The entire website has been cleaned up. Art page is updated with the artwork shown throughout last semester. Since I have a nice camera now, the last five prints I made are finally represented better digitally. The About page is entirely new with information on my exhibitions and other info and I re-added the “contact” page again. I also cleared up almost a hundred blog posts. I review my blog entries from a 1-2 years ago and the cheery optimism mixed with extreme naivete became a little embarrassing to archive. I kept shaking my head and felt the desire to figure out time travel so I could shut up 2008-9 version of me.

Anyway, it’s squeaky clean and ready for a whole new semester!

-Megan

After a whole semester of whining about my camera, my parents decided to get me a new camera for Christmas. Huzzah! Now I have to learn how to use it properly. I’m going to re-shoot recent artwork for an application I’m working on this vacation.  I need to have my images look top notch so I don’t mess up my chances.

I took a nice long break from art making, but now I need to kick my butt into gear and prep for shows. Buy frames, print, make new art, hang stuff, and of course, the thesis paper/exhibition for graduating school. SO MUCH! AH!

Expect more posting here in the near future. I want to document as much as possible for the upcoming thesis show. I might do a “photo-a-day” posting schedule or something similar to motivate my blogging.

Upcoming shows:

MFA group show @ Gallery 148 (MCAD/MPLS, MN)

Gender Show @ Altered Esthetics (NE MPLS, MN)

Glass, Cinder & Thorns @ 323 East Gallery (Royal Oak, MI)

Feminality Traveling Exhibition Round 3 @ Manhattan venue (haven’t learned much more than that)

MFA 2010 Thesis Exhibition @ Soap Factory (MPLS, MN)

Those are the main shows so far. I might keep my eye out for more shows that follow the thesis exhibition, but this should do for the semester. I’m starting my print for the Glass, Cinder & Thorn show. I’ll have a print in-progress for next week, maybe?

Yesterday, I got a catalog in the mail for the Los Angeles Printmaking Society 20th National Exhibition from last semester. This book is huge and full of lovely black and white images of prints from the show. For some reason, I didn’t include any artist statement with my image.

Bummer. It kind of makes me look like a goof, I’m the only one that doesn’t have a blurb by my image in the catalog. I must have been a space case when I sent all the information into the mail. I can’t seem to think of a better reason why I forgot. Still, it’s nice to see my artwork along with other printmakers in the field.

That’s all for now. I’m going to update the website later this week. The Art section will receive its usual overhaul, but I might also add my resume and tinker with the About page.

Later.

-Megan

Woohoo.

It’s a very unenthusiastic “woohoo,” because I still feel like I’m recovering. I’ve been on break for a week already and I’ve mostly spent it on resting and organizing. I’m spending the break absorbing feedback, sketching and reading. I’ll also print some projects for people and and get some art ready for some 2010 shows starting up next month. It seems like whenever I just want to “be done” with art, I get sucked into shows and projects. I’m glad for this,  it keeps me going and reminds me that there’s a life outside of graduate school.

I also wanted to make a public thank you. This past week I received an anonymous check meant to supplement my art making. I am immensely grateful for this extremely generous gift and plan to use it for my thesis work next semester. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you (thousand times over).

The next few weeks, I’m going to update and organize the website/blog. I’m getting a camera for Christmas, which means I can re-shoot recent work that didn’t photograph well the first time around.

And to end this post, here’s some books I’ve been using towards my thesis draft:

And books that I read for fun… or try to, because I start them on vacation and then take four months off to do school. This winter break I plan on finishing these books:

The blog for the first few month documented the months proceeding and then the first semester of graduate school. I believe I even titled the entries into week by week labels to keep track how I progress emotionally and artistically. The blog was also heavy on process, documenting every step of the work and leaving no surprises to the work.

I’ve been moving away from this format for while, mostly because I think it only interested myself and perhaps really nerdy printmakers. The entries sometimes got long winded and maybe whiny. Now I’m focusing on making the blog appeal to a wider audience. I’m also trying to document a development of ideas and entries that focus on the ideas or inspiration behind the artwork since I never really discuss that part.

In short, this post indicates that future posts will be:

*shorter

*less whiny

*more variety

*art inspiration and idea development

*not as heavy on process, but still showing parts of art progress

Alright, that’s all from me. Just figured I let people know what’s up.

-Megan

I got this fabulous email earlier:

Dear Megan,

On behalf of the Exhibitions Committee at Altered Esthetics, I would like to congratulate you.

Your piece, “Birdsnest (Pink)” have been selected to represent Ae’s Gender show for March 2010 Exhibition.

What does Featured Artist mean?
This means your art work will be on the Ae 2010 calender for March of 2010.
(Be sure and pick up a FREE copy of the calender. They will be available mid November 2009.)

Also, “Birdsnest (Pink)” will be on the postcard for Gender, the brochure, and the press release for the show.

Dates to Remember:

Gender – Artist Potluck Saturday, Frebuary 27, 2010 1-3pm

Gender  – Opening – Friday, March 5, 2010 6-7pm (Artists) 7-10pm (General Public)

Gender – International Womens’ Day Celebration – Monday, March 8, 2010 6-9pm

Gender – Artist Discussion – Saturday, March 20, 2010 1-3pm

If you have any questions, please ask.

Thank you again for submitting to the Altered Esthetics – Featured Artist Contest. Congrats!

~kristin
Exhibitions Director

Hells yes. I love this gallery. This will be the third show I’ve participated in. Now I need to update my resume.

-Megan

P.S. Gallery Link

Also, school has started and with that a severe lack of blogging. I’m going to reattempt Sunday posting schedule again. It worked for the majority of last year and my weekends are fairly free to write a quick update with a photo. Fingers crossed.

-Megan

I manage to finally update the site! There is now a “books” section to the site. I moved some artwork that fit better there and I added a slew of new books. Most have been seen throughout my blogging, but it’s nice to have it all in one place.

I also got rid of my “contact” page and display my email in the “Welcome” section of the sidebar and the “about” page. Hope this is not confusing, it seemed more efficient to do that. I like to minimize where it makes sense.

Have a good week. I’m going to try and keep this posting momentum going!

-Megan

The art page is update! I had quite a bit to add in the gallery. The books are still not posted as well as some other images, but quite a few drawings/prints are finally there.

The the Art page!

http://meganfrau.com —the main page that I usually never link to, but now has a new splash page
http://meganfrau.com/blog –the blog

The old url should work as well, so if you never change it, that’s fine. I just think it’s dandy to have a shorter, easy to remember URL now. I need to order my new business cards later tonight.

Yay.

I also got a favicon ::points to the bee in the url bar. It’ll show up in your bookmarks and tabs for extra visuals.

That’s really all. Back to the daily grind.

Megan

Okay, now I’m going to go watch Pushing Daisies to decompress from coding. I’ll try and give a life update and hopefully some new art within the week.

-Megan

Edit: Comments fixed. Thanks Robyn!