Megan Chapman: Small works

I am very excited to announce that I will have four paintings in the 20th annual exhibition of small and miniature work by selected artists at Aaron Gallery in Washington D.C. this December! I hope everyone in the D.C. area will visit the Aaron Gallery and Dupont Circle Galleries for First Friday Gallery Walk on December 4th from 6-8pm. I am thrilled to have my work selected for this group exhibition. I thought you might enjoy a preview of the selected works.

You came with fire
mixed media on canvas, 10x10" $275
© 2009 Megan Chapman

Behind the Whispers

mixed media on canvas, 20x16" $375
© 2009 Megan Chapman

Implosion

mixed media on canvas, 20x16" $375
© 2009 Megan Chapman

All things fall to the side

mixed media on canvas, 10x10" $275
© 2009 Megan Chapman

In other exciting news, I will be debuting an entirely new body of work at the DDP gallery in Fayetteville Arkansas, during the first Thursday art walk December 3rd from 5-8pm. I am putting the finishing touches on these works, that combine my love of photography and written word. These blocks are a precursor to my 100 flashes of memory series, and I am very excited to share them with the public. Additional photographs will be posted here soon so watch this space for updates as the week progresses. This new project has been a labor of love and a challenge, and very inspiring for me.

This is a wonderful and productive time in my art career and I am glad to share it with you. If you need any additional information about these works or galleries please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

When ART becomes a joke..

I enjoy it when people can poke a little fun at the art world...



Would you enter a reality show competition to benefit your art career? I also enjoyed this spoof entry for the school of Saatchi show.



Oh yes, and the next time some one asks you what you think about a painting or work of art just go here, type in a few numbers, and you too can speak eloquently and with meaning each time.

For example: I find this work menacing because of the way the optical suggestions of the negative space endangers the devious simplicity of the eloquence of this piece.

Same as it ever was...(and I wouldn't change a thing)

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime

Next week some bigger news...

The work of Gregory Crewdson

Untitled ©2006 Gregory Crewdson
from the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City.

Explore and discuss.
One my favorite photographers.
To see his work in person is a whole new experience.

When you buy my art...

When you even consider buying my art; when you study it in the light.
When you move it around and touch it and think about it on the walls of your home.
When the colors make you remember things you have forgotten.
When the titles entice you, when you smile, hug me and get excited when we talk of the final transaction.

I come alive. I have hope again.

When you discover my work for the very first time and tell me it reminds you of things you were thinking about earlier, of the visions in your head.
When you can't even wait for it to be finished, it is perfect as it is.
When you have been studying my work for years and are happy to finally talk with me.
When we talk easily like old friends and you can see the music in my paintings and you understand me and make the connections.

It is more than color, texture, form, words, paint, canvas, or photographs.

I come alive. I have hope again.
When you buy my art or even consider it...

glorious © 2009
Megan Chapman

Art Brain. Art Gene.

The more artists I know and talk with, the more artists I read about and meet, all seem to have a very strong set of characteristics and qualities; similarities in how they view and interact with the world..

What do you think? Is there an Art Brain or an Art Gene?
Talk amongst yourselves...

and here is a video while you are thinking about it and basically writing my blog this week...

Comic Sans...NSFW

LOGO
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How is everyone doing out there? Tell me about your upcoming exhibitions, projects, or any ups and downs in your art world you would like to share in the comments...

You and whose army...

This is a long overdue post.

Here is the deal. I feel I have a large supportive army behind me and I don't thank them as often as I would like. These people talk to me, write me, laugh and cry with me. These people inspire me, support me (sometimes with their purchases), but more often with their advice, time, attention, energy and love. I can't thank you all specifically, as I imagine some of my army would like to remain somewhat anonymous. I hope this post will still carry as much weight without a list of names and reciprocating web and blog links. I hope you can feel it in your heart what you mean to me and that you will know I am talking to you.

Thank you to everyone who has ever emailed or told me you saw my work, whether online, in a publication, or in the flesh and told me that it moved or inspired you. Thank you to everyone who reads and comments on my blog, blip, myspace, and facebook pages. Thank you to anyone who has made it a point to come up and talk to me at a gallery opening, or in my studio about my art. I feed off your positive energy. Thanks to all my teachers, good and bad who had a hand in shaping my artistic voice, you pushed me hard either way. I loved to work hard to impress you, learn more, and grow. I worked just as hard to prove you wrong about me if you ever had any doubts. Thanks to my best friends, who share their music, movie and book selections with me and keep feeding my soul when it gets empty. Without you I wouldn't keep playing this game. Thanks to all the artists that have come before me and left their beautiful, flawed lives behind in their art and stories. Thanks for all the living artists who give advice away freely and inspire and encourage. Thanks for all the people in my life who know I struggle at times, thanks for the ones who worry and let me vent and say ridiculous things when I need to. Thanks to my family for encouraging me on this path, even though sometimes it is clear it has not always been the easiest or healthiest choice. I have the most amazing friends from all over the world, and that is because of my art, and if that is all my art ever really gets me then that is good enough and I am very fortunate.

I do really think about you, my wonderful army of supporters, friends, family, and peers and I do use your strengths when I am feeling less than stellar; when I am unsure, when I am tired and low. I call on you and you always seem to come and pull me up and through.

Please know I am in your army too, and I've got your back.

Love,
Megan