The games we play

Our Minimalist Secrets: Exhibition and Gallery News!

This week I turned my attention in the studio back to the book series. I am excited to be part of Art Walk Porty - The Artist's Book Market, next month at the Dalriada located right on the Portobello Promenade across from the sea in Edinburgh. Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of September from 11am-4pm. Click the link to read more about the participants and mark your calendars and make plans to attend. I would love to see you there. Learn more here (it's a gorgeous website so do click on that link).

I love the freedom that working in the books allows. As this is not my primary format, I feel like I can do anything and take even more risks and chances. The yellowed and torn books and scrolls can become sculptural and raw to hold our minimalist secrets.

In other exciting exhibition news, I just sent two paintings to the inaugural exhibition at a new gallery in Glasgow! John Doyle Art located at 23 Parnie Street aims to bring a new and eclectic collection of formidable artists together under one roof. I am honoured to be part of the mix. There will be an opening reception next Friday, the 23rd of August from 6-9pm. 

These are the two paintings you can enjoy and purchase there.

A delicate balance
76.2x76.2x4cm/30x30x1.5"
Acrylic, charcoal on canvas
© 2015 Megan Chapman
£1,350
Currently available through Doyle Art in Glasgow.
Contact the gallery to purchase.

Remember this place
76.2x76.2x4cm/30x30x1.5"
Acrylic, charcoal on canvas
© 2015 Megan Chapman
£1,350
Currently available through Doyle Art in Glasgow.
Contact the gallery to purchase.

As some of you may recall these two pieces were published in a wonderful article by the arts editor of SOGO Magazine at the time, fellow artist and now friend, Brian McFie. You can read the article here if you missed it the first time around. Brian will also be showing his work with Doyle Art. Again, I am delighted to be showing in a gallery in Glasgow. This is another first for me!

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog, follows and supports my work on the various forms of social media, and has supported my work in all the various brick and mortar galleries along the way. Thank you! 

Summer! Exhibitions, taking up space, and taking care

This week, I have decided to take up some space that I normally shy away from. As I write my blog, I am surrounded by plants on the balcony above my studio just off the common kitchen at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith. It is hot up here close to the Victorian glass ceiling.

I have my headphones on but even still I can hear the clinking of glasses and silverware from the cafe kitchen below. It smells like a chocolate cake is baking and reminds me of my mother. It feels good to be in the bright light and intense warmth up high and surrounded by other people's cast-off houseplants. You are here for art though, so let's talk about that.

A fair wind and a long way to go
Mixed media on canvas
100x120cm
© 2018 Megan Chapman

I follow the clouds
Mixed media on canvas
61x91cm
© 2018 Megan Chapman

I have just bubble-wrapped these two paintings for delivery to The Velvet Easel Gallery tomorrow morning. I am very pleased to have my work in the upcoming exhibition, "Defying Sameness." The exhibition opens on 7th of July (drinks and nibbles all day of the opening) and stays up through the 28th of October. The Velvet Easel is one of my favourite galleries in Edinburgh, so come out to Portobello to take in the art and the beach and make a day of it.

I have also been getting ready for the "Summer Garden Party" exhibition coming up at The Union Gallery I am thrilled to have four pieces in this upcoming show.

"The annual, mixed, summery exhibition of favourite gallery artists including Patsy McArthur, James Newton Adams, Megan Chapman, Colin Brown, Drummond Mayo and Sophie McKay Knight, all served up with a glass of PIMMS!" The exhibition runs 12th of July 2018 to the 4th of August.

Besides painting up a storm in the studio, I have been trying to savour summer a bit, yesterday I spent the day in a writer's garden in the hot sun. It was a divine way to spend a day.

The news of the world is horrid and there are many people in pain and despair. I can't turn my back on it but neither can I dwell on it for too long. At these times we must fight, stay informed, and work for change but we must also make our art and sun our souls.

Indefinite ether

Today is what the man calls Black Friday and tomorrow will be Small Business Saturday and then Sunday is still just Sunday (some PR team hasn't figured out a good phrase for it yet) and then, of course, we'll have Cyber Monday.

I have used these terms in the past as I have eeked out a living by selling my wares online. However, I think those days are numbered. I tried not to use these words this year and instead have had a pretty gentle "Studio Sale" over in my shop the past few days. Six art patrons have got in on the action so far. Thanks, patrons! You always make me smile and do a little happy dance.

This will be my last big online sales hurrah for a good long while as I am pretty sure my Etsy shop, Artmaven will be going on hiatus by midnight on Monday (so you still have plenty of time to get your cyber on).

In my Tuesday Studio Visit Video, I went into depth concerning my Etsy shop, as it relates to being represented by more galleries here in Scotland and the conundrum it presents. Here's the video if you missed it.



So here we are. I would like to send my shop off into the indefinite ether with a bang. There are still many affordable pieces available. Snap one up for yourself or as a gift. As always I am thankful for all my patrons near and far -- past, present, and future.

Oh and as far as culture and the larger art world go, you might enjoy these videos (there are two so far) about women (or the lack thereof) in the art world. After watching, vow to become part of the solution.

Here's a cool fact. Every gallery (Union Gallery, The Velvet Easel, The&Gallery) that has shown or will show my work so far in Edinburgh is owned by a woman. Right on! I feel very fortunate!

Take care until next week and keep fighting.

The cards fall into place

The weather was gorgeous as I dropped off art to two galleries in different parts of Edinburgh. After each drop-off, I got to enjoy a beautiful scenic walk and soak in the sun and the autumnal beauty. That alone would make a brilliant week. The icing on the cake was scoring last minute tickets to a reading by one of my literary idols, Armistead Maupin. I must say I am delightfully gobsmacked.

Tuesday, I recorded my studio visit video on the importance of showing up, doing the work, and being ready for any opportunity. You can see it again here if you missed it on my Facebook art page.

On Wednesday I took two new small works over to Union gallery for the exhibition, Welcome to the Jungle. This exhibition is to raise awareness and funds to help protect orangutans. 10% of all sales will be donated to help these majestic creatures.

The exhibition will contain new work from artists Jenny Matthews, Barbara Franc, Susie Christie, Christine Clark, Imogen Alabaster, Megan Chapman, Ruth Addinall, Carl Newman, Carol Read and Richard Ballantyne.

Join us for the preview on Saturday the 28th
4-6pm.

Welcome to the Jungle
28.10.17 - 25.11.17
Union Gallery
4 Drumsheugh Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7PT
Monday - Saturday: 10.30 - 5.30pm
Closed Sundays

Here are the two pieces I will have in the important and varied exhibition.

Deep Within
Mixed media on Canvas
20x20x4cm
2017 Megan Chapman

To Be Wild and Free
Mixed media on Canvas
20x20x4cm
2017 Megan Chapman

On Thursday, I took two new paintings over to The Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello for their latest mixed exhibition, Winters Edge. This exciting exhibition opens on Saturday, November 4th and runs through 25th of February. After participating in the previous exhibition, I was delighted to be asked back.

Join us for the opening on Saturday, November 4th from 10-5. There will be drinks and nibbles and perhaps artists popping in throughout the day. I plan to be there for a bit for sure.

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

Here are the two pieces I will have in the exhibition. 

My Heart Divided
Mixed media on Canvas
41x51x4cm
2016 Megan Chapman

Hiding In Plain Sight
Mixed media on Canvas
41x51x4cm
2016 Megan Chapman

In addition to these exhibitions, I will be participating in two other group shows coming up soon and I will tell you more about them as it gets closer to the time. This all feels very good, and just after three years of living here, it feels like the cards are finally starting to fall into place. Long may it continue.

Last, but certainly not least, this week I got to meet and hear my favorite author, Armistead Maupin in St. Andrews this afternoon on his tour for his memoir Logical Family. 

I sadly found out only Monday that he was on tour here in Scotland and also that the tickets in Edinburgh were completely sold out. Thanks to our friend James and his fast detective work, we found out that Mr. Maupin would also be speaking in St Andrews about 50 miles away and that there were still tickets. We jumped at the chance. After a scenic train and bus journey, we had a bit of time to enjoy the gorgeous sunfilled village and its ruins before the event. 

We got front row seats and I was completely spellbound for an hour as we listened to him read from his book and then expand on his own experiences and take questions from the audience. I laughed until I cried and was filled with pure electric joy. It was an honor to meet someone who I have read, quoted, and admired for over 20 years. His characters have comforted and inspired me and have become part of my logical family. Never in a million years did I think I would have this opportunity. I was so giddy, I forgot how to spell out my own name as he signed the book. I still can't quite believe my good fortune and I can't wait to read his memoir. 

Somedays the world seems like it has completely gone to hell, and somedays the world seems like a light-filled orb, with boundless energy, laughter, and goodness. This is the world I got to live in this week and I am grateful. 

Until next week, be ready for opportunities, be ready to make new plans, and to perhaps meet your dreams. You never know what's coming next.

Detours caused by teapots

This week I took a bit of a break from all the galleries and museum type places. I decided that so much of what I was seeing was just rushing past me, that I wasn't absorbing or allowing the art to impact me. However, I still walked all over this lovely city again this week and I did stop into a few small art galleries and boutique art shops. I was on a quest for a tea pot, but there is always a little time for art...

The first place I visited this week was a print shop gallery, Edinburgh Printmakers. I liked the way things looked in the window and I fancied getting myself a small piece of souvenir art to mark my journey. As we entered the small shop, the old door loudly rattled shut behind us, but that did not cause the attendant to look up or greet us. I walked through the shop and browsed the beautiful prints they had for sale but the one I liked by John Heywood sadly had no price and the gallery attendant still hadn't acknowledged our being only five feet away from her at any point. I decided not to hassle her and did not purchase work from the shop.

Upstairs at this same gallery was an exhibition by one of the artists that I mentioned last week, Kirsty Whiten. If you recall, she did a piece called "prayer monkey" that I was taken with. In this new solo exhibition, Breeder Badlands, the artist portrays her friends naked with their children. Mothers with babies and complete family units naked, napping, and protecting the clan. Rendered as obviously modern people but in either isolated color field backgrounds or with painted prehistoric or a jungle-like theme behind them, the exhibition of original paintings and hand made prints was an interesting take on the psychology of family and our place in the world, and the familial instincts carried over from our ancestors. It was one of the most put together and well executed exhibitions I have seen in this city yet. It fit the gallery perfectly and was a captivating exhibition.

The next notable gallery I stopped in this week is The Red Door Gallery. It is a small cute shop filled with art, hip crafts, and has a distinct flavor. This little shop made me feel the hope of Spring. It is that kind of place, well designed with funky prints, pillows, tea towels, cards and other ephemera of the day tastefully flooding the little light filled shop. The place makes me want to live in a little apartment with just the right things, such as an owl pillow, some framed cassette prints, even my coin purse would be cute in this world. The Red Door Gallery is like the best of Esty but in the flesh. I am sure I will return. I was also pleased to see one of my favorite etsy artists, Olivia Jeffries prints available for sale.

So, those were the two most notable stops this week; there were other shops, design studios, magnificent buildings and views this week too, of course. There was some great curry had and another nice meet up with some other members of the blipfoto community as well. It was a good week.

Also this week, I created ten more original small works on paper and restocked my etsy shop again. All the small pieces I made last week sold! I am so grateful as my small affordable works are supporting me currently while I am away. If you haven't checked out my etsy shop since last week please do and consider buying a small work for yourself or a friend or sharing my work with your friends. I really appreciate every one's support. Thank you!




Until next week, keep fighting. I have a city to explore and more art to make and a teapot to find!

wander into the sea...

 

wander into the sea, mixed media on paper 5x7"
© 2012 Megan Chapman, sold
http://www.etsy.com/shop/artmaven

There was more art viewed in the lovely city of Edinburgh this past week as eight commercial galleries were visited. We started with the lovely Union gallery as I wanted to catch the Winter Wonderland exhibition before it closed for the month. Stewart and I both had work in this group exhibition and I have to say it was quite a thrill to see my work in a gallery in Scotland. My work has been many places around the nation and now the world, but rarely do I get a chance to travel with my work and see it installed. So this unique experience was very important to me. The work looked lovely next to Stewart's.

Next we visited, Open eye gallery this gallery was showing some works by Frank Stella and Josef Albers. We then visited The Gallery on the Corner, which was a lovely little space, showing work by individuals with "a physical or mental health condition or those from a disadvantaged background." It was a comfortable and cute gallery and the range of work was quite good. I can stand behind a project gallery such as this, art is so important on so many levels. I am glad this gallery exists.

Next was Axolotl a gallery with several different shows on at once. One room contained large drawn portraits on huge sheets of paper crinkled to provide the wrinkles and facial structure to the faces rendered. The size and use of paper was impressive. Sadly for the artist, the view out the window was equally so. I can imagine much of the art viewed in this gallery looking better in a different space. There was also a room of resin worked that I liked but again I wanted to see it somewhere else. There was a giclee print that really touched me, of a monkey. It was called prayer monkey by Kirsty Whiten. I went back for a second look at this piece.

There was Colours gallery with burlap walls that lent a 1970s feel with a wide selection of colorful art and nice man running the place. We also visited Flaubert gallery and this gallery stood out for me. It was a large gallery and I liked a lot of what they had on display. They were playing jazz and offered us an espresso while we looked. Friendly, nice atmosphere and good art, a winning combination! I was particularly taken with the work of Claudia Massie.

There was the small Rosie Mckenzie gallery and what I remember most was a small space and a sweet gallery dog. We also visited Scotland Art a mid size gallery, with creaky wood plank floors and a spiral staircase that takes you downstairs view the art on the lower level.

I also visited the National Museum of Scotland, which is more of a natural history museum, but on the art front, notably I saw works by Andy Goldsworthy and Hiroshige .

So as you can see and read I have taken in a lot of art in the past two and a half weeks. It really has been amazing. I love the different spaces, the way the work is handled, the way one is greeted or not. It all comes together to create this "art world."

Also this past week, I got to meet many of my friends and acquaintances from my blipfoto community. As some of you know I keep a daily photo journal at blipfoto and that is how I met Stewart and why I am in Scotland. Well this past Sunday, we had a closing meet and greet for the Winter wonderland exhibition at Union Gallery. Many of the important players of blip came out to say hello, including the founder Joe Tree. I was pleased that my fellow blippers could see my art as well. It was a fun Sunday afternoon and I feel I have more than a few real friends in this city and surrounding area.

Besides all this art and culture viewing and community building, perhaps even more notable on a personal level, I actually created art this week! Yes!!! With few supplies and only a kitchen counter studio space I made nine new small works on paper and listed them in my shop on Etsy. Four pieces have already found homes! If you are enjoying my travel stories I hope you will consider buying one of the small works that I create while here. I will be making more small works this week, but until the new ones arrive, please consider visiting my shop and snapping up one of these.


After all that, yesterday I spent the day at the North Sea! It was just what I needed; the water is peace, the colors are art, and the sounds make me feel alive.

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