a lot about myself, opened up and was richly rewarded for doing so. The emotional response I received from this body of work was unmatched and will always be treasured. By the exhibition date there were twenty one official white series paintings completed and eleven of those paintings are now sold.

Also in November, I was interviewed about the monthly offerings at the Fayetteville Underground on our National Public Radio station, KUAF. This is now scheduled to be a regular monthly segment. I really enjoy being able to give a voice to The Underground and spread the word about all the exciting exhibitions we have planned.

In November, I also start mentoring a young art student as he builds his portfolio, this is the same art student who so thoughtfully left me the note in my studio in September. We have only met a few times, but his work has already exploded and this has been a thrill for me to watch and I am happy to help.

As the year closes, two of the white series paintings are in Philadelphia in the first annual Snow Flake Invitational exhibition at 110 Church gallery and at Art @t Bridge Club of Center City in Philadelphia. I am very pleased to have been asked to participate. Always a thrill to have my work reach a new audience.

I have also just been asked to do a large 5.5x 7ft commission, and I have a feeling this where my mind will be for the beginning of the new year. I really look forward to sinking my teeth into such a large painting. I also concluded the year with five more sales from my colored series from the Art for the Holidays exhibition at the Fayetteville Underground. I am extremely grateful for the patronage and support. One last, but not least highlight of my year was delivering a painting to a Doctor's office for their Christmas party. The Doctor's thoughtful staff had chipped in to get him a painting of mine and I was there to surprise and present the painting to him. I will never forget this moment- I had such a smile on my face, and I think he was very happy with his gift.

Besides all this, there were additional group exhibitions, meetings, special events, studio mates to enjoy, music to listen to, tons of art to see and new frontiers in living. I wrote several little short stories and took a photograph everyday. 2010 was an amazingly busy year, and I can look back with pride for what I accomplished in my art career, at the Fayetteville Underground, and in my life.

So, how was your year? Did you start a new body of work? Did you get into a show you weren't expecting to? Did you come up with a new concept that you are just beginning to explore and expand upon? I hope you had a great year!

I hope you know that you are a part of all of this, my friends, my family, my patrons, my underground family, and all the artists that I have had the pleasure of working with. None of this happens without you. You are central to my success as an artist. I do not create this work alone. I require support, validation, and understanding and you all do a wonderful job of giving it to me and this enables me to keep fighting and pushing forward to create new works. Thank you. I am inspired by so much in this world and I am so happy to share it with you. Thanks for a fantastic 2010! May 2011 be just as bright or even brighter for all of us.

And as always, keep fighting! The world needs your art!

My studio in a pristine state... goal: keep it messy in 2011

I really wish...

I really wish I could tell you a story about art, maybe even some type of fiction. I would like you to feel what I feel when I paint. How it feels when the brush hits the canvas. How the music, the weather, my dreams, my stories all wrap upon themselves and slide into the lines. I would like to expand on all the words written on my studio wall and allow them tell the whole story.

There is a grey sky outside my window as I am caught in this vortex of thought and feeling, perhaps willing something to come forth. How I am trying to feel something and how I am trying to get you to feel something as the words, music and art all collapse on themselves. I am a blank slate, tabula rasa.

I am at the edge of something but don't worry I will take you along for the ride. Things are about to get interesting.

I can feel it under my skin...

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Random thoughts: (if the above wasn't random enough)

The way Maya Deren talks about time and space in this video, is something I can very much relate to and her work has inspired me. I have never attempted to emulate her, but I think if I may be so bold sometimes my work (especially my photography) comes from the same place as she is describing, yet I would never describe it in her terms. The music in the video is beautiful as well.


Please support local artists this season, you can find my work at the following places.

Thank you & Keep fighting...