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New 2010 Dream-Inspired Art Calendar
Welcome to Dream Art Studio!
It's been a long time coming, but here it is with many interesting things to see and do inside.We're located south of Longmont, Colorado, at 1053 Neon Forest Circle, in a new urbanist community called Prospect.Here my husband and I have settled into a live/work residence that is not only good for the environment, but a very happy and comfortable place to call home.The building's first floor houses my husband's business, "Jaguar Innovative Supplies." He sells professional cleaning supplies with an emphasis on green products. Our loft apartment is upstairs, and my studio is at the end of this floor.
Over the past year at least twelve groups, of thirty or more people, have toured the building and dream art space. I am using my loft apartment for gallery viewing, by appointment. I've also used the studio for figure drawing classes and workshops combining the healing arts with art, and projective dream work. The Prospect, Colorado community is a very colorful and creative neighborhood, with it's own artists' association, which I support.
To begin my work here, with the right energy, I had a floor signing party and invited all my friends to leave their special mark, saying, or doodle on my cement floor in the studio. It was great fun, and now my studio has a quite unique floor which really adds to the creative atmosphere in this big room.
Even Jeremy Taylor, who has been referred to as the "Johnny Appleseed of dreams", showed up to sign my floor. I wasn't quick enough to get the great Reverend on his knees, but here's his famous mark!
It's been an exciting year! In April of 2008, The Boulder Camera, a local newspaper did a four page spread on dream work for their "Fit" section of the paper. They witnessed a dream group in action, led by Boulder dreamworker and friend, Billie Ortiz, at my loft gallery/apartment, and took pictures for their April 29th issue. It was very exciting to wake up one day, to see my friends in the paper and my dream painting, "The Branching Woman," splashed all over the cover of "Fit"! The article was fabulous! Having dream work featured in this way makes me feel that there's a real shift in the perspective of the populous, and that people are more than ever ready to consider such topics for examples of healthy living.
Following this article's release we were all asked to talk to several high school groups who were interested in exploring dreams in their psychology and art classes. Several high school art classes were required to attend local artist's studio tours, and by choice, chose my Dream Art gallery/studio to visit! It's a thrill to speak to these young people with so many dreams to share! I feel important art taking a spiritual turn in the future.
In July, I attended the IASD dream conference in Montreal, and enjoyed having "The Branching Woman" featured in Patricia Garfield's program on Dreams and Creativity, and exhibited in the week long art show, as part of the conference. Please read my article on "The Branching Woman" for more details on my personal experience at the art show and conference.
This year promises to be very full and rewarding as well. I will be focusing on my "Amazing Women's Dreams" project more than ever. Some workshops combining healing modalities with art are being planned. Please check the Workshop Page for the next planned event.
Amazing Women's Dreams — An Ongoing Project
For some time now I have not only been painting my own dreams but the dreams of other people, which you could say is an artist's form of projective dream work. It's projective because I make someone else's experience my own experience, in order to paint it. So far the people who have been the recipients of my art projections have really appreciated my retelling their dreams. They have indicated that it's inspiring to them to see their dream as art and have received healing benefits from having the art work.
Since 2003, I have started to build a body of work called Amazing Women's Dreams, which, when completed (estimated finish date 5 years from now) will be the basis for an art exhibit. These dream paintings will be a contemplation of questions like: What do amazing women have in common? What are their dream experiences like? What muses guide them? Have any of their dreams influenced a major life change or redirection? What demons have they confronted?
This project will be a glimpse into these women's psyches, which will not only be fascinating, but will give the Feminine Hero a voice and encourage others among us to take our dreams more seriously. Read more about this project on the Amazing Women's Dreams page.
As an artist and dreamer, I wish to convey the positive message that dreams have the power to guide, heal and transform us. This is the source of my inspiration and the magic in the visual images I continue to create.