Leading by Doing | Five Questions with Megan Chapman of the Fayetteville Underground

Hometown artist Megan Chapman has emerged as a driving force in the city’s art scene, bringing international art shows from France and Taiwan to the subterranean artist colony known as the Fayetteville Underground.

She creates her own art, but also she curates, editing several shows this year to help fellow artists present their work to the public.

Megan and other artists have pushed the Fayetteville Underground to do more educational outreach, bringing monthly Art Talks to discuss the work displayed in the three feature galleries. That’s expected to continue and grow, she said.

She led an early Art Talk in January to discuss the work of Hot Spring’s duo Pedigree and their show “Matters of Consequence.”

Ozarks Unbound caught up with Megan. She was nice enough to answer our Five Questions.

You’ve curated shows the past two months. What does that involve?

The curating I have done involved contacting the artists and scheduling them into the Underground program, giving them the dimensions of the gallery space so that they know exactly what they have to work with and how much work they need to produce to fill the space adequately.

Sometimes the space may even inform the work they produce. I may stay in contact with the artists while they produce the body of work and answer questions, help with titles or prices, and help in the editing process. I may just give them factual information about the Underground and our hours, what our clientele is like, and logistical information, reminding them only of important deadlines.

I am here to assist the artist with anything they may need. In the case of the past two international shows, there is research involved in how best to print the works here in the United States, and price breakdowns so the artists know what type of expense to expect in order to produce the show.

I also floated the money for the last two shows, so as the curator I bear some expenses, at least initially. There are countless emails back and forth if the artist is not local or regional. As an artist myself, I make sure that these artists feel good about everything, from the press release, to the presentation, to the way I speak about their work. The work then gets installed and documented, promotional materials such as press books, postcards and posters get made.

It is a collaboration of sorts, but I always want to be clear that it is their work and I am just facilitating it being shown here in Fayetteville.

What about your own art? Are you able to find time to paint and create?

Curating does take a lot of time and energy and a certain amount of emotional commitment to the artists and their work, but at the same time it inspires me and my own work.

I love being a part of a global arts community, and being able to shine a light on art that moves me, that Fayetteville might not get to see otherwise.

I may not curate 3 shows in a row the next time I do this, but I get a lot out of it and I am grateful for the trust that the Fayetteville Underground has in me, as well as the artists that have allowed me to show their work.

As far as my own painting, I never stop. I may slow down, but I am always working on something.

I have my own solo exhibition at the Underground in November, so I have kept that in my mind these past few months as well.

There have been a few art talks recently at the Fayetteville Underground. Is that going to continue?

Yes, the art talks are a very important part of our new programming. One of the Fayetteville Underground’s goals is to present more regularly scheduled artist talks in the coming months.

We really want to engage the community, allowing potential patrons to learn a bit more about the artists and the work that the Fayetteville Underground represents.

Our first Thursday opening receptions each month are a fun and lively event, but sometimes due to the crowds and the reception atmosphere it is hard for those who are truly interested in learning more about the artists and their processes to connect.

In the future we plan to have dedicated days once or twice a month when we will have the artist’s talks so that people can depend on them as easily as first Thursday.

We are excited about offering these casual and more intimate gatherings for those in the community interested in learning more about our current exhibitions at the Fayetteville Underground.

Are there studios available for artists to rent at the Fayetteville Underground? How does that happen?

Yes, we have studios currently available and we are always accepting applications for studios as well as for exhibitions in our galleries.

Interested artists just need to submit a formal application on CD, either by mail or hand delivery to the underground. The application procedure is on our website at this link http://www.fayettevilleunderground.com/artistinfo.php.

Studio artists receive subsidized rent and in return are required to work in their studios a minimum of 20 hours a week on their art and then donate 4 hours a week of service to the organization by completing various tasks to help keep us running.

Most studios are less than $100/month and this includes all utilities and Wi-Fi. Each artist gets at least one solo show per year and continual representation in Fayetteville through the Underground. We look forward to receiving artists applications for studios and for exhibitions.

What advice would you give a newly minted artist embarking on a career?

I would encourage new artists to surround themselves with other artists near and far and to find emotional support for their work, because art can’t be made in a vacuum.

Being an artist is already a difficult enough profession, only made more difficult if one tries to go it alone.

I would tell them to work on their art diligently, to really put in the time. I would tell them to do some research, read some books on the business of being an artist. Most schools don’t prepare artists for the business aspect. Don’t walk into a gallery with your work under your arm, call first, and make an appointment. Find a mentor, ask questions, make mistakes and keep on fighting.

The world needs your art.

Christopher Spencer

Christopher Spencer, 36, is the publisher and owner of Ozarks Unbound and the food news site, The Fayetteville Food File. He is the chair of the Fayetteville Creative Economy Action Group and the social media chair of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He's also the founder of WordCamp Fayetteville. You can always contact him at cspencer@ozarksunbound.com

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