Art Dreams: when did it all begin?

Art Dream: how it really started

Everyone asks me: how long have you been painting? The answer? It’s complicated.

I’ve been painting in my dreams since I was about 5 years old. Colors swirling, flowing together; turquoise, light, dark, green, and red-ish blues watering into each other with silver and gold linings.  That was a recurring dream for years and years and years.  It continues.

When did I actually put paint to paper? Probably in elementary school, like most of us, but of that I have absolutely zero memories.

Once in middle school I painted florals on glass. My mother—like many mothers (!) thought it was a masterpiece.

Once in high school I decided to take an art class: theory after theory after assignment after assignment. Two weeks later I dropped the class.

Once in college I took an art course.  The instructor placed a white sheet over a varied-shaped pedestal, then lit it.  That was instructive. Not fun.  Then he told us to go outside and paint. I laid on my back in the quad at UC Davis and painted all the trees coming together in perspective. That was fun. He told me I had no talent: none what-so-ever.  I dropped the course.

And then I taught—not art—for thirty years. No painting. Lots of dreaming. The same recurring childhood dream, but the colors regularly changed! The cool colors—I woke up relaxed; the warm colors—I felt frantic all day.

And here I am, painting. Still dreaming.  I’ve been dreaming painting for 65+ years is the answer, if you think dreaming is painting!

Next?  What would YOU like to know?