Let Glasgow Flourish

City Chambers

Julia and I met at Edinburgh Waverley for our 10:15 train to Glasgow. We blethered away as the train sped through the bright yellow fields, arriving at our destination within the hour. I have always loved Glasgow and felt an affinity and connection from the first time I visited.

We readied ourselves for our day of adventure with cups of tea near the station, and then we were off! Walking along George Square, we popped into the gorgeous Victorian Glasgow City Chambers to enjoy the beautiful mosaics. I have walked past the stately building many times, but it never occurred to me to step inside. I was glad Julia mentioned the beautiful mosaic work and prompted our brief visit.

Keeper of Light by Smug

As we continued our walk through the city, we happened upon Keeper of Light, one of the brilliant murals by the artist Smug. I exclaimed, “Wow!” as I simply wasn’t expecting the mammoth painting. Julia and I took photos of the arresting vision in red.

We then continued on our way to see the current exhibitions at Trongate 103. Once inside the building, we encountered the moving and troubling images from Marc Davenant's Outsiders.

Neuk Collective Together Apart

We made our way upstairs as we had specifically come to Glasgow to see the Neuk Collective Exhibition, Together Apart. It is a varied exhibition, with plenty of work across most media to see and experience. I especially enjoyed the interactive works. Tactile art has interested me since I created my Books series. There were loads of works in Together Apart that called for tactile investigation; sound, colour, texture and a strong sense of play tied the exhibition together. This is the second Neuk Collective exhibition I have attended in person. I always get a strong sense of the thoughtfulness and care that goes into the planning and execution to ensure the experience is inclusive and accessible for as many people as possible.

We then visited Street Level Photoworks to view Simon Phipps's Brutal Scotland: Scotland's Post-War Modernist Architecture. A brilliant photography exhibition of brutalist buildings, a style that I have only grown to appreciate in recent years.

We rounded out our visit to Trongate 103 with a quick dash through the Glasgow Print Studio’s current exhibitions, viewing Janka Malkowska's Wood Cuts and works by featured artist, Consuelo R. Servan.

I was thankful to be able to view these five very different but equally important exhibitions. Accessible spaces such as Trongate 103 that offer so many different media, expressions, and opportunities under one roof are critical and must continue to be rallied around and supported in times of crisis and in our everyday lives. We must never take them for granted. Arts venues contribute to our well-being, our humanity, and build our communities. The importance of this cannot be understated. Solidarity to all who are working so hard and fighting to keep the doors open.

After all that art, we needed some food, so we walked down the road to Mono for a simple lunch of soup and some tasty focaccia. We followed this with a quick stop by Mr Ben Retro Clothing for a wee browse.

Cult of St. Enoch by Smug

St. Mungo by Smug

We then headed towards the Glasgow Necropolis. I have a thing for graveyards, and thankfully, Julia likes them too. We wandered up the road towards the city of the dead, where 50,000 people are buried on the 37- acre site. As we continued walking, we came across two more of Smug’s arresting murals - Cult of St Enoch and later Saint Mungo. All three of Smug's murals were a delight to happen across as we walked. Truth be told, I am not always a fan of public art or murals, but these are special.

Glasgow Necropolis

Glasgow Necropolis

Before we knew it, we were walking next to the Glasgow Cathedral (unfortunately, with the cathedral spire under wraps for renovation). We crossed the bridge to the garden-like hillside Necropolis, with its winding tiers of towering monuments, colourful wrought iron mausoleum gates, and views over the city. It immediately brought to mind Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, which I visited twice during a four-day trip in 2016. I do love a cemetery! Julia and I slowly wandered up the hill, looking at the various graves. I video-called my mother to show her a few monuments, and gave her a dramatic reading of the script on the tomb of actor-manager John Henry Alexander of the Theatre Royal. I then showed her some of the ornate gates and the cathedral in the distance. Technology can be pretty wonderful at times.

Afterwards, Julia and I made our way back down the hill towards Queen Street Station and hopped on the train. We shared part of the journey back with two sleepy wedding revellers until we managed to find more private seats under a poster with a quote from a favourite Altered Images song,“I could be happy.”

We once again travelled through yellow fields and onto Waverley; another brilliant adventure in the books.

I could be happy...

Last chance to view: Divinations, Declarations and Whispers

Whew! This week! This past month really. Whew, deep breath in, deep breath out... My sweet cat Theo has been unwell and has been under veterinarian care since Tuesday morning. He is due to come home from the hospital later today. The chronic kidney disease is progressing and that's the reality. I can't wait to get him back home from the hospital later today. 

All my thoughts have been on him so I haven't been promoting the fact that today is the last day of my exhibition "Divinations, Declarations and Whispers" online at Starling & Campbell. I also missed posting my Tuesday Studio Video Visit for the past two weeks. Go have a rummage around my YouTube channel and please subscribe if you haven't. 

Theo comes first - I am sure you understand. 

However, if you haven't yet visited the exhibition, or if you want to go back so you can float around the gallery from face to face and really dive in and see them as you would in person, then please visit the exhibition today. They are all waiting for you there. I am delighted that so many of you were able to visit the exhibition in this way. I will try to have more exhibitions in this way, perhaps quarterly along with some salon-style virtual studio sale events. 

Visit the exhibition today: bit.ly/starlingcampbell

Also I enjoyed creating a special line of t-shirts and totes to mark the ocassion of the exhibition - thank you to everyone who has purchased one - it really helps to support me, my art, and my wonderful cat. Buy T-shirts and Totes: https://gutlessapparel.teemill.com

And of course, my wee shop is still stocked with my prints, smaller orginal works on paper and canvas, and even framed small works. I know I have been pushing the sales lately and my blog has been less about the thoughts around creating the work. The thoughts will come again soon - when I start making new work in the new year. 

Thanks for your patience and thanks for your views, likes, shares, subscribes and purchases and your kind encouraging words. It all adds up and keeps me working. I am grateful for the opportunity. 

Like the art I create and share? Leave me a tip!

Special thanks and appreciation to my Ko-fi Supporters. 

These wonderful folks have supported me over on Ko-fi in the last 30 days: 

Jennifer Libby Fay, Tamsin Haggis, Pat Bremner, Jen Arbuckle, and Muriel Prince.

I will be posting my December Playlist for my supporters soon!! xx

Thanks to all of my patrons near and far, past, present, and future. 

And here's what it's all about... Oor wee Theo. 

Theo is the best curator and friend

And no one sees us

I went to the studio on Tuesday. I didn't paint but I went in and I looked around. I looked at angles, smudges, colours and lines. I got grounded and then I took care of an errand.

I went back to the studio on Thursday. It was looking iffy but I made it and I am so glad I did. I bought some Oreos and some cold brewed coffee (I'm back on a bit of coffee after 29 years of not). I also bought myself The Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me album from 1987 as an extra bit of encouragement (along with the coffee and Oreos- whatever it takes). That album was one of my favourites from that very year and it's just as good now. And then the above happened. I took the large abstract painting I had done on a gifted to me 100x80cm linen canvas (thanks patron!) and turned it on its side and then quickly drew these charcoal faces. Red cheeks, white cheeks, wobbly cheeks, eyes getting more impatient and smudged, mouths quick and dirty - that's how I work. I don't have time to waste - paint around the shapes - everything is abstract - see the old painting peeking through. Spirits come forward. These quickdraws are standing all around us. Not even considered. Rude and rushed - poor and floating - they become one. I don't understand much anymore I think. But I know I don't want to make them "better" just yet. People like them raw and bad. So maybe I should too. 

So, I left the spirits and entered into their world, where the yellow line took me by the hand. The more troubled, the better. Bread crumbs into the darkness that I follow alone. 

"Well we’re a mile under the ground
And I’m thinking that it’s Christmas
And I’m kissing you hard
Like I’ve got very important business
And no one knows
And no one sees us
Because they’re drinking their selves senseless
And I’m writhing
And I’m writhing
And I’m writhing in the snakepit..."

The Snakepit - The Cure

Have a blessed day y'all. (read it in an Arkansas accent - pretend you are shopping and they say this as you turn to leave the till)

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The Now and the Memories

One. I'll be pink and you will be too. We will spread out over oceans. We will spread across time. We will isolate together, alone. At first, our boundaries will be defined. People all around us, keeping us warm like insulation. You stay in your group and I will stay in mine. Be safe.

Two. People are rushing all around, there has been a breach. There are other pinks but not exactly like me, and certainly not like you. There is a mad crush, they want to rub shoulders, they want to talk loud, spit flies in the air. I am caught against them, held captive but the walls soothe you. 

Three. We are lost in the sea of bodies, my light is dimming. Less pink all the time. I can't see. 

The memories: Fresh like spring and we are gone. 

Five new works on paper created in August 2020. These works were inspired by life, real and imagined, and the words, 'the loss of physical touch is distancing my soul' written by my friend Rosa Macpherson. 

These are the first finished abstract works I have created since May 19th. 

These mixed media pieces are on 200gsm heavyweight acid-free A3 sized cartridge paper and are available for purchase in my Ko-fi shop.

We create our own systems

It's Friday and I am here. I am listening to Santigold's first album on the big headphones. I did order two lots of art supplies earlier in the week, as I said I would in my last post. I have not yet received them, so I looked around the house to see what types of supplies I could piece together in the interim. I mentioned to Edinburgh based painter and illustrator, David Schofield on Twitter that I might end up finger painting on cardboard with coffee. I am still not too inspired to paint right now, but I am following through and setting up some space and I might even work on something later today. I just need to start. Again, I don't exactly think this is the time to keep performing as if this is a normal time or just another work week in the studio. Remember, how you choose to cope or process what is happening around the world is up to you. 

I just woke up from a long nap on the sofa. The sky is flat grey, the pavements are wet, and the shower is broken. The Prime Minister and the UK's Health secretary have both tested positive for the virus. 

Thank goodness for friends, music, and art. We keep showing up for each other. My dear friend artist and musician, John Kay (I will link to his Bandcamp page once he has it set up) sent me money for supplies earlier in the week. Artist, musician, and friend, Karl Macrae made his last payments this week on one of my paintings. Another artist and dear friend, Maggie Ivy bought me a cup of coffee and then I bought a cup of coffee for textile artist, Mairi Brown. And this is how we do it. 

As artists, many of us keep passing the same money (when we have it) around to keep each other afloat and we have been doing this for years. We keep lifting each other up. We are legion and we must not forget this and somehow we must create our own systems that actually work for us. The old systems sure as hell aren't working. Let's all think about this.

In other news, I put some of my "art" photos on my ko-fi page. I also shared some of my accidental portraits over there and linked to a podcast I used to do as well. Trying to flesh out the page in thanks to those who have already supported me over there and to those that hopefully will in the future. Ko-Fi is a friendly platform to support artists. https://ko-fi.com/meganchapman If you are an artist yourself, consider setting up a page. 

I recorded my Tuesday Studio Video Visit from home and put it on my YouTube page (still very much under construction over there) but here it is again if you missed it. 



I think that is all I have for you this week. Be well, stay safe, distance, and isolate. Wash your hands. We need you and the gifts you bring. Patrons we need you more than ever. 

With love, gratitude, and hope for the world, 
Megan 

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The week I learned to breathe again

The week I learned to breathe again
photo © 2014 Megan Chapman

I am finding it hard to come up with eloquent words for "things aren't going too well." I am known for my "dream it, do it" cheer leading and mentoring style of "keep fighting" and "onwards and upwards" etc etc... but I am all out of that currently.

However, even in the worst of times, I will stand by Art. I will stand behind my art and my ability to create relationships around it. I will stand by my ability to encourage others to sell their brilliant work. I will stand by this profession. I will know that art has given me a rich and varied life filled with discovery, self empowerment and understanding. I will know art has given me my mental health as much or more than it has destroyed it.

Studying art at the University of Oregon was the greatest gift I could have ever given myself, it was the true beginning of my independence. Art taught me how to think and see and how to discuss things critically without being cruel. Art taught me how to learn about different viewpoints and styles. Art taught me how to create on a deadline, dream up my own stories and find my tribe of people when I had always felt like an outsider. Art allowed me to put my varied emotions all in one place and into a clear channel of creation.

I have sold a lot art in these nineteen years since my first professional exhibition. I have created a lot as well and luckily I don't have a closet of doom packed with unsold works.  However, I am sure there is a gallery or two that wishes some of my older work would sell so they would have more room in their closets. I am fortunate that I have a dedicated following and community of patrons and fellow artists that respect my work and value me.

Currently, this is not enough to pay the bills. It has been in the past and it will be again in the future but it is a struggle. These past four years have been the biggest struggle of my life but thanks to art I am still here. I am still filled with the belief that things will get better and it is not the time (nor will it ever be) to give up on my art. When you know why you are on the planet it is hard to just walk away.

Sometimes all I can hear in my head is "it's time to end this charade." However, I am not going to stop. I am not going to give in. I am not going to quit. This is not obstinacy on my part, this is faith and drive. This is a call to action.

Luckily, the cheerleader doesn't stay down for long.

Alright, I'll say it. Keep fighting, the world needs you and your art...

I wrote one blog in my mind and typed another. This is because of you. Thank you. x

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