All that I am: Publishing News!

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: All that I am by Megan Chapman 

Dear Readers and Patrons,

I have some exciting news to share with you all.

I was recently contacted by the creative director of Image Conscious, a San Francisco-based art publisher and distributor of open-edition fine art prints, posters, and canvas reproductions. 

"Image Conscious is one of the largest wholesale art suppliers worldwide, they sell exclusively to retailers, art consultants, interior designers, frame and poster shops, speciality shops, and wholesale framers. In business since 1980, their collection is comprised of some of the world’s finest contemporary artists and photographers."

I am happy to share, I am now one of them! I am beyond thrilled to have signed a contract to license a very special series of my paintings for worldwide reproduction across a variety of platforms, including wholesale and retail! 

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: Everything I love by Megan Chapman 

That means that wherever you are in the world, you can now purchase quality reproductions of my series, Echoes and Memory. There are 15 paintings in the series to choose from, all beautifully reproduced, and now in a variety of sizes available as a rolled or framed print, or a stretched canvas, with all sorts of beautiful framing options. 

It has always been important to me that my art remain accessible and working with Image Conscious makes this a reality, and takes it to the next level! I am really excited about this new partnership. 

As part of this arrangement, I am also delighted that I am currently a featured artist with Printano. 

"As planet-conscious individuals and artists at heart, we envisioned creating a platform that offers the highest-quality artworks to our customers while steadfastly supporting artists and the planet. We believe in the power of art to inspire, transform, and bring about positive change in the world. This belief fueled our mission to create a sustainable and artist-friendly marketplace. Printano came to life in 2022, born from a passion for art and a commitment to sustainability."

I love their ethos and I am so pleased to be part of it and have my work available to more people than ever before. Shop and enjoy the collection on their elegant site.

Image Credit: Printano. Painting: Your quiet heart by Megan Chapman 

Besides Image Conscious for wholesale orders and Printano for retail, you can also find this body of work beautifully reproduced on Art.com, Allposters.com and in more places soon. Currently, at Printano they are offering 15% off your first order and free shipping for orders over $100. 

I am just so happy to share some good and exciting news.

To be an artist is to persevere. 
To be an artist is to protect your work.
This is no easy task but sometimes good things do happen and hard work gets noticed. Good working relationships in the arts can exist and when one of us succeeds, we all do. 

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for my work and for being here to witness it all. 

Keep fighting.

A Closer Look Continues

A selection of my small framed works on canvas as part of A Closer Look

The exhibition was installed on Tuesday and is always the case - the artwork of the resident and affiliated artists of the drill hall clicked into place like a puzzle. With over 16 participating artists, there is a great selection of work on display. We had a lovely wine reception on Wednesday night and we enjoyed some tunes and some banter on the rainy evening. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us.

Besides the work on the walls and in the jewellery case, we also have a selection of prints, cards, and even some small originals available for purchase towards the back of the exhibition at our sales table. So do make sure to have a rummage through the racks so you don't miss some bargains.

I love the strength and variety of my peers' work on show together. It's been so great for us to get to know each other better over these last two exhibitions. It feels more like a proper community of artists currently and that is a great feeling.

The video above is a quick guided tour and the video below is a super quick jazzy taster. Remember though if you are local and able, nothing is better than seeing the show with your own eyes. 

A Closer Look
Wednesday 13th - Saturday 23rd September (Not Sunday) 

The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith EH6 8RG

Participating artists include: (Follow on Instagram)
@megan.chapman.artist
@aoife_in_leith
@catherinegiselleart
@felicityinkpen
@danmurrayartist
@jesscrisp1
@needle__bow_by_miss_modeuse
@elainewilsonvisualart
@mairimacsweendesigns
@thecityworkshop
@kategeorgedesign
@preciousmetalsworkshop
@remodecollective
@timbremnerart
@i.am.abi.art
@solencollet

Thanks for your support - until next week, go see some art and keep fighting! 

Exhibition news! A Closer Look

Poster artwork by Kate George Design
Printed by Outoftheblueprint

A Closer Look 
Wednesday 13th - Saturday 23rd September 

Hours: 10am-5pm

Opening Reception Wednesday 13th of September from 6-8pm

Join us for drinks and nibbles

36 Dalmeny Street, Leith EH6 8RG

Following the success of Outside + In in May, the talented studio artists of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall have joined forces again to bring you, A Closer Look. You are guaranteed a friendly welcome and a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy paintings, drawings, prints, illustrations, jewellery, photography, mixed media works, textile pieces and more. There will be art for all to enjoy as we invite you to take a closer look. 

Participating artists include: (give these artists a follow on Instagram)

• Megan Chapman
• Aoife in Leith
• Catherine Giselle
• Felicity Inkpen
• Dan Murray
• Jessica Crisp
• Needle Bow
• Elaine Wilson
• Mairi MacSween Designs
• Tamar Whitson
• Kate George Design
• Precious Metals Workshop
• Remode Collective
• Tim Bremner
• Abi Lewis
• Solen Collet

Outside + In. Don't miss it!

Outside + In

An exhibition of artists and makers from the Out of the Blue Drill Hall community is on for two more days. If you are local to Edinburgh or are passing through, don't miss the exhibition on display from 10am-5pm. this Friday (19th) and Saturday (20th). 36 Dalmeny Street, EH6 8RG.

There are 16 artists currently participating in this group exhibition and there is a range of pieces available to purchase and enjoy, from drawings, riso prints, reproductions, abstract and realist paintings, collage, textiles, felted work, as well as mixed media paintings on slates, photography, and gorgeous jewellery. Truly something for everyone at a multitude of price points.

The exhibition reception on Wednesday was well attended and was busy from the moment the doors were open from 5:30 through to 7:30. It made our hearts sing to have the work in the space and appreciated by so many enthusiastic community members. 

We hope that opportunities for the artists within the hall will become a more regular occurrence. If you feel the same way please let the management know. It boosts morale within the building and that spills out into the community at large. Creativity is contagious and community joy is strong medicine!

Please, if you are able, do make a plan to catch the exhibition before Saturday at 5pm. 

Thanks to everyone who has come already to view the exhibition and who came out in support of the artists of the hall on Wednesday night. It was wonderful to see you. 

Edinburgh City Councillor Susan Rae and I discussing my painting, "What it's Worth."

Follow these artists on Instagram if you don't already!

@hamillustration
@bethanyillustration
@mairimacsweendesigns
@timbremnerart
@catherinegiselleart
@megan.chapman.artist
@jesscrisp1
@cam_life_designs
@preciousmetalsworkshop
@mandmcgrattan
@twincitypictures
@aoife_in_leith
@mapplyco
@felicityinkpen
@danmurrayartist

Thanks so much for reading the Friday Studio Blog. Until next week, take care and keep fighting. The world needs you and the gifts you bring.

Exhibition News! Outside + In

EXHIBITION NEWS! 

Join us for Outside + In featuring the work of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall makers and artists.

The exhibition will be held from the 15th-20th of May 2023 from 10am-5pm, with a reception on Wednesday the 17th of May from 5:30 - 7:30pm. The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is located at 36 Dalmeny Street, EH6 8RG. All are welcome!

Here are just some of the participant's Instagram handles (check them out, give them a follow, and come to the show and see the work in person and meet the artists!). There is sure to be something for everyone and a fun and easy-going scene. See you there!

@hamillustration
@bethanyillustration
@mairimacsweendesigns
@timbremnerart
@catherinegiselleart
@megan.chapman.artist
@jesscrisp1
@cam_life_designs
@preciousmetalsworkshop
@mandmcgrattan
@twincitypictures
@aoife_in_leith
@mapplyco
@felicityinkpen
@danmurrayartist

I will be showing a selection of works from my series, "Our Favourite Mistakes." 

For what it's worth
Mixed media on canvas
61x76cm
© Megan Chapman

A place to breathe
Mixed media on canvas
61x76cm
© Megan Chapman

Our favourite mistakes
Mixed media on canvas
60x76cm
© Megan Chapman



You wouldn't just let it burn
Mixed media on canvas and white wood frame
70.5x86cm
© Megan Chapman

As some of you may have noticed, I fell behind on my blog and I haven't been using social media that much with all that has been going on in my life. I have now caught up, so please go back and read the previous posts you may have missed. Thank you for your support and care and for those that have checked on me.

Here is an easy clickable list of those entries.
Friday, March 10, 2023: See you later
Friday, March 17, 2023: Rest in Power
Friday, March 24, 2023: Looking Back: Ghosts of the Past
Friday, March 31, 2023:Radical Dreaming in Art for a Better Future
Friday, April 7, 2023: I shared this one on social media and many of you read it.
Friday, April 14, 2023: I shared this one on social media and many of you read it.
Friday, April 21, 2023: In this World
Friday, April 28, 2023: My Warrior, My Champion is Gone
Friday, May 5, 2023:  Without an Anchor
And then today (this post). 

Thank you for reading and for your support. 

If you are local to Edinburgh, I will be sitting the above-mentioned Outside + In exhibition from 3-5pm on Monday and Wednesday and also attending the reception on Wednesday night from 5:30-7:30. It would be lovely to see you there.

Let's exchange the experience

To hide the best parts, 40x40x4cm

Mixed media on canvas, Megan Chapman

Hello, dear blog readers, 

The Abstractionistas exhibition, Awakenings continues this week and through April 17 at Detour Espresso at 39 Argyle Place, Marchmont, Edinburgh. Opening hours are 9-4pm M-F and 10-4 Sat-Sun. The exhibition was installed in the lovely light-filled and high-ceilinged space last Friday evening, see last week's blog for installation photos and a few thoughts about the work as a whole. 

This week has mostly been focused on promoting the exhibition and the individual pieces across our Facebook, Instagram, and my YouTube. 

I tried something new this week with the Tuesday Studio Video Visit which I am excited about. I was able to record myself talking on camera about the five pieces I am showing at Detour, as I guide you through the work in question on the screen, picture in picture. This is pretty close to the experience you would get if you popped into my studio or met me at an exhibition for a discussion of my work. I tell you about the titles and meanings of the paintings as well as some of the strategies I use while creating the works. I really miss these in-depth discussions about my work with patrons, so please do watch the video if you haven't already. It is just under 15 minutes and I cover a lot of ground. Let me know what you think in the comments, and please like and share. I hope to do more videos like these in the future. 

That is all I have for you this week, some rewiring is being done in the house this morning, so I wanted to get this out early while I had a quiet moment. Thank you all for supporting and enjoying my work and for your enthusiastic support for the Abstractionistas. It means a lot to us all. If you are local, go have a coffee at Detour this weekend or make plans to go in the near future to support a wonderful local business and local artists! 

Until next week, take care and keep fighting!

Awakenings at Detour Espresso in Marchmont, Edinburgh

Work by Susan E. Wilson on the left and Megan Chapman on the right

‘Awakenings’ an exhibition by the Abstractionistas is now on display at Detour Espresso, 39 Argyle Place, Marchmont, Edinburgh. 

Enjoy abstract paintings by our members Susan Elizabeth Wilson, Megan Chapman: Abstract Painter, and Judith Shaylor Art while enjoying great coffee and tasty treats in a beautiful and friendly atmosphere. If you ask us, this weather just screams for good coffee and art. Detour Espresso is just the place for both!

Work by Megan Chapman on the left and framed works by Judith Shaylor to the right and below the bike.

The exhibition is made up of thirteen pieces by the three artists in the collective. Each work explores different facets of working in the abstract, such as colour, atmosphere, energy or are influenced by the land. Some pieces serve as meditations in motion or to tell stories and share our inner worlds. Each artist's distinct voice shines through.

If you are in Edinburgh, make plans to pop by with a friend and enjoy the exhibition.

I love showing art where folks can go to be comfortable and cosy, such as in a coffee shop. Art is a natural part of that equation - we live around art - we eat, drink, solve life's mysteries and share laughs and tears around art. The Abstractionistas are honoured to show at Detour Espresso. 

In other news, you can see my Tuesday video visit here. Other than preparing for this show I have been really getting stuck into the Artwork Archive (I talk about that a bit in my video as well). If you are an artist and can afford it or raise the funds for it, I highly recommend it. 

More shows are on the horizon! More on that soon. Until next week, be well, take care, and keep fighting. Thank you for your support.

No longer a mystery: Art and Money

Between memory and story

Mixed media on canvas

100x120cm

© 2018 Megan Chapman

£2,200

“When bankers get together for dinner, they discuss Art. When artists get together for dinner, they discuss Money” ― Oscar Wilde

This week I sent art to two patrons through the post and met one patron for a long lunch and to hand deliver his piece from my online studio sale. I am also waiting to send a patron her piece when it is best for her schedule. I am delighted with these recent sales and thankful as always for my patrons. 

On Tuesday, I recorded my Tuesday Studio Video Visit and talked a wee bit about money and the value of art. You can see it again here. 

This lead me to think more about the art market, and what we have been trained or coached to do as we promote our work and why. One of the big rules used to be (and still is) don't put your prices on your website. Your website should stand as a priceless portfolio. The galleries will decide your prices.

There is so much conflicting advice given when it comes to marketing our art. The value and price of art feels mysterious, and I think perhaps it's meant to be (in an if you know, you know sort of way). If you know me, you know I like to demystify the art process and bring it down to earth (well, the parts that can be brought down - not the mystical bits). 

If I go to a yard/rummage/car boot sale/flea market/department store or any other retailer and the seller has their things set out but with no prices, I might see something I love but I will probably walk on by. I might not feel inquisitive that day - I might think that their items are way out of my price range, and I don't want to feel embarrassed, so I won't ask. I might also think their prices are variable and may change depending on the person asking. I will operate from my assumptions, fears, and limited information and go on my merry way. 

So why were artists coached to keep prices off our websites? The old dangling carrot, if you wanted gallery representation, or to be taken seriously, you just don't do it. So we did what we were told. 

Yesterday, I finally put my prices on my website (after twenty years). At first, it felt like I was doing something wrong or tacky. It was a strange mixture of rebellion and empowerment but more importantly, it felt transparent and honest. I was relieved. 

I also added a payment plan section. It's lovely when a patron knows what they want and knows they can pay for it outright and I am always thankful. I also love working with people who need more time to pay off their art purchases. Now, I state how this works clearly on my website in the contact section. Depending on the price of the piece, you can take up to 3, 6, 12, or 14 months to pay off your painting. 

We budget for clothes, cars, rent, mortgages, utilities, holidays, university costs, and charity. Why not budget for art? Making art a priority in your life and committing to building a collection one payment at a time feels good and knowing that you are supporting a living artist is icing on the cake!

Art doesn't need to be treated like a luxury because I don't think it has to be one. I think art can be a necessity and my desire is to get it to you any way I can. Whether it's a £20 paper piece or sketch from my online studio sale on social media to a £2,200 large work on canvas from my studio, website, or a gallery that represents me, I have you covered.

Thank you. Be well and keep fighting. 

PS. Are you looking for an art mentor? Work with me!

I want to be a budget Peggy Guggenheim

Peggy and Calder

Last week I mentioned I was working on a manifesto. That manifesto has now started to morph into a personal vision for what I want more of in my life. Rather than just keep these thoughts and ideas to myself until they are polished and perfect, I decided I would just hash them out in my blog.

Painting is extremely important to me, however, there is another part of the art world that is equally important and that part is currently missing.

You may have gathered that I love promoting and talking about art as much as I love making it. I started this blog eleven years ago to offer my voice and share ideas about art while connecting with other artists and potential patrons. I have created podcasts and video visits in order to connect with others over art through the years. I am not content to wait for others to invite me to show in their galleries or purchase my work. I am not content to paint diligently in my studio in a lonely vacuum.

I am just going to spell it out right here and in a crude way, I want to be a budget Peggy Guggenheim. I want to show and promote art while educating people about the intrinsic value of it in their lives. I want to enable high-quality art to be accessible to more people and I want to help support the work of artists I admire.

I know the value of galleries in the art world and I participate in that system. I deeply appreciate the galleries that have represented my work in the past and that currently do so. I know it is hard work and that gallerists take a huge gamble when they take on artists. I love the gorgeous spaces, white walls, and good lighting. I have never minded splitting the price tag on a painting 50/50 so that the galleries can survive and hopefully thrive. However, I also want to subvert that system in order to offer another option for displaying, viewing, enjoying, and purchasing art. I think there is room for both.

How many art openings have I gone to where I don't know who the other artists are? How many opportunities have been lost for conversations among peers and patrons due to the lack of introductions? How many shows are stodgy and slightly awkward affairs where people are turned away from the art as they drink the free booze and make stilted conversation? How many people never enter a gallery because they feel they lack the knowledge or funds? How many artists give up because they feel lost in the system? In my opinion, too many, and I don't think it has to be this way.

Even with all this, I have fantasized about owning a gallery. One day, one day... and sometimes when the spirit struck, I would create temporary galleries. I had a successful exhibition of my paintings on homemade walls in my backyard in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I showed small works taped in toilet stalls up and down the main drag as part of the Rebel Arts Collective, I created in Fayetteville. I was paid to write online art reviews for a local paper in my column, The Art Zone. I helped to curate exhibitions on a grand scale in the basement of an empty bank in the centre of the city as part of the Fayetteville Underground. I gave art talks, tours, and interviews as a dedicated member of my city's art community. I turned my entire house upside down for the Prospect Exhibitions to host a number of national and international artists and premiered groundbreaking work. This is what I love to do, this is my joy.

Moving to Edinburgh almost four years ago took a lot out of me. This has not been an easy or smooth transition for many reasons. In many ways, I wanted to blend in, assimilate, and quietly figure it all out and just focus on my work. However, I realise something huge is missing from my life.

Research professor and writer Brené Brown said that "Unused creativity is not benign" and I must agree with her. Not engaging in this part of my art practice is a form of self-sabotage. I need to stop waiting. I do not need to be a gallery owner to focus on my passion and to actualise it. I simply need to be a facilitator of and a collaborator in this vision so that artists and art lovers can find each other in new and different ways here in Scotland. This is where you come in.

Are you a highly motivated artist that shares a similar vision? Do you think it would be exciting to show quality art in unusual spaces or engage in pop up exhibitions? Would you like to form a collective? What is missing from your art scene? What would you change if you could? Let's get organised and shake things up. We are stronger together.

Leave a comment or send me an email.

Thank you.