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Dreams of Sand
May 22, 2009
Sand Painting ~ Canon 30d
This morning I awoke from a dream in which I was creating a sand painting that was very detailed, elaborate. It was a sculptural kind of bas relief and contained three compositions in one... it would be too wordy to explain, but imagine elements of three separate works of art in one piece - a big undertaking. As I was completing the piece, I became aware of the fact it would be exhibited at a museum for only 48 hours and at the end of that time would be destroyed. The dream suddenly shifted, and I found myself at the museum in front of my artwork with a child next to me who was asking his parents why in the world it had to be obliterated. He felt sad for a moment, but then excitement swept over him at the prospect of watching this dramatic event of destruction. (hah. Ah hah!) I stood there listening to him thinking, "Wow, this is a great lesson for kids on how to let go of things." Just before waking up, I was noting my clinging... seeing a lot of desire not to have my work disappear - thinking of the DAYS spent creating it, and yet this child had let go of his remorse instantaneously and was finding joy in the midst of the impermanence.
Upon waking I couldn't help but smile. Is what I create REAL? The sand painting... surely it was this Self I'm continually creating. It's easy enough to recognize my dreams aren't real, can I make the leap into the awareness that what I create in my "real" life is also transient, illusory, and free myself from its hold on me? Who am I? Is there anything to hold onto in this ungraspable world?
Image shot October, 2007 on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Posted by susan at May 22, 2009 2:05 PM
