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. 

She feels like a tourist

Somewhere over the rainbow

Experiments

 

Hello Dear Blog Readers, 

How are you doing? Can you believe we are already heading towards the end of July? Time is so odd these days.

I happily have more family visiting from the States this week, so I haven't been as focused on work as I sometimes am. However, I did go to the studio one day this week to work on some raw canvas and other bits and pieces. I also recorded my Tuesday Studio Video Visit (see below if you missed it). I visited a new art supply shop in town, visited the Scottish National Gallery among other amazing places in Edinburgh, and did some work with the union. Seems like a solid week. 

I am going to post this and go be a tour guide again for the next two days - we have a lot of sights to see! I hope you are well, happy, and inspired wherever you are. If not tomorrow is another day, just keep fighting. See you next week! 

You don't know us

she stopped breathing in the floating world
21x15cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

where tears freeze before they fall
21x15cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

holding everything dear

15x21cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

in silence the message

21x15cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

rest before the fall
21x15cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

     only to start again

21x15cm
mixed media on canvas
2023 Megan Chapman

It's No Game

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It's loud and it's tasteless

New this week - studio snap

New this week - studio snap

Hello Dear Readers, 

I hope you are well. Let's see... above, you will see two new works that showed themselves this week. There is another one in progress but not quite formed yet. These may be subject to change but I like them right now so I thought they warranted an appearance on the studio blog. 

My week was full. My lovely niece showed up late last Saturday night and stayed until Wednesday morning - so that was a wonderful surprise delight. We went to two art events on Sunday. We enjoyed the first "Birds of a Feather" market at Sketchy Beats in Leith. We went to cheer on my studio mate Aoife and also got to discover many more artists, second-hand clothes, and bakery goods as the music flowed through the air in the sweet and funky wee space. Sketchy Beats has a nice community feel. Keep your eyes peeled for future events. 

Later that afternoon we checked out the Queer Summer Market at the Leith Arches presented by Sett Studios in Leith. Lots of artists and makers there to check and explore - if you go have a rummage through the Sett Studios Instagram feed you will discover them too. After all that art and the good tunes spinning at the market, we were hungry and had a bit of late lunch at The Bullfinch. I had a look at their chalkboard events scheduled on the wall and it seems like a lot of creative things are happening there too. 

I maintained my schedule this week and worked in my studio as usual. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday - and managed to work on three pieces and recorded the Tuesday Studio Video Visit. I can't tell you how good returning to my studio practice and art routine feels. There is ground under my feet again. 

Here's the video visit if you missed it. 

I did more work with the Scottish Artists Union this week as well. Have you joined your union? Check if you are eligible and consider joining. We are stronger together. I am really excited about this important and meaningful work.

On Thursday, I was honoured to be the guest of Edinburgh City Councillor and my friend, Susan Rae, to the private view of Beyond the Little Black Dress at the National Museum of Scotland. It was fun to get dressed up and go see some gorgeous and famous designs and chat with beautiful and fascinating people. It was loads of fun to do something a bit out of the ordinary and outside my usual comfort zone. Thanks, Susan! 

And here we are, I went to the studio, worked, and went to a meeting of a few of my peers at the Drill Hall as we try to build community within the building. On my way home, my friend Eleanor Buffam, an artist, wrote to ask me where to get some red embroidery thread. I offered a few futile suggestions and then as I was walking realised that I was about to walk by my friend and textile artist, Mairi Brown's studio. I sent a quick note and was met at the studio door by Mairi and got the thread Eleanor needed and had a quick chat with Mairi in the process! It felt like magic at work - community, creativity, serendipity, and spontaneity were all at play! 

Later in the day, I had a wonderful video call with my friend and fellow artist, Adelaide Shalhope and we talked about all things art and life using our shorthand painting language - such a joy! 

It truly was a full and artful week of connection, solidarity, support, and a bit of fun. This weekend is Leith Late - so if you have the energy - get out there. I might catch a bit of it and also just enjoy some quiet time. 

Thanks so much for joining me here, I hope you are well, happy, and inspired. The world and your wee community need you and the gifts you bring. Keep fighting. 

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Lust for life

I am writing this blog from my studio. I have my big headphones on and I am still listening to this song on repeat after finally seeing Trainspotting 2 (T2) last Saturday night. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet - and go ahead and make it a double feature if it's been a while since you saw the first one. 

I am having a Cherry Coke and I have already painted today. I worked back into two canvases I had started a while back (in the same colour palette) so that was a no-brainer - working back in is always easier than starting anew. 

This week flew by! I put my niece back on the airport bus at 3am last Saturday morning. We had a great time, I think especially last Friday when I met her after writing my blog - we went charity shopping, ate some amazing pizza, followed that with gelato and had a gorgeous wee walk. Sounds like a perfect day. 

This week I worked as usual and I think the series is really coming together. I am building two series at once with a bridge, light and dark - just like life. Right now the darker side is stronger and I am enjoying working with its palette of black, red, and ochre - also a bit of shocking yellow chalk pastel. As I have mentioned before I am trying to use what I have on hand in the studio and not buy more materials to create this body of work. I really love this palette. I have always loved red and have painted my fair share of paintings with it. When I was a little girl, I would say my favourite colour was rosy red. I see you little girl - we know our way around this colour.

Okay so about the art. Let me start with the latest pieces in the dark series. (there are 4 pieces in the light series too - but this week I just want to see the dark together. Here they all are, beginning with the most recent ones.

this one might get worked back into... 

I just want to eat the black with a spoon, perhaps served with a sweet rosy red sauce. 

It feels good to be working again - reclaiming this sacred space, alongside my studio mate and dear friend Aoife. We both dive into our respective worlds and then come up for air and a wee chat. I am so glad this works for us. I'm very protective of my practice and the energies around it. 

Currently painting feels like returning home after getting lost in some really dark woods. 

If you missed the Studio Video Visit you can see it again here: 

That's all I have for you this week. I hope you have a beautiful weekend - thanks for joining me for the Friday Studio Blog. 

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Thanks!

I'll meet you there

new this week (this painting no longer exists)

Hello Dear Studio Blog Readers. 

Thank you for being here and spending some of your sunny time with me. 

It's positively roastin' here in auld reekie! My niece Elena has been here with me since late Saturday night taking a break from her world travels. It's been great to have her back in Scotland.

I am pleased that I managed to maintain my studio, my Tuesday Studio Video Visit, and now my blog schedule and even did some work with the Scottish Artist's Union this week. I am really happy that I was able to put my studio practice high on the list while still enjoying the sun and some of the sights with Elena. After where I've been lately, this feels like a noteworthy accomplishment.

That's the thing - these things don't need to take a lot of time, just some time and consistency - a promise. Magic happens when you show up even in short bursts. 

This is Elena's last full day in the city, so after I write this I am off to jump on a bus and meet her in the wild for a bit more exploring and sunshine. 

Now to the art. 

Currently, my studio work schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Friday. 

I managed to start two new pieces this week and work back into one I started last week. At last count, I think I now have 9 pieces on the go. This is a good feeling. Currently, I am only using materials I already have in the studio - trying to avoid purchasing any new materials for the time being. I am curious how long I can go. I like to set myself a challenge. 

a piece from last week that I worked back into that is now finished

Here's the Tuesday Studio Video Visit if you missed it on my other social networks. 

In other news, the brilliant Blunt Knife Co. is closing its doors on Thistle Street in Edinburgh so make plans to go by soon and buy one of my prints, pretty please!!  Their last trading day is Saturday 15 July. Make Haste! Support them and me!

Available Now at Blunt Knife Co. Edinburgh for £25 each!
Get one from the shop before they close!

In other other news, I did some more litter cleanup this week, I highly recommend finding a small area nearby and just cleaning it up - it is amazing how much satisfaction can be felt after working for an hour or less and making a visible difference. A cure for what ails, I tell ya! If you do this - take a before and after picture and message it to me and I will send you a coupon code to save money in my shop. Thank you for making the world a better place. 

That's all I have for you this week on the Studio Blog. Be well and enjoy the sun. Thank you for staying the course with me. 

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