The Dream Journal

Figuring out who’s who is this dream’s puzzle.
The Dream: Mary tells me her friend is interested in dreams and shows me her dream journal. When I see it I feel inadequate. The woman has illustrated every scene of a dream that goes on for seven pages. The illustrations are creative and clever. She has made an illustration of little iced cookies in the shape of animals that represents Mary: Mary doesn’t care for it; she thinks it’s “too sweet,” but I think it’s charming. The illustrations are colorful, playful, and chic at the same time.

Interpretation: The Mary in this dream is a waking life friend. I am the only friend she has who keeps a dream journal. So—does this make me the friend whose dream journal she is showing me? Is she, in fact, showing me my own dream journal? And if she is, why do I feel inadequate when I see it? This leads to the next identity puzzle: is Mary actually Mary, or is she standing in for someone else? As an old friend she stands in for someone from my past. Who, I have to ask myself, in my past reacted to my work in a judgmental way? This leads me to the inevitable conclusion that the Mary in my dream stands in for my inner “mother.” The seven pages and the iced cookies hint at the era the dream evokes: when I was seven years old. A hopeful sign: I stand up for myself, disagreeing with Mary’s (mother’s) assessment of my artwork.

Inspiration from Dreams

As an illustrator who has some published work I sometimes get queries from design students. One of their most frequent questions is “What inspires you?” Since the students usually don’t know about my work with dreams, they are sometimes surprised when I suggest they consider keeping an illustrated dream journal. Besides giving you a safe and private place to practice skills and play with media, a record of your dreams provides a treasure trove of imaginative ideas. When you’re looking for a subject for a painting or illustration you can look back over your journal and develop one of the images your dream gave you.

For example, I recently made a painting from the dream illustration for “The Chinese Bride.” Several important things changed: the shape of the piece, the medium, the pattern on her dress, the colors—but had I not had the dream and created an illustration for this on-line dream journal, that painting would never have been made. I liked the process and the outcome so much that I am already planning my next dream painting.

My Father’s Pen

The Dream: I have picked up a pen and I notice how nicely it writes. I realize it is my father’s pen—possibly also Jerry’s or Clark’s. I want to have a pen like this. It writes very smoothly. It is a ball point, and it isn’t new: it shows some signs of wear.

Interpretation: This dream seems Freudian in the extreme. Pen: penis; and a ball-point, no less. But what does the penis represent? Not so much the organ, but male power in the world. Jung might say that in a woman's dream it represents her animus, or inner man. The dream plays with words:  the pen is what I use to make my mark in the world through drawing and writing.

Putting My Skills to Work (Or Not)

The Dream: I have attained a level of artistic competence, and it occurs to me that I should use it to get a job I would enjoy. I think I would like to be a fashion illustrator, and I become excited about following through on this idea. I am in New York. My first thought is to show my portfolio around, but I’m not sure how to go about it. Who should I show it to? Will anyone look at it if I don’t present some credentials or have a degree? Or connections?

I decide to go back to school at FIT for an illustration degree. Then I wonder who’s hiring fashion illustrators. I realize I haven’t seen many lately. I become discouraged; even if I have the degree it is unlikely there will be jobs available.

Interpretation: While I'm confident in my art skills some part of me thinks I must have validation from the outside world: I need credentials. Then I realize that having them won't solve my dilemma:  It’s difficult to find a practical application for art skills. Yet I think I must.

Gradient Mesh

Contemporary dream researchers tell us that dreams are an essential part of learning; this dream seems to back up the idea.

The Dream: I am using Adobe Illustrator’s gradient mesh tool, over and over.

Interpretation:  During the day I had been working on a complicated illustration of an azalea and for the first time had intensively used Illustrator’s gradient mesh--a very powerful tool, but tricky to get to know. The dream, in which I  practice endlessly, supports the theory that one of the reasons we dream is to perfect waking life skills.