Evolution of a Series

I had a flying dream last night. These are my favorite dreams. Unfortunately I’m usually trying to escape from or look for something. They’re exhaustive but memorable. Particular conversations and sensations have sifted into my wake up world.

Growing up I would make wings out of cardboard. When the wind picked up I’d get on top of our station wagon, with cardboard wings, and wait until I felt a good gust at my back. That was the moment. I was so sure. One day. One summer.

And one day I stopped making the wings. (Just like the day my invisible friend Linna disappeared.)

I believe the body realized it just wasn’t going to happen, but the soul and subconscious mind had other plans. In sleep, all desires can be given a chance to unfold. I love it when I can be awake in this other world, participate and watch myself! A double life. Conversations, encounters and adventure.

All this leads to my new series. It began with one painting on paper that I kept adding to and then covering up. Cover. Show. Hide. Seek. I couldn’t stop at that so I carved in lines with a nail to reveal trails of color. I scraped sections for a bit more color to pop. I finally said enough and just let it be. A bit of a nightmare…even the photo has shadows and flaws!

I named this piece PillowTalk. It wasn’t necessarily done but it prompted a word that I’m taking back into the work to serve as a guide. For the next 3 months this is my guiding light. The conversations we have with ourselves and with others when barriers are down and desires are free to surface. When our eyes are closed or even half closed like in tango. It’s re-connecting with those dreams of jumping off station wagons and finding old invisible friends. I’ll move between the word and the paint, conscious/subconscious, to ground the work into harmony. It’s a great way to start the year.