May our worlds collide...

The world is full of people working in their own circles, with their heads down doing their own thing. Some of these circles are small and some are larger. Sometimes while the small circles are spinning around they bump up against the larger ones, and then both circles become bigger as they overlap and pick up new people.

Today's post is about these circles and the connections that are being created that we have no idea about until, BAM! Our worlds collide and we don't know what hit us; but we do know we are now a part of something bigger and it feels good. What am I talking about?

Here's the deal, somehow last year, my website got passed on to a person in California by the name of Will Boyd. A friend of Will's thought he would like my work, which he did. Will liked my paintings so much, he even printed some up to put around his desk, they made him feel better.

My little circle was spinning oblivious and I was not aware I had this new fan in California. However, Will works with an organization that I was familiar with called Invisible Children. I had recently seen a screening of the film, and was terribly moved, so we had that connection, but that was about it. Larger circles connected the dots between us and I soon learned he was very inspired by my work and unfortunately that he was also very sick. The only thing I knew I could do, was to paint him a painting and mail it to him as soon as possible. The painting came together amazingly fast- it practically painted itself! While painting the piece, I had been emailing with Will and on the sly figured out what colors he liked, and which pieces of mine he responded to, I wanted the painting to be just right and really "click" just for him. I was so happy to have this secret project, it was incredibly exciting for me- it felt like Christmas! I will always remember the email I got from Will the day he mysteriously received the painting. I smile today, just thinking about it. Magic!

I believe there is a type of magic in this world, when people who don't know each other are suddenly connected through art, music, films, books- through so many things. Will is a good friend now- over the months we have traded video clips, short emails and facebook wall posts when he feels well enough. I am fortunate to know him, and proud to be a part of a very large circle of his friends from all over the world.

Unfortunately my friend Will's health is in crisis again and this time it appears to be even more serious, and this makes me very sad. Rather than just be sad, I want to share a little about his situation and how I plan to use my art to help him in a small way.

During the entire month of October, I will be donating 20% of all my Etsy sales to my friend Will Boyd who is dealing with a major health crisis with little funds and maxed out health insurance. That means every time you purchase a $25.00 painting, I will donate $5.00 and every time you purchase a $40.00 painting, I will donate $8.00 to my friend's health care fund.

Will has been critically ill with Lupus since he was 18. He contracted pneumonia during this time as well and the doctors consequently directed most of their attention to his lungs. However, they failed to notice the amount of trauma to his heart due to the Lupus. The latest biopsy tests show that his heart is in such a weakened state that it would not be able to be revived if he has a massive heart attack. Doctor's are unsure how to treat his condition and at this time under the advice of his nutritionist he is refusing treatment, until they can figure out some type of treatment plan.

Will has already racked up over $50,000 in medical debts and unfortunately he has maxed out his insurance and can't get any more because he has pre-existing conditions (Lupus).

Thank you for helping me to help my friend Will Boyd.
I do hope all our circles expand and our worlds collide.

New paintings are posted in my shop and I will continue to post more as the month progresses and as things sell! Enjoy.

please visit www.artmaven.etsy.com






















Pictured Above
Favorite Way to Speak ($25)
Wired Communications ($25)
Megan Chapman
copyright 2008

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: 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

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.

Riding on the Currents - New Work 2008

In recent posts I mentioned that I had returned to the studio and had been working on the beginnings of a new body of work. Well, the time has come to share my ten latest creations with you.

In these ten works, I used a slightly brighter palette, and as a result these works have a lighter quality than some of my paintings. I am experimenting with many of the same design elements(the oval, the curved diamond or lotus leaf) yet I wanted to connect the shapes or position them in a different way than usual. The curved diamonds are touching and sometimes overlapping at the sides but are now moving across the painting in a diagonal. The smaller ovals have now multiplied as they overlap and become frenetic layers. Graphite pencil also plays an important role in these works. These paintings reflect my ever increasing love of design yet still connect to my love of color, texture, and mystery.

The design elements/motifs/organic shapes seem to have a reoccurring floating motion to them. Sometimes they are blowing in the wind, like in the painting, "riding on the currents" where the elements tumble about, shifting through the warm colored space that surrounds them. In"bending back," the elements are now gently tethered and are perhaps taking on a stiff wind as they are caught bending but not breaking and then floating amongst themselves.

In the painting "a veiled understanding" the elements are being pulled up as if in a vacuum. I sense the space around these objects, the band of streaky blue may have caught one or two of the shapes momentarily as they float upwards. The colors in this piece are cool, and layers of under-paintings can be seen slightly beneath the surface.

In the piece, "surrender into this ocean," the curved diamonds hover in the diagonal formation over the atmospheric blue, and slightly breaking into or free of the red on the left of the painting.The earthy emerald green streaks within the shapes are jagged, and almost look as if they are receiving transmissions or static as they float up and away.

In the painting, "unspoken truths," secrets are bubbling up deep from within the earth and then being released once they hit the surface. The ovals fill the top band of the painting, feverishly overlapping; they can't get out fast enough.

The seven square paintings are all 10x10" mixed media on canvas, two paintings are 20x16" with the one horizontal 16x20" piece. You can read the titles of the pieces by simply placing your mouse over the image. I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of my latest works. These paintings will soon be released into the world, and coming to a gallery near you.