Megan Chapman talks about her abstract painting process...
"..My work has evolved into an intuitive, visual diary of my interior language. The foundation is in the balancing of shape and line with colour, texture, and atmosphere. I enjoy creating meditative places to get lost in, as well as dynamic spaces to explore relationships—such as how we dance between our inner and outer selves and each other. My work uses colour to explore our connection to the world as we navigate the push and pull of life. When Denis Taylor, artist and editor of Painters Tubes magazine first responded to my work he mentioned my two decades of dedication to abstract expressionism. The funny thing is that I had never thought of myself as dedicated to it but obviously, I am—so much so that I have never seriously considered working in other genres. As an artist, I have, of course, dabbled in all manner of mediums but abstraction is always the grounding force in my work and life."
"...Even though my dedication to abstraction is the same dedication I have to my own breathing, I do find abstraction frustrating at times as I would really like my art to have the ability to speak or sing. I want my work to pull people into a world of feeling and storied vignettes and, unless the viewer is already inclined to walk into that world or enter into the moment of the work, it is incredibly hard to pull off with colour, line, and form. However, I enjoy this challenge and I initially use my titles to help pull the viewer into my world that hopefully will become theirs.
My motivation for painting is simply because that it is what I am and what I do. I am a painter and I love the viscosity and pigments of paint, the smell, my old paint brushes, the tools, and drum-tight canvases. I know these things and they know me, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Painting is a great way to hide from the world while also being productive and giving something back. It is also a great way to share and connect with the world when the hiding part is over. It is the only place where I (mostly) feel like I know what I am doing."
"..To paint is true liberation and that is why I have stuck with it. I feel my most free
