The Evidence Continues...Vlog

Dear Friends,

I hope you will enjoy today's Vlog.

For those of you celebrating the holiday today, I hope you have a happy and safe fourth of July.

For those of you in and around Arkansas, I will be at the Blue Moon Gallery tonight, Friday July 4th from 5-9pm for first Friday gallery walk, as my exhibition is still featured. I would love to see you there.

Thank all of you for reading and watching, and for sharing the next nine minutes of your life with me...

Megan

News and the Artist's Statement.

Congratulations to Ginna Funk Wallace! She is this month's winner of the small painting give away! Thank you to all my regulars for commenting. The odds were great this time around, sorry you all can't win one.

I would like to take this time to mention my latest offering. With the help of the online publishing website, blurb.com, I have just published an exhibition catalog for my current show Evidence of the Disappearance.The 8x10" soft cover, landscape oriented catalog is thirty eight pages, with all thirty of my paintings from the exhibition reproduced in full color.

You can preview the first fifteen pages of the book online, by clicking on the "badge" posted here on my blog or visiting this link http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/275573

If you have enjoyed being a part of the process and reading about my exhibition, then this catalog would be the perfect souvenir. I will receive 5 dollars for each book sold, and those funds will help me to continue my work and encourage me greatly.


I wanted to present Evidence of the Disappearance in a permanent and cohesive way. I also wanted to create a catalog as a souvenir for those who saw the work in person as well as for those of you who may never have the chance and I wanted to provide this at an affordable price.

The book is available for sale in Dollars, Pounds, and Euros, and is priced at $24.95 before shipping. There are online coupons codes for reduced shipping rates that will work in the United States and perhaps elsewhere (click on this link and then istockphoto2008 for $7.00 off) this will open the site. You will then click on "bookstore" and then type my name and the discount will be automatically be applied at checkout. Thank you to those who may have already purchased my book, and to those who will in the future. I do appreciate your support, please tell your friends about my publication, or consider putting a badge or link advertising it on your blog or website.

One more news item before we get to work. There is a new project I am involved with in the blogosphere, that I would love for you to visit and bookmark. You Have Us Now, is an artist curated online gallery maintained by Megan Chapman, (that's me!) an artist living in the United States and Steven Heaton an artist living in the United Kingdom. Together we bring you exhibitions of artists from all over the world that we think you should you know. Our tastes may be a bit different, but our commitment to art and to what we like is the same. Our current exhibition is entitled, Two American Men and Woman from Berlin, and features the work of vrno, Mark Traughber, and Isabel Reitmeyer. This exhibition will be up through July. Enjoy!

The Artist Statement:

This topic usually sends artists running for the hills, it seems almost gauche to talk about ourselves, our inner workings, and our work. It really seems absurd to talk about ourselves in the third person (and you really don't have to). Many artists feel that words just get in the way, and that their paintings should speak for themselves. Some artists may even feel that the statement is just pretentious fluff to help shed light on the process unable to be understood by the inexperienced or bourgeois art patron.

To those artists saying all of that, I say get over yourselves. It is not that I don't understand all those feelings I do, but if we are really going to make a go of this we need to learn how to move forward.

Know that your statement is always going to be a work in progress, it is always going to change, there may be periods of time that your statement will be static, but eventually your work will change slightly and your statement won't ring as true and you will know it is time for an edit or a rewrite. So, even if you have a statement currently, look at it with fresh eyes and see if it is still relevant to the work you are producing now. I think many artists cling to their old statements, because they were an arduous task and they just don't want to go through that process again.

When I approach my statement or rewrite I like to brainstorm for a while first. I may sit in my studio with all my work around me, and just look at it, and see and feel what the work conjures up. Then, I may write down words that come to mind when I look at the work- things that stand out. Color, texture, shapes, balance, and concepts. It is important to let go and really just get the words out on paper, you don't have to use them, this is just an exercise.

I am sure you have read artist's statements that are pretentious, reaching, grandiose, stuffed with artsy jargon, yet they mean nothing, and only serve to confuse the viewer more. Your art may be complex but your statement should be as straight forward and with as little artistic jargon as possible. You are trying to bridge a gap, not create a larger one between your work and the viewer. Think of your statement as a short paragraph to help spell out your process and guide the viewer into your work. This is like leaving a bread crumb trail in the forest, you want to lead them in, to explore your art but you also want them to find their way back out again. Make your statement clear, simple and easy to follow. Don't write statements to create further mystique in your work, create them to help clarify.

Use positive action words in your statement. Eliminate words like: try, attempt, hope, strive, etc. You are doing, not trying, you have accomplished this, you are not attempting, and you are not hoping that your attempt to capture whatever was successful. It is successful. This is going to be stretch for some of you, because it seems egotistical, and you are attempting, trying, hoping in your mind. I get that. Keep the statement positive and avoid the passive voice.

Here are some examples of my statements from over the years, some are more passive and fluffy than I would write today, but you can see an evolution, a tightening, a clarification.

2002
"My paintings are an attempt to catch the flashes of buried insight: a haunting memory, a sound, a stillness from within. I approach my painting as a journey. I let the painting pull me along, as if I am following an internal equation. As I look for the solution, I maintain balance within the work. Using a subtle palette, of rusty orange, yellow ochre, pale greens and peaches, as well as rich black dusty charcoal, I strive to let the shapes converse with each other and the viewer. Using a host of almost familiar organic shapes, layers of texture, and faint colors, I create a primitive dream, and the paintings take on an otherworldly quality. I use materials together in a non-traditional manner to create a new world on canvas."

A couple of years later when I was going through a more abstract landscape period of work, this was my statement.

2004
"When I paint, mysteries unfold before me on the canvas. I feel a meditative, yet powerful, connection to the work-a sense of wholeness. These paintings are a series of strange vignettes- little timeless stories, abstractions that touch the sky, the earth, and the mysterious happenings in between. Abstractions turn into something recognized: a sense of place, the expansive sky and horizon. A place to feel the wind or wander through the darkness. The land simply emerges."

Again a couple of year's later upon my return to "pure abstract" painting, my statement became a close version of what is today.

2006
“I love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I have been exploring different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. They reflect my love of mark making and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal or the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere.”

And my current statement very slightly altered, as my body of work and voice have solidified.

2008
"My work is about my love of color, and the subtle changes that occur when colors overlap, react, and create something new. I also love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I enjoy exploring space and balance in my work, as well as different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes or design elements are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. These shapes reflect my love of mark making and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal of the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring all of these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere."

There are many resources available either at your library, or online to help you craft a good working artist's statement. If you read a statement by another artist that resonates with you, use it as a template of sorts, but again be careful not to mimic their statement too closely. Remember this is about your work.

Good luck! If you have further questions about this topic, lets hash it out in the comments section!

Evidence of the Disappearance
New paintings by Megan Chapman
Blue Moon Gallery
718 Central Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
June-July 2008
Join me for first Friday gallery walk!
July 4th 5-9pm
www.bluemoonartgallery.com
www.meganchapman.com


We Carry On
30x40" Mixed Media on Canvas 2008
Megan Chapman
Evidence of the Disappearance
Blue Moon Gallery
$1,200

Opening success!

The week has passed quickly after the successful opening of Evidence of the Disappearance at the Blue Moon Gallery. Thanks to all who attended. I hope you enjoyed the show, it was wonderful to meet and talk with everyone. Thanks to all my readers who got caught up in the excitement, no matter where you might have been. Glad you all enjoyed my first vlog last week as well!

Six pieces have sold so far, so I am very pleased with the response the exhibition has received. The exhibition will be up for another seven weeks (until the end of July), so I hope as many people as possible will be able to see the work. If you have seen a piece that you might be interested in, don't hesitate to contact the gallery! I will also be present at the July 4th gallery walk from 5-9pm. Hot Springs, Arkansas has such a vibrant arts community and is always an inspiring place to visit. If I missed you at gallery walk this month, I hope to see you in July!

Today, I want to share some of the images from my opening, so you can get a sense of how the show was hung and the gallery space itself. I also included a few pictures from early in the night, as people first started to arrive. It was a fun night! I am really pleased to be represented by such a wonderful gallery. Mother and daughter team/owners Pat and Dishongh Scavo are incredible. Major thanks goes out to them, and their behind scenes team/spouses Phil Scavo and Steve Lawnick.

Enjoy the slide show and as always thanks for your support.

Evidence of the Disappearance: TONIGHT!

Dear Readers, Family, and Friends-
Thank you for everything.

Love,

Megan

Evidence of the Disappearance
New paintings by Megan Chapman
Blue Moon Gallery
718 Central Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
June-July 2008
Opening tonight!
June 6th 5-9pm

www.meganchapman.com
www.bluemoonartgallery.com

Evidence of the Disappearance: A Preview

For my lovely blog readers I am thrilled to present...
Evidence of the Disappearance.

I have updated my website with my new work and created two new pod casts about the exhibition on there as well.

I hope those of you in and around Arkansas will plan to attend the opening reception on Friday, June 6 from 5-9pm at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs. I would love to see and meet you there next Friday!

Thank you again for all your encouragement, love, and support. I couldn't do what I do without you all on my team. You lift me up and inspire me on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy my new work!

The press release follows:

Painter, Megan Chapman featured at
Blue Moon Gallery, Hot Springs Arkansas.

Evidence of the Disappearance an exhibit of abstract, oil and mixed media paintings by Fayetteville artist, Megan Chapman will be featured for two months beginning June 6 – July at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs Arkansas. The gallery is located at 718 Central Avenue in the downtown Historic Arts District.The opening reception will be held June 6th from 5-9pm, during first Friday gallery walk. The artist will be present. The exhibition includes thirty new paintings never before exhibited.

Chapman's work has been featured in solo exhibitions at Remy Fine Art in Ft. Smith, the DDP gallery in Fayetteville, Julie Wait Designs in Rogers, Mullins Library, at the University of Arkansas, and at Gallery Fraga in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Chapman's work was recently on display in the Arkansas World Trade Center in Rogers, Arkansas.

Chapman's mixed media abstracts have been well received, and can been seen in the Fayetteville Shogun Sky bar's permanent collection, as well as other corporate collections. Most recently two of Chapman's paintings were published in Studio Visit, a national juried exhibition in print.

Megan Chapman was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She received her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Oregon. Chapman has shown her paintings over the past ten years in Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington; her paintings have appeared in various publications, and are in private and corporate collections around the country.

About the concept behind the title and the exhibition, Chapman says...When I paint I listen to music on my headphones, and the music is always a constant source of inspiration and helps me to dive into the work and away from this world; the paintings that result are the only "evidence" of this time spent "away."

My work is always about my love of color, the subtle changes that occur when colors overlap, react, and create something new. I also love textures and how layers of color and texture come together. I have been exploring different motifs that I find natural and comforting. These shapes are repetitive at times, and often peek out from a hidden space in the painting or brazenly take the foreground. These shapes reflect my love of design as well as "mark making" and how I enjoy the imperfect smudge of charcoal or the gritty pencil line as it floats along the painted surface. Intuitively, I bring these elements together to create an otherworldly atmosphere.

Please join us to welcome Megan Chapman at her opening reception of Evidence of the Disappearance June 6, from 5-9 PM at Blue Moon Gallery. The exhibition will continue through July. For further information please call the Blue Moon Gallery at 501.318.2787 or visit the website at www.bluemoonartgallery.com

Trusting Yourself Enough To Buy Art

The winner of last week's small paper painting give away is the talented author Suzi Parker! Congratulations Suzi! Please contact me so I can mail the painting (shown above) to you. Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful comments! It is so nice to have readers, I remember when I had very few, and rarely any comments. Knowing that you are out there reading this means a great deal to me, and is very encouraging. Thank you all. Please tell your friends about my blog and about my paintings!

Today, I want to switch gears. Last night, I was visiting with a friend who is not an artist, so I took the opportunity to pick his brain about growing up with or without art, buying or not buying art; and what art can bring to a person's life, as well as the misconceptions that hang over the art world.

I asked my friend if he had grown up with art (original or prints) around his house. It turned out he had not; on the walls were mostly family photographs. However, he did remember a few limited edition prints by a well known regional artist that were in his house. He also remembered that his family had actually persuaded other members of his extended family into buying the same regional artist's prints as well. I then asked him if he had art around his current home. Not surprisingly, he did not, but he did have that same regional artist's prints in his closet propped up against the wall! When I asked why he did not have any other original art, he said, he simply did not trust himself, and wouldn't know what was "good" or what he "should" like. I am over simplifying our conversation, and this idea of not trusting oneself isn't completely new to me. I know some people feel they need to be told what is good. My friend was quick to point out the role of the interior decorator (telling people what to like and putting it together for them in the "right" way.) My friend enjoys art and he values it, but he just doesn't think to buy it, and he is not alone. There are many people out there who enjoy art, but just don't feel the need to purchase or simply don't trust themselves to take the plunge.

Living with art is so ingrained within me, that I forget about "trust." For me, wanting and buying art is a natural and intuitive process. I explained to him that I have never lived without it.There were always prints of Picasso, Cezanne, Modigliani, La Tour, Ben Shahn, Klee, and O’Keeffe, along with a good smattering of original art from friends and others in my family home. When I moved out, every apartment of mine had sketches from friends, art oddities, my own paintings, as well as prints. Today, I am the proud owner of many original works by local and national artists. It is a part of my life and in my life; it is a necessity. You are likely to see me wearing the same "good" pair of shoes I have been wearing for the last 5 years, but I will have bought many small affordable pieces of art since. The longer I am a part of this profession, the more I feel the need to support my fellow artists in this way.

I just received a new piece of art in the mail this week, and it is always so exciting and so rewarding! Another connection is made, another artist is encouraged, and my home becomes a reflection of the inner worlds and dreams of another, that then meet with my own visions to create the most personal and unique atmosphere.

I guess today's message is trust yourself to know what you like, and don't wait for someone to tell you when something is good. Don't be afraid to mess up, there are many affordable pieces of art in the world to purchase and to help build your confidence level. For the price of a nice dinner out and drinks, a nice outfit, a trip to the salon, or a new ipod, you could have something special and one of a kind; all the while doing something for the artist that is priceless, encouraging them to continue on the path.

Art is not food, shelter, or a full tank of gas; it is not required to live. Art is not really about having the right taste or style or about value or investment. Art is about a connection, and isn't that what we are all searching for?

Only two weeks away!!

Evidence of the Disappearance
Blue Moon Gallery
718 Central Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
June and July 2008
Opening Reception: Friday June 6 from 5-9pm, during first Friday gallery walk.


Threads
Megan Chapman
Mixed Media on Canvas
30x40"
2008

Stamina and Refrain

She calls at 3a.m. like clock work for a couple of weeks out of each month. She is the breeze through my window that kisses me awake. She is the lone bird that sings in the dark, and she is the street light that filters through the leaves and onto the side of my house. She is the blue purple sky with dark tree silhouettes. She stirs my heart, and then grabs me by the neck and pushes me up the stairs to the studio. She chooses the music as she clears the path for me, and if she is willing, she allows me to remember my last dream before she called.

Once in the studio, she starts to fade away and sits guard in the corner to watch the show unfold. The blank canvases, stark white stand before me, I glide my hands down the surface, and I breathe in their size and tooth. I must cover them up; and any color will do, but gold is preferred these days. I breathe a sigh of relief. Blotter paper comes out and is pressed to the canvases, picking up paint and revealing texture. This must dry before the layers of oil can be applied, blotted again, and wiped away. Slowly building up the textures and color overlays that create the depth and atmosphere that I hunt for. I go within this process and disappear.

I dive within the diptych before me; again I lay the gold, then a swath of my blue, jagged across the canvases like a horizon line. The diamond shapes arrive stacked on top of each other oddly like a totem. Yellow ochre comes a long, then some white, and then more diamonds. A rich earthy brown comes on the scene. I add some charcoal dust, and the spray bottle does its work and papers are applied to blot the excess and the painting starts to become something interesting. I vow to set it aside until tomorrow...

She calls at 3a.m. like clock work for a couple of weeks out of each month. She is the breeze through my window that kisses me awake. She is the lone bird that sings in the dark, and she is the street light that filters through the leaves and onto the side of my house. She is the blue purple sky with dark tree silhouettes. She stirs my heart, and then grabs me by the neck and pushes me up the stairs to the studio. She chooses the music as she clears the path for me, and if she is willing, she allows me to remember my last dream before she called.

Finding myself back in the studio, the rich earthy brown is taken over by an olive green. The diamond shapes are blanketed with transparent orange oxide, and the spray bottle comes along again and then more blotter paper. The diamonds remain but they are softer now, and the orange film on top suits them. This same oxide takes over the gold on the two top sections, and creates a type of nuclear sky. Hours pass as I work the painting, and again I must set it aside until tomorrow. She gets up from her corner post and whispers in my ear, "see you in the morning, you are almost there...."


Pictured Above:
Stamina and Refrain
Megan Chapman
40x 60" diptych
mixed media on canvas
2008

Evidence of the Disappearance
June-July 2008
Opening Reception Friday June 6 from 5-9pm
Blue Moon Gallery
718 Central Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas

It is time once again for the paper painting/print give away! This month I will be giving away a small paper painting to one lucky reader that leaves a comment on today's blog. I will mail to anywhere in the world. I will randomly draw a number to correspond with the comments in the order they are received. Leave your comment between now and Tuesday at midnight. I'll post the winners name in my blog next Friday; please be sure to check back, so that I can contact you. I really appreciate everyone who reads and comments on my studio blog. Please don't be shy, and if you want to comment but don't want to be included in the drawing (previous winners etc.) just say so. GOOD LUCK!

Rainy Day? Say goodbye to boredom with Fun.

First, a quick status report on Evidence of the Disappearance. My studio is very empty now. The acoustics in my space are so different as the majority of the paintings were delivered to Hot Springs last weekend. Currently, I only have the two large diptychs, and two large horizontal paintings left in my space. I have been finishing up the last two paintings this week, and I am pleased with the way things are wrapping up. This next week I will be working on photographing the last of these works, finishing up with the titles, and working on publicity, and postcards. Not to mention a website and a MySpace overhaul right before the show. I do hope folks in and around Arkansas will try to attend my exhibition, the opening reception will be Friday June 6th from 5-9pm at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Evidence of the Disappearance will be on display June through July. I am so proud of this body of work and can't wait to share it with you all, either in person or online.

With that said, I want to share some of the things I have been experiencing lately that push me forward and inspire me, or even just make me laugh. Things might get a little random here this week, but there are a lot of amazing things out there, and I hope these selections will inspire you too.

First of all YOU inspire me, yep you. If you share your ideas with me, or the things that inspire you, if you make me laugh, if you give me your time, if you are fighting to discover the answers in this life, or even if you are struggling, you are inspiring me. If you have shown me your human side, or your vulnerabilities; then you have given me a gift, and helped me feel less alone in this life, and that propels me forward. Thank you.

This week a dear friend of mine told me to get Portishead's latest album, "Third" and I did. I have been listening to it ever since. Listening while painting at 4 am, walking my dog, walking alone, while napping, while writing my blog. Fresh sounds, good textures. I really needed this.



Another friend, sent out a bulletin containing this Bat for Lashes video, and I fell in love with it's melancholy sweetness. Who wouldn't get excited by BMX bike riding "animals" clapping and doing tricks to the beat of this catchy song. I love the concept and atmosphere.



Another friend, (oh I have some good friends!) Sent out this Andy Warhol video the other day and it brought a smile to my face, and was simply a bit of light in this serious art world.It is only 8 seconds long, so I had to watch it again and again.



And yet another wonderful friend, sent me this Bjork video for the song Wanderlust. I had never seen this before. This is such a good example of the power created when music and art combine to produce something magical. This video is really astounding.



Well, that about does it for this weeks post, but I must leave you with this random oddity. The other day I got some junk mail, in fact every Wednesday I get this thing called Extra, a cheesy section from the newspaper that mostly is full of adds, and it always goes straight into the recycle bin. This week my copy arrived torn, with a chunk of it missing and I could really care less. But on Thursday, I received this in the mail...Click on it for a better look. And yes, that is the missing chunk...

Until next week friends, thank you as always for your support, encouragement and inspiration.

Pictured Above:
Unspoken Truths
Megan Chapman
20x16" mixed media on Canvas
2008

Evidence of the Disappearance
June-July 2008
Blue Moon Gallery
Hot Springs, Arkansas

Boxing up the Evidence

First some news:

I will be at first Friday gallery walk at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas tonight from 5-9pm.If you are in the area, please stop by, I would love to meet you. I will also be there next month, Friday June 6, from 5-9pm for the opening reception of my exhibition, Evidence of the Disappearance. Please mark your calendars- I would especially love to see you then! I am very excited about my new body of work and can't wait to share it with you.

I also want to let everyone know that Studio Visit, Volume One arrived in the mail this week! Two of my paintings, Olivine and Secrets Revealed were selected to be included in this new juried publication in print, produced by the publishers of New American Paintings. I am thrilled to be a part of this beautiful and elegant publication. Two thousand of the best galleries and museums in the country will be receiving Studio Visit as a source book, featuring some of the many talented, emerging artists from around the country. I am so pleased to be a part of this new publication by the Open Studios Press. You may be able to obtain a copy by visiting their website. Each gallery that represents my work, will receive a gallery copy, so when you visit them please ask to see it!


















Boxing up the Evidence: It's almost time...

The finishing work takes hold now, and there are different practices to follow at this stage in the process. New lists are made to separate the important tasks from the jumble that is my mind four weeks before a show. Things must be broken down into even smaller more manageable parts. Daily, I must stay on task with a new vigilance.

The majority of the work is now titled. The sides of the paintings have received three solid coats of black paint before they are signed up the right hand side in gold. Hanging wires are fastened. The work has been photographed, and those photographs have been scrutinized. The paintings are looking quite put together now.

The music changes for this process as well. Interpol fades away and the headphones are put down for a while. Now, mixtures of "work" songs filter through the open air of my studio. Compilation Cd's from dear friends and the soundtrack from the film Pollock will propel me to the finish line.















It is always amazing how a body of work can come together out of nothing. These paintings, these difficult births, always surprise and overwhelm me. When were they all created? How are they finally, really here? My heart is full with all the love, support, and time given to me so that I may simply put colors and textures together to hopefully create something beautiful and unique: something that transcends daily life. Sitting in my studio so close to being done, tears well up in my eyes. I am so fortunate to be able to share this experience with the artists that are always with me, the ones that have come before me and the ones that will come after.

There is an invisible thread that runs between us; and the evidence proves this.


Pictured above:

Fragile Together
Mixed Media on Canvas
10x10, 2008

Delivered like Thunder
Mixed Media on Canvas
20x16, 2008

We Talked Like Dancing Feet
Mixed Media on Canvas
16x20, 2008

These are just three of the new paintings that will be featured in my upcoming exhibition:

Evidence of the Disappearance
Blue Moon Gallery
Hot Springs, Arkansas
June and July 2008
Please join me for the opening reception Friday June 6 from 5-9pm
During first Friday gallery walk.

Examining the Evidence

The winner of last week's glowing horse print is Ryan Manning! Congratulations! Please contact me so I can mail the print to you. Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful comments!

I have only two more paintings to create, and then I believe Evidence of the Disappearance will be complete. Before I begin those two pieces, I wanted to slow down a bit and just be with my work. I am rarely with it for long, just the time it takes to paint, title, and prepare the work for shipment or travel to one of the galleries. I always look forward to seeing my paintings again in the galleries during a visit; it is almost like seeing an old friend. I notice things I have never seen before and enjoy seeing my work out of the studio environment and on the gallery walls where my paintings can be properly displayed and lit.

Yesterday, after putting finishing touches on a few pieces, I just sat down on the floor of my studio. I took a few deep breaths. I was surrounded by twenty eight new paintings of assorted sizes and orientations. Some were titled, while many were still waiting for their names. I just let my eyes work over the surfaces, examining their colors, textures and shapes. I was trolling for their secrets, trying to find their meaning and the common connections they share. Their stories are waiting to be released. I could almost hear a faint buzz, or a backlog of stories. They are all there, but my eyes will have to tease them out and then I will have to find the words. (We are just getting to know each other.) The stories of these paintings will be mine for a while to share and then they will become yours, the viewers. You will then see, question and hear things in these paintings that I cannot but we will still share them and make a connection.

Gold seems to feature prominently in this body of work as does the diamond/ovoid shape. The shape that was once a lotus petal has now broken away to float, hover, overlap, and pulse on the diagonal in these works. A warm palette of rusts, orange oxides, the usual suspects, and my favorite deep blue tie many of the pieces together. A cool aqua brings a punch and signals the spring and the winter (hoping for the spring) in which these paintings were created. Fine lines connect some of the elements, holding and grounding them to the paintings. I see a rough, almost acidic texture in some of the diamond shapes and
backgrounds. Elements bubble up and through, while surface layers hide and conceal yet still allow for a peek.

Some of these paintings are like swimming deep in the ocean and looking at the layers of light from up above, filtering down. Calm and meditative yet bold and assertive, the shapes call for attention and also push away and create distance. These paintings remind me of the wind in the tall trees outside my studio windows, the sound of my ocean.

Pictured above:
Caught between the Disconnect
Mixed Media on Canvas
30x24, 2008

Reconstruction
Mixed Media on Canvas
30x24, 2008

These are just two of the new paintings that will be featured in my upcoming exhibition:
Evidence of the Disappearance
Blue Moon Gallery
Hot Springs, Arkansas
June and July 2008
If you are in the area, please join me for the opening reception Friday June 6 from 5-9pm,during first Friday gallery walk.

Tell it like it is- I can take it...

Part 1: Thanks: and the hanging of a new shingle

Thank you to everyone who viewed "Gathering the Evidence" as I write this my little film has been viewed 262 times, and that is pretty sweet. The feedback I received was very helpful and inspiring.Thank you to new friend and talented photographer Craig Nelson who also viewed the video and was moved enough to want to come over and see the paintings in person.We had a wonderful visit, and he took a lovely photograph of my studio. I love making these connections, and creating this community. Craig and I share many of the same ideas about sharing information as artists, so be sure to check out his blog- Shutter to Think, and his wonderful photographs. I was thrilled to find myself featured in his blog as well. Speaking of being featured in blogs, it was a two blog week for me, as I also found myself mentioned and some of my work featured in artist Stephanie Mallicotte's blog. Check it out. It is always exciting to be thought of and included in people's blogs. Thanks for the publicity and support!

I want to mention a brand new service I am offering. I am now available for online portfolio review/consultation. I get approached quite often on MySpace for this kind of service. Send me an email or message with a link to your painting portfolio or questions about your art, and for a $25.00 suggested donation sent to my paypal button here on my blog, I will spend an hour poring over your work( up to 20 pieces) and then give you a list of positives, cautions, and then specifics about each piece. I am very detailed and efficient at this, and I promise as an artist myself, I will be encouraging but you will also get some honest feedback. Once I email the review to you, if you have a few short follow up questions in regards to things I mentioned that is also included in the $25.00 donation. I also encourage folks to read back through my blog, as there is a lot of free helpful information available, you just have to dig for it a bit.

Part 2- Studio News: The Evidence

The work in the studio is going well. I have been hard at work on 2 24x30's and 2 30x24's this week. Moving on to the larger works for the exhibition, things will start to slow down now. Some titles have emerged such as Chatter on the Lines, Caught Between the Disconnect, We talked like Dancing Feet and These are not my Secrets. I hope to create another short film as the work for the Evidence of the Disappearance continues. If you are in Arkansas or close by save the date and come to the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs for the opening reception on Friday, June 6 from 5-9pm

Part 3- What you came here for: A good story

The following quote was written in a moment of clarity 1/4/06 ( yep- we are briefly going back in time again)

"I am a painter. So deeply I am a painter. It makes me want to cry. How can I forget so easily? How can I let myself go without working? Not much brings me more pleasure or happiness. It is earned as this is not easy, no matter how many times I pretend or let myself think it is."

Occasionally, I have to remind myself. I needed to write this down a little over two years ago, and in the future I will write it down again, and it will be like a brand new discovery. I am a painter, yet I know I will forget. Do you forget sometimes? Do you push it aside, burying it under practicalities and the time frames of your life? Do you get discouraged and veer off course?

Some perspective for us both; my first solo show was in a popular local hippie "health food" restaurant in Eugene Oregon, in 1997 just a bit over 10 years ago. I want to share my statement from that show. ( Click on the picture to make it bigger) At the time, as you can see I was just going for my BA at the University. I remember the BFA seemed out of my league at the time. I am so glad I changed my tune, as once in the program I soon learned the F stood for FUN, and I experienced a new side of the art department, and explored all aspects of my creativity. If you read my statement, my main goals were to simply finish school, show and sell my art and move back home to open a "junk store"( it was to be called Finders Keepers- and sadly that hasn't happened, yet...) Looking at this statement, I can't believe I would show a body of work without any titles, as titles are so important to me now. I was so jazzed about this series of work ( my heart pod series) It was in creating this body of work that I became an oil painter and learned a lot about color and texture.

I tied a small spiral notebook to a hook in the wood paneled wall of the restaurant to gather comments about my work. In the front of the book I wrote among other things..."Tell it like it is, I can take it"

So, they told me... You can read a few of the comments for yourself.There were a few positive ones, if you count " Jesus loves you- Megan, " and "Demon painting is the best- I love it" Needless to say I did not sell a single painting from this series of self proclaimed masterpieces, during this show or ever.

My first solo show would basically be considered by many a flop. For me it was the experience that mattered- or at least that is what I told myself.

The show ended and I collected my work and my sad little comment book of scribbles, from the restaurant.I guess you could say, I had some things to consider.

I could've become sad and apparently even more depressed and quit right there.

I could've decided to fulfill the basic requirements for my degree, considered myself a hack and gotten the hell out of there.

Or, I could laugh at it all, chalk it up to experience, resume building and keep looking for other opportunities to show. I am sure you know what I did. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be writing you this blog, preparing for a show, have gallery representation, not to mention collectors across the country.

Time line (a little more perspective)

• 1995 first group show
• 1997 first solo show in restaurant
• 1999 BFA awarded: terminal books project
• 2002 received cash prize at juried art show
• 2003 first major sale
• 2004 first gallery representation
• check my resume at www.meganchapman.com for what happens next...
  

This is not an easy career path- especially when many artists have other jobs, families, and real world responsibilities but if you know that somewhere inside you, your art brings something to your life that nothing else quite does, then I encourage you to stick with it no matter what. Keep building your resume, keep putting yourself out there, keep working on your art, and then don't forget to look back and remind yourself how far you've come.

Remember, "I am a painter. So deeply I am a painter. It makes me want to cry. How can I forget so easily? How can I let myself go without working? Not much brings me more pleasure or happiness. It is earned as this is not easy, no matter how many times I pretend or let myself think it is."

Onward and upward and good luck!

Gathering the Evidence: A Visual Experience

Wow, well you have done it again! The response was tremendous to last week's blog post. I am honored that you spend a little of your precious time here with me at my studio blog. It makes me happy to know that you take comfort or find inspiration in my writings, and rest assured that I take comfort and find inspiration in your thoughtful comments. We are all navigating this art world together.

This month's recipient of the small paper painting pictured in this post is artist Michele Maule! Congratulations! Please email me (you can find my email in my profile section of this blog) or MySpace message me so I can get your postal information.

For the locals that read this blog, I must mention the exciting new exhibition that just opened at the DDP gallery in Fayetteville. Don't miss "In the Round," Sculpture by Michael Davis Gutierrez and Paintings by Duane Gardner. The show will be up from March 26-May 10th. I was at the opening last night and the red dots ( sold stickers) were going up fast. So, don't miss your opportunity to see and perhaps purchase Michael's amazing sculptures and Duane's colorful and process based abstractions. Also, while you are at the DDP gallery, don't hesitate to ask gallerist Dede Peters to see the art she has in the back room. She represents a dozen or so artists, and has a wonderful selection of works in stock and for sale at all times. I can't wait to bring my new Duane Gardner painting home! Support your scene...

Last week, you saw the map and you sensed the reality of my preparing for a featured exhibition. I have been following my "map" and working my odd hours in middle of the night in ongoing preparation for "Evidence of the Disappearance" to debut in June and July at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I am happy to report that the work is going well. Instead of writing about it all, and filling your head with more words, I just want you to experience a little of it. I still have a lot of work a head of me; but progress is being made, paintings are unfolding and I am excited.

Enjoy this sneak peek and simply "disappear."

The Map, and then the Reality

Part 1: The Map

It is time to get serious for my upcoming exhibition."Evidence of the Disappearance" to be held at the Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas in June and July 2008. I head to the studio early one morning to find the paperboard backing off an old newsprint pad and I grab the nearest sharpie marker.

I make a map or diagram of what I need to do.

Preparing for a show is a long process and it can be overwhelming so, I like to "map" out the grand scheme and then eventually break it into more manageable chunks and set daily goals. I scrawl the title across the top, and start visualizing how many paintings I want to create to fill the space and of what size and orientation. I write a few ideas to keep me in line, things I know I want to incorporate into the show, a little of the theme, and some reference points. I draw boxes representing the paintings that I have completed, started and finished. I will mark these "done" as I work through my plan, with dashed lines, X's and checks- these markings will mean something to me. I am already feeling some relief. Some structure is a good thing; when I set parameters, I can then relax and let go and know that the process will take care of me in the end.

Once I have my visual map, rather than thinking "upcoming show=a ton of work," I can break it down, "Today all I need to worry about is starting three paintings, or revisiting yesterday's 10x10's etc." I take an index card or any scrap of paper and write down this smaller daily goal and pin it to the bulletin board in my painting area. I rarely look at it again except to mark it "done" when I am about to turn off my studio lights for the day. These little organizational tools help me to keep a cool head. I have these goals, but I also know I may not always meet them. I may get caught up in a particular piece and drift away and loose track of my "map" for the day and that is fine. I use the map and small goal cards to jump start me into action, and to bring some order to an initially unnerving situation. There is always room to deviate and meander through the process of preparing for an exhibition.The map and cards are simply my good intentions actualized, and we all know that saying about good intentions...


Part 2 : And then the reality

I shout at the muddy fragmented painting, " you're killing me!"and then suddenly it yields unexpected and positive results. The floor of my studio becomes littered with blotter paper and partially finished paintings. I am listening to every Interpol song ever recorded and I know I am in the zone.

Random words, sections of remembered dreams and song lyrics filter through as I work. Occasionally, even a potential title will reveal itself. This hum runs through my mind as my music gets turned up another notch. I jump, clap, and sing loudly, as I am painting. I am an active participant but I am not really here at the same time. I am watching all this happen from the other side of the room. One painting leads to another, one problem after the other, they keep pulling me along as I gain momentum.

This is my process at 5am (and sometimes earlier) every morning when I am working on a show. Some days are amazing, the music has never sounded better and the paintings on the easel are flowing like electricity. And some days, in the bright lights of my studio the paintings are awful, like pulling teeth or learning a new language, tears come too easily and it feels like I have never painted before. At times, I feel like giving up and getting a job at Target. Voices in my head, (the inner critics) say "hide the gold, hide the aqua- you know you are just imitating yourself!" So, I use some other colors for the sake of freshness and they reward me with a vividly hued mess. I then yell at the canvas "Are you kidding me?" The painting is so ugly it's embarrassing. I turn off the studio lights, my brow furrowed,"Am I really going to leave that on the easel to greet me when I return?" Sadly, I think so.

This impasse also signals break time. Perhaps, a MySpace login is in order (hello friends!). After a few minutes of quick greets, best wishes, and emoticon winks, I march back up the stairs to my studio and once again disappear into the process. I find a strong yet dreamy song and set it to repeat, and for the next few hours it helps to silence the questions, and I will dive back in. I know I will repeat this process again and again for months until the "Evidence of the Disappearance" is realized...


Now, for an exciting announcement: It is time for the paper painting give away, the response was tremendous last month! I will be giving away a small original painting on Arches paper to one lucky reader that leaves me a comment on today's blog. I will mail to anywhere in the world. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog entry. I will randomly draw a number to correspond with the comments in the order they are received. The giveaway runs from today through Tuesday of next week, so get your comment in between now and Tuesday at midnight. I'll post the winners name in my blog next Friday, along with an image of the piece they will receive so please be sure to check back, so that I can then contact you to get your postal information. I appreciate everyone who reads and comments on my studio blog. Thank you for all your support and encouragement. It means the world to me. GOOD LUCK!