Here we are

Sick girl, 80x85cm, 1882

Mikael Peter Anchor

Some of you may have noticed that I missed the Tuesday Video Visit this week and am just a bit late with my studio blog. After having a lovely visit with family last week "seeing all the things," I caught COVID for the first time. So I have been on the sofa in my wee nest of sickness for the past week. 

Not sure exactly when I will be back in the studio - I mean I would love to say sometime next week, but I don't want to push it. I really want to fully recover as completely as possible. I wouldn't say that I have had a "mild" case of it, but I do think I am starting to feel better, and after a week, my symptoms are improving. Yay! Please keep being careful out there. 

In other news, I will direct you to Subatlantic, the band that my brother Sean Chapman is part of. Their new album has just been released on all streaming platforms and you can buy it from Bandcamp to put some actual money in their pockets. It's a great album, go give it a listen and support them if you are able. 

I listened to it with my big headphones on while doing nothing else but just listening and sometimes reading the lyrics. It reminded me of being a kid and the thrill of buying a new album - getting it home and spending the afternoon with it, reading the liner notes, listening to all the parts, daydreaming, and just going where the music took me. It's an album that deserves to be listened to in sequential order all the way through (at least once) - so you can fall into the story of it. It was a joy to give myself that time with their music. 

I do hope you go have a listen. 

That's all I have for this week. Be good to each other. Take care. See you soon. 

Searching for and finding radical comfort

I'll take you on by Megan Chapman 

What a week! How do I write down all I want to say? I am excited and inspired and need to make sense of things. I might have to write a list. It all started on Sunday...

Girl with the Blues by Julia Laing 
A piece of Julia's that I have in my collection

1. I met fellow artist Julia Laing on Sunday for a walk. We have followed each other on social media for a while and have supported each other's work. On Sunday we wandered around the Botanics and had a proper blether about art and life. It was so good to finally meet and share our concerns and experiences. It's always lovely to connect with a like-minded soul. 

Follow Julia: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.laing.art/ 

& https://www.instagram.com/julialaingstudio 

Read Julia's Substack Blog: https://julialaingstudio.substack.com

Karl Macrae in front of his stitched self-portrait at his exhibition at Argonaut Books

2. After meeting up with Julia, I found myself back across town in Leith to see my good pal and fellow artist Karl Macrae's exhibition at the fabulous Argonaut Books on Leith Walk. His work will be up until 6pm on Tuesday 14th of February. If you are in Edinburgh on Sunday, Karl will also be at the Craft and Flea market in The Assembly Rooms on George Street from 10am to 4pm. Don't miss these shows - Karl continues to delight and inspire! 

Follow Karl on Facebook: facebook.com/karlmacraehessewhappy and Instagram instagram.com/karlmacraehessewhappy

Felicity's exhibition poster

3. At Karl's Show, I met up with a new friend and fellow artist, Felicity Inkpen. We sat to the side for a bit and had a good chat while Karl greeted his public. Felicity has a studio at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall and has an exhibition, "Hounds of Love," in collaboration with Sett Studios up right now, at the Leith Arches until February 28th. You can also see her work "Moongoats" at Harmonium. Felicity is full of spirit, and her tenacity is inspiring to witness - I enjoy her work too!

Follow Felicity on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felicityinkpen/ 

and visit her website: https://www.felicityinkpen.co.uk/

Aoife paints on old slates and also makes prints of her slate pieces. 

In true Leith fashion - I ran into my studio mate, good friend, and fellow artist Aoife O'Callaghan on Leith Walk on the same day. We got to have a quick chat on the street before seeing each other again later in the week. Aoife is building a solid body of work on old weathered roof tiles from a local church. It's exciting to watch these pieces develop. 

Monday was a bit of a recovery day after that art-packed and conversation-filled day. On Tuesday, I met up again with Aoife and our friend Meg (who also works at the Drill Hall) for lunch on Leith Walk. A lovely conversation was had about some art-related things but mostly just life. 

In a friend's garden #5
Jennifer Libby Fay

Later that day, I video-chatted with my dear friend, former studio mate, and fellow artist Jennifer Libby Fay. We have talked every Tuesday for years. We have been through a lot together in the "art world" and life. I am grateful for our shared history and for our present. 

After another art and chat-filled day, I managed to wrap up a funding application for the research and development of a new body of work. We will see what happens - I always think of those things as an exercise in learning to write in a new language. Nothing ventured, nothing gained etc. Good luck to all who applied for the VACMA. 

The Pineapple

Wednesday was an adventure day with my pal, James! We visited The Pineapple, Dunmore House, and Elphinstone tower! It was great to get out of Edinburgh and explore - this was the first time we had adventured since before the start of the pandemic. I loved exploring the ruins- it is always inspiring to roam where the spirits seem closer and ancient history is just a sliver away.

Later on Wednesday, I enjoyed the first two-hour session of "Art, Work and Power," presented by the Scottish Artists Union. It is always good to meet up with a group of peers from all over Scotland to dig into the subject of being a worker and an artist. These courses are always inspiring and help me feel less alone and more supported. 

Bare Branding

On Thursday, I popped by Bare Branding to collect a print order. I had a great conversation with one of the founders of the organisation that made me feel hopeful, connected and understood. Such a breath of fresh air. If you are an artist and you want or need prints of your work made, go to Bare Branding. They actually have your best interests at heart.

On Thursday night, I again attended  "Art, Work and Power" presented by the Scottish Artists Union. I look forward to next week's meetings. Join your union if you haven't. They also have your best interests at heart. 

Today, I signed the prints I collected on Thursday and got them all ready to go! Go where you might ask? 

Big News! Blunt Knife Co. now carries this series of my signed archival prints! £25 each. 

Blunt Knife Co. at 41 Thistle Street

I am excited to share that I now have a stockist in the city centre! You can find a selection of my prints in Edinburgh at Blunt Knife Co, located at 41 Thistle Street. It was a joy to go to the shop today and have another meaningful and open conversation. It's an inclusive space with a fantastic selection of art, zines, books, stickers, and more, including my collection of "Tell me how you really feel" prints! It is a thrill for me to work with people and places that share similar values and are working towards something better and brighter and breaking down the old ways.

It was great to talk to so many artists this week - to feel part of something bigger and to talk some shit about the system and the various dysfunctional hierarchies we are working under. The week's theme seemed to be - exploration, community, inclusivity, art, artists, a bit of rage, and working towards change. I say bring it on! I can't play the old games - I want to go where there is space for me and my ideas and where we can continue to make space for others. I am searching for and finding radical comfort.

I am an artist. I am a worker. I have ideas that aren't airy-fairy bullshit. I am not alone. I love all the radical minds that I crossed paths with this week. Thank you.

Thank you to all my Ko-fi supporters - I have your February Playlist ready - I will send it to you this weekend- in the past 30 days, these are my star supporters *Jennifer, Tamsin, Pat, Ever, Jen, Sheila, Clare, and Muriel*

Okay, that's all I have for you this week - go out and search for and find your radical comfort - why would we spin our wheels looking for anything else? 

A declaration

The new piece

The new piece in my studio for scale

   

The Tuesday Studio Video Visit

Example of wax seals to finish off the bottom of the painting

Example of wax seals to finish off the bottom of the painting

Seals I made today that I will adhere to the bottom of the canvas

Are they kings, queens, or something in between? I am not yet sure and everyone seems to come up with their own take. Are they wearing one crown or two? What are they thinking? Are they nice, mean, or ambivalent? Are they related or in some other sort of union? What is this painting all about? Balances of power, mystery, a declaration, an experiment? Do they know something we don't? Do I know something you don't? Do I know anything much at all? 

All I know is that I saw the impressionist exhibition on Sunday and went to sleep knowing I would go into the studio on Monday morning to paint and then I went back on Tuesday and painted some more and it was fun and bewildering. Then before I knew it I had a whole Pinterest board on wax seals - which I have loved for a while but now it's serious. 

And now I have made a rusted metal box full of them. I researched, I experimented, and now I think I have a solution. It's all fun and exciting and still bewildering... and maybe being bewildered is the right place to be. I didn't relax on the sofa on a Friday night and watch some bullshit - I made these seals and got hyped up. I listened to music while I made these (pictured above) and thought - this is what it feels like to be alive.

Besides the impressionist exhibition on Sunday I saw the fabulous Richard E. Grant on Thursday. Being enveloped in culture and humanity helps with the feeling alive part too. 

Things have changed, I do declare. 

Thanks to everyone for their enthusiasm for this latest work. I really appreciate it and can't wait to see where this path is taking us. Until next week, keep fighting.

Faces, updates, support!

Hello lovely folks!

I hope you are well. Thanks again for your support of my work during these strange days.

I have not yet been back to my studio in Leith to begin working again. I am being slow and cautious in my re-entry. 

Just a quick update to say that besides my three accidental portrait prints available in my shop, I have added more of my works on paper that I created during the lockdown time, as well as adding the remaining charity canvas panel pieces to benefit Bicycles for Refugees and our new Scots. In this shop, I have work from £45-£270. You can see these available works here. 

https://ko-fi.com/meganchapman/shop

I have updated my other shop that has my larger bodies of work from 2015-2017. These are all larger canvas pieces, varnished and ready to hang. In this shop, I have work from £440 - £1,080. Currently, I am offering these pieces at a 20% discount and free shipping as a thank you and to offer an incentive to keep supporting the arts. You can see those pieces here:

https://meganchapmanart.wixsite.com/painting/shop

You can also visit my website for some of my more recent works. Prices are marked, so send me a message about anything you might be interested in. Payment plans are always available for my work (even some galleries offer them- so don't be shy). I love working with interior designers, so if you are one please get in touch! 

http://meganchapman.com

And of course, you can find my work in the following wonderful brick and mortar galleries in England and Scotland and I know they will appreciate your business as they slowly begin to reopen and continue with online sales as well. 

Irving Gallery

Solo Gallery

The Velvet Easel 

Thank you for supporting my work and the galleries that represent my work. We can't do this without you. 

Be well. 

With love and gratitude, 

Megan 

Consider leaving me a £3 tip. Thank you!

Rare form

I tell stories and they aren't always mine. I pull them from the air. This is what excites me. I am tired of holding back, I am tired of not telling. I am tired of holding my tongue and being good. The stories come to me on the wind. They give me voice and strength. They take me away from here. These stories are the voices of characters, the tale of the open window and the blowing curtain, the music on the ether. The bottles rattling down the alleyway, the moon over the railroad tracks. The stories of leaving it all behind and starting anew, the broken hearts on the pavements and the tears all around the city. Incomplete bus rides and calls not returned, confusion and letters never sent. 

The trash blowing in the wind and the call of the south. You'll find me standing against the decaying and water damaged walls of abandoned houses listening. 

And the serious work begins...

work in progress in the studio

This week has been good, mostly spent painting in the studio, researching, writing and talking about my upcoming series. I have maintained regular hours in my studio and have six paintings on the go currently. They are in the infancy stages, but I am feeling better about all things since I have been spending regular time around my materials and working. It hasn't been easy, there has been a lot of pacing back and forth and flipping through my music to find just the "right" album to set the tone.

This body of work seems like it is going to be a stretch, a bit like pulling teeth with a heavy dose of trepidation but also unbridled excitement and inspiration. I cleaned my studio, took inventory and ordered the supplies I assumed I would need to complete this next body of work. My supplies have mostly arrived and I have a pretty good idea that there will be twenty new pieces in the series. All of this is subject to change as the work and concepts start to solidify. I say this mostly as an escape route for myself and from any expectations from viewers, but truly I hope I can pull of what I am setting out to do.

In other news, having my etsy shop re-opened has been really great. I have enjoyed finding my flash cards and my maps of the night featured in several really lovely treasuries. A treasury is when a fellow etsy seller functions as a curator and creates collections of work they admire. I have had a couple of sales as well. There are only ten flashcards and one map of the night left!

Until next week, you know what to do...