We are warriors...

Dear Readers,

Last week when I wrote, my project was 24% funded. Exciting developments in my fundraising campaign have happened since then. I am happy to report that I crossed over the 25% funding mark and my project was suddenly eligible for matching funds! The matching funds come from Artists2Artists, a nationwide match fund for artist projects in all disciplines. The Artists2Artists fund was created by artists, for artists. They have a 1-to-1 dollar match once a project is at least 25% funded and no more than 99% funded. They can give up 5% of the project goal. This is really helping move the project right along and gain momentum. I am now 32% funded! I want to thank everyone that got me to the 25% mark and enabled the matching funds to come into play. The last five donations have been doubled! I hope more people will take advantage of having their donations matched, it is a great way to make a huge impact even if you have little to give. I am appreciative of every dollar. I hope that folks who donate will take advantage of the perks that I am offering as well. I don't take your donations lightly and I do want to give you something in return. 

This week, I want to tell you a little about the history of my project and how it came to be. I had been aware of USA Projects for a while and a dear patron had mentioned them to me as well. I joined the site soon after that conversation, about a year ago. Late this summer, I logged back in and made some updates to my simple profile on the site and soon after I received an email asking me to submit a project! I remember being excited and scared. Creating a project seemed daunting and a big task that I wanted to get right. As I thought and thought about what I wanted to do, USA Projects kept following up and saying they were looking forward to working with me. Finally, with a lot of encouragement from my friends, I just decided to go for it!

From their website, "USA Projects is open to artists who have been recognized for the caliber and impact of their work by receiving an award, grant, fellowship or residency. Participating artists have been vetted by United States Artists and other esteemed organizations across the country." You can see why I would be excited to work with them! Once it was decided, I had paper work to fill out and a project to fine tune, a budget to create and perks and gifts to think about for my potential supporters. It was a long process. Then there was a phone interview and discussion of my ideas with Zack at USA projects. I remember feeling really positive after the phone call. I felt like he understood my scope and idea and what I wanted to accomplish. It felt so good to be supported in that way and walked through the process. Next up was creating my video to explain to potential donors what I was hoping to achieve. I was encouraged to keep it simple, short and to the point. It seemed like it would be easy enough to do as I am very passionate when I speak about art. It took me over a week just to create a 3 minute clip! I was so relieved when they thought it worked perfectly and complimented me on getting my project ready to go, and then bam! it went online and was out there for the world to see!

I love the new crowd-sourcing fundraising platforms and I have given to several artists, actors and musicians projects and it is great to feel part of something bigger than yourself and to know that you are helping an artist realize their dreams. Artists of all genres give so much to our communities, to the content of the Internet, to our lives and they work for free most of the time or close to it. I think it is so important to support these folks. I know I might be biased as I am one of those folks. 

I am so grateful for every dollar that has been donated to my campaign, because I know it is tight out there. I set a big goal and I know $13,750 is a lot of money. It takes money to create the art I want to create, to live and work, travel, research and have two exhibitions, one here and one abroad. I hope that everyone knows that I am very frugal and will spend every dollar wisely and try to get the most out of it and make sure that everyone is given their gifts on time and thanked appropriately. I know that I stand on the shoulders of giants and I have such a wonderful network of friends, family, fellow artists and supporters. I have mentioned it before but I do feel that I am part of a global network of artists and that we are all in this together. Thanks for every tweet, follow, facebook like and share. This is a grassroots effort. Only time will tell if I succeed in funding this project, 36 days to be exact...Please consider giving and joining me on this adventure! Thank you.

In other news, I have been making small works on paper for the two holiday exhibitions. Join me here on December 1&2 and then join me here on December 6&8. I really enjoyed created 20 new small works that combine my love of vintage paper, this time in the form of a 1947 world atlas, sewing (I used the stitch rather than pencil) and white paint! You know how I love the white paint...

Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs your art, your big ideas and mostly we need you to live your dreams.

It's all happening now

Dear Readers...

There is a lot going on! Firstly, I am very happy to report that my USA Project met one of my funding goals for the week! I was hoping to reach the 20% funding mark for my project this week and instead I reached 24%! So, now I have a new goal and am hoping to reach 25% funding by the end of the weekend! I am thrilled and very honored that some very lovely folks are pledging their support for my work and the journey that hopefully lies ahead.

If you haven't already gotten on board with my project there is no time like the present! It will take a lot of support to get me back over to Scotland in 2013 to research and create this new body of work. I do believe where there is a will there is a way and even though it all seems daunting I have to try to live my dreams and not my fears. Thanks again to everyone who has helped me on this path so far. I can't wait to share the journey with you. You can learn more here.

In other news, my studio was featured in Hyperallergic's column, A view from the easel. "Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful and radical thinking about art in the world today. Founded in 2009, Hyperallergic is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York." I really like their site and I enjoy the a view from the easel column especially. I like seeing where artists from all over the world work. So I hope you will check it out, it is a thrill to be a small part of it!

On the local front, I was asked to participate in the Community Creative Center's Holiday Bazaar! I will have all my small affordable original works on paper and panel as well as some of my limited edition prints for sale and perhaps some surprise new pieces as well! I am really looking forward to be a part of it! So, if you are local please come and see me! Nothing quite like supporting local artists and giving the gift of art for the holidays.

Also local and coming up soon, we are busy planning the next East Prospect Exhibition. The first exhibition was held in June and the next one will be Thursday December 6th and Saturday December 8th. We will have many of your favorite artists from the last exhibition and some new brilliant faces and new work! Just mark your calendars now and trust that it will be a great show that you will not want to miss! More details and updates to the site and the artist line up soon!

My exhibition Silently and Still continues at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Fayetteville through November so please check it out if you haven't already.

Okay that about wraps it up. I have some ideas for some new small pieces for the upcoming holiday shows. I also want to get back to my studio and finish up the line and map series and of course keep promoting and raising funds for my project. Never a dull moment!

PS. How about that election! I couldn't have imagined a better result. Thanks to all that voted!

Until next week, keep fighting. I believe we can do more than we think we can and be stronger than we ever imagined, especially when we work together and ask for help. It is not easy and sometimes life seems ridiculously hard but at the same time there is no place I would rather be than caught up in the struggle and fighting alongside you.

It's Alive!

Hello Dear Readers,

I am just going to cut to the chase, if you don't already know, I have launched a large scale project for 2013 on USA Projects called "The ghosts of the past exposed." This project will create connections in Scotland through a series of new works that combine genealogy, poetry and painting. I am very excited about it. It is a daunting and thrilling task to create a project on such a large scale. The project quietly went live on the USA project's site last Friday and then I officially launched it a few days later. I am so thrilled that my project is already 13% funded in the first week of the campaign! I have fifty days left to raise the money I need to create this new body of paintings and live and work in Edinburgh, Scotland for six months. All donations are tax deductible, please click here to learn more. If you can support my project I would be grateful and no amount is too small! Please feel free to use the buttons on the USA Projects site under the video to share it on all your social networks. This is going to take an concerted grass roots effort to help me create this work in Scotland and I really need your help. There are many gifts that I would love to give you for your donation so don't forget to choose one!

 In other news, I have a solo exhibition, "Silently and Still" that is on display through the month of November at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville. Arkansas. I enjoy showing my works in public spaces as you just never know who may see it or be exposed to original art for the first time. As always, I am pleasantly surprised to see how art transforms the space and at the same time fits right in. I am very fortunate to be asked to share my work in such varied spaces.

 Silently and Still

And that my friends is all I have to share with you this week. Again, if you can support my new project and share it with your friends and family I would be grateful. If you are local, please check out my exhibition at the St. Pauls Episcopal Church. If you are in Little Rock please visit Boswell-Mourot to see and purchase my work. For those interested in my small works on wood and paper please visit my Etsy shop, where you will find some new lower prices!

Thank you all for your support and your belief in me, my work and my vision. I can't do this without you. Until next week, keep fighting!

And don't please forget to vote (early if you can), volunteer and donate! Election Day is Tuesday November 6th!

All will be revealed...

Dear Readers,

Sorry this is such a late post! Friday night turns to Saturday morning so quickly. A lot has been going on and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I have been working in my studio and doing some other art related things. I am about to launch an exciting project very soon and I hope you will be a part of it! So keep watching this space and all will be revealed.

I hope all is well in your art worlds.

Thank you for your support! Talk soon!
Megan

The lines that connect us

 Works in progress in the studio

Today is day ten, but you wouldn't know any of that because I have been on a secret mission to break through my creative block and focus on my new series. This plan was hatched by my wise friend and fellow artist Jennifer Libby Fay.

Everyday for the last ten days I have set my alarm for 6:45 and been out of bed and in my studio and ready to work by 7:15. I have not turned on the computer or done anything that might distract me from my goal of spending a certain amount of time each day in my studio working. I couldn't talk about it online or post pictures of progress or even tell Stewart. This was to be my time for my own personal reward and satisfaction. I would text Jennifer at the end of the session and that would be it. I started fourteen new paintings in the last week!

These paintings fuse old maps (so far of Scotland, America and Arkansas) on to panel. So far the only elements in the paintings are pencil lines and white paint allowing only the color from the maps to the be the "color" of the paintings... This may change as these works are all in their infancy. I had 15 new panels waiting for me to use and I have now used 14. I had been collecting vintage maps and I have now used all of them and even had to go out earlier this week to get a world Atlas from 1947 so that I could keep working.

It has been interesting to see what happens when I roll out of bed and into the studio first thing with my crazy hair and sleep laden eyes. I work and I focus. I have always painted best in the morning. I have been listening to music on CD's because my iPod touch of course is connected to the WIFI and that is too much of a temptation, a distraction. So for ten days I remembered what it is like to have boundaries, goals, a plan and to simply show up. I have enjoyed working on these 14 problems paintings, letting the works take me along with them as I solve for the answer and I am not there yet!

I have been showing and selling my work for 17 years, so of course I know what I need and how to make the work happen deep down in my being. However, it is easy to get off track. It is easy to read the news and focus on more trivial things. It can be hard to make the work you are on the planet to make, sometimes it is even a burden. However, it is a bigger burden to myself and all those that love me when I am not working. I have to work.

When I work, everything else falls into place (well maybe not everything, life is messy and imperfect) but lots of things fall into place. Once this morning goal is accomplished I find it easier to work other routines into my life, the morning meal, the cleaning of the house, feeding my cat Evie, making a list for the day. There was more order and sequence and there was more fulfillment and consequence and so I floated on from one activity to the next and that made me feel a bit safer in my skin, to remember that I was dependable again and had a purpose.

I have worked on ninety-one paintings so far in 2012 while suffering with some of the worst artist's block and depression. I have to count these things up to remember that even when I don't feel like I am working hard enough or doing enough, I am. However, I must also remember that a studio routine is so important and crucial to my well being. I am grateful to be working.

There is a line in each painting that will connect with another line in a different painting so that when they are separated in homes and collections they will still have that line reaching out and they will still connect over the distance. Always there and reaching out.

Like all the lines that connect us.

For the people

 a place to write, a place to dream

Hello Dear Readers!

Another week has just flown by! I had my yART sale last Saturday and even with a scarce turnout I will call it another success for many reasons. I got to spend a relaxed day in my freshly clean house with my friends and fellow artists, Linda Sheets and Melissa Vest. We had the first fire of the season thanks to Linda and we listened to jazz and had apple cider and treats. I had all of my available work out around the house and there were works also available by Stewart Bremner. Linda brought some of her books and wooden "totes" that she has been making lately in between scratchboards. Some lovely people, including the Mayor came to say hello. Linda sold a book and a tote and I sold two pieces from Stewart Bremner's and my series "a place called home." I also sold one of my new small works on wood. Stewart and I couldn't be more pleased at the response our latest works have received. There are only four available out of the fifteen we painted this summer! Thanks everyone for your support!

What I loved about the yART sale was that my first patron of the day was a writer and a grad student in college and she put forty dollars down towards one of mine and Stewart's paintings and we are settling the rest in a payment plan. I felt like I had won the lottery with her forty dollars burning a hole in my pocket and I was also so pleased that she was giving herself the gift of original art. I know that for a student that ultimately $250 might be earmarked to spend on rent, food, books, travel, etc, but that she chose to commit to original art means the world to me and inspires me to want to paint more. I love all my patrons equally but it always means something a bit different to me when it is a younger patron or a student. It gives me such hope for the future and solidifies my belief that art is by the people and for the people. Art does not have to be an elitist event enjoyed by the few. My patrons come in every style and income level and I love them all. I am honored every single time someone makes that choice to buy my art, to live with what I made, to collect my work over several years and series and to note the progression and the trajectory of my life as an artist. These patrons not only support me financially and let me live this life, they encourage it. They understand my life and me and that is why I am always bonded with my collectors. I am so grateful for all the relationships that have developed over the years of my career as an artist. I am glad I had my yART sale so I could remember this, remember who I am, what I do and what I will do for the rest of my life no matter how tenuous the balance may become.

In other news, I have been getting things in order to launch a project (all will be revealed). I have also been getting my mind back into the state it needs to be in to make new work. I am writing, walking and listening to music in preparation. I have been in a bit of a blocked state and I let the well run a bit dry but I am steadily filling it again and soon the work will flow. Watch this space.

Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs your work!

yART Sale! Tomorrow!

My life returned to normal a bit more this week. There was an exciting meeting about a funding proposal and a project that I hope to launch soon. I am in the preliminary stages so I don't want to say too much about it yet but I will keep you posted. Let's just say something exciting will be happening soon and I hope you will be a part of it.

There was an Artist Think Tank meeting this week as there is every Thursday. I meet with artists Jennifer Libby Fay, Linda Sheets, Stewart Bremner and occasionally Melissa Vest on google plus weekly to talk about our art careers and goals. We have been doing this a while now and I think it is has really helped us all move forward, take risks and explore our options in our individual and collective art worlds. I am really lucky to have such good friends and a strong support network of artists that help me stay focused and driven.

In other news, I decided to have a Yart Sale! It is exactly what it sounds like, an outdoor Art Sale! However, the Arkansas weather has changed abruptly as it does, so now it will be an indoor sale which is fine by me. The sale is tomorrow Saturday October 6th from 10-3. You can learn more about the sale here.

I just wanted to cull my studio in what will be my only sale of the Fall season. There are oldies but goodies from many series over the years as well as my latest small works on panel that I have made for my Etsy shop. Stewart Bremner's and my combined works will be available as well. There will be some special deals to be found and even perhaps some work by some guest artists. There will be apple cider and cookies and sweet art for sweet people. If you are in the Northwest Arkansas area I hope you will join me as we celebrate Autumn! Cash, check, and credit cards are accepted. Payment plans are also available. I really hope to see you there! Feel free to invite and bring your friends! The more the merrier. 

And with that, I think I better close as it is already getting late and I have so much to do to prepare for my one day only sale!

Thanks for stopping by and as always for your support. 

Love, 
Megan