Author: Denise

I am a sculptor of clay animals and those luminous hybrid creatures that sometimes appear in our dreams, if we are lucky and if we are paying attention. The slow process of hand-building something from clay can really deepen the visitation of a dream. I have faithfully tended these wondrous images, transcribing them to journals since I was in my early 20s.
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Journal: Kahlil Gibran “House”

(Tuesday, June 6, 2023)

I opened my old book “The Prophet.” to page 31, which talks about the idea of Houses:

Then a mason came forth and said: Speak to us of Houses.

And he answered and said:

Build of your imaginings a bower in the wilderness ere you build a house within city walls.

For even as you have home-comings in your twilight, so has the wanderer in you, the ever distant and alone.

Your house is your larger body.

It grows in the sun and sleeps in the stillness of night; and it is not dreamless. Does not your house dream? and dreaming, leave the city for grove or hill-top?

Your house shall not be an anchor but a mast.

It shall not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye.

You shall not fold your wings that you may pass through doors, nor bend your heads that they strike not against a ceiling, nor fear to breathe lest walls should crack and fall down.

You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living.

And though of magnificence and splendour, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing.

For that which is boundless in your abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.

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Cleansing And Costume

(Saturday, June 3, 2023)

Chris and I are in a large room in a commercial building. The room is the size of a gym, the same dimensions. A huge, empty blue plastic pool fills the floor of the room. He is distracted by his paperwork project, but I enthusiastically ask if I should get the pool filled and ready for Wyn to play. He says yes.

I get down on my hands and knees to begin cleaning the plastic pool. It’s a lot of work and it takes me a long time. But my energy and emotions are very upbeat. Happy.

Once the pool is ready to be inflated and filled with water, I move on to a communal shower room. The shower curtains are floral-patterned fabric. I notice my old boss Louis is sitting outside of the shower space and can see who comes in and out of the curtained area. This gives me no concern at all. I enjoy my cleansing shower.

I find my dressy clothes, I suppose in a gym locker room, and put them on. I walk to the pool. My dream observer sees how pretty and eccentric my dress and jacket are, a style similar to what I wore in my 30s when I was a “clothing horse.” I feel full of fun.

Day notes:

Chris and Louis are Virgo artists. Both of them always copy other art. They don’t create their own subjects or styles.

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Now I Work By Hand

(Saturday, June 3, 2023) full moon Scorpio / tarot Moon

Last night I looked out my bedroom window at the large, golden full moon. It rose up and hid behind an oak tree. I listened to a podcast from Rupert Sheldrake about terminal lucidity (end of life). Then I fell asleep. Dream:

I am sitting at a table with my old creative director Louis at a busy coffee house. He shows me an ad he is working on. He has a temp contract with our former employer, hired by the writer Nan.

The ad looks messy to me, especially the font and the tiny, unreadable text, which is no surprise. Louis is not as good a designer or typographer as I am. He is happy, but I am angry that they have rehired him instead of me. I am the better choice for design.

I decide to create a beautiful card to send to Nan, to push my skillset (she was new when I was laid-off, so we don’t know each other well). I travel all the way to Chicago, to Highland Park, to work on the art project at my friend Anne’s historic mansion next to Lake Michigan (Anne has a doctorate and is working on a fall art exhibit).

I putz in an old-fashioned, handmade way on the words of the card. No computer, yet some kind of virtual calligraphy. It’s time-consuming, but pleasing.

My dream observer sees Anne driving towards the house. Anne is shocked that I am there. She didn’t know I was coming. How did I get in the door? Because of her distraction, she swerves and almost hits a giant box. The box looks like a colorful, strong sculpture. She slams on the brakes of her SUV.

Then Anne enters her house. I don’t have any guilt for being there. I show her my art project. I’ve also brought a gift for her daughter, a yellow Wall Street Journal from the late 1800s. I call her Margaret, but her name is Madeleine. Anne is happy to see me, although both she and my dream observer are surprised by the way I show up at her house. Unannounced.

Day notes:

For months I have been discussing visiting Anne, but have made no plan as of yet. She just remodeled her beautiful guest room. I sent her an email with a photo of one of my clay projects, and she gave me good feedback.

Tuesday, June 6: I receive an email today from Anne that includes a photo of the birthday card I sent her in May.

I expect I will see Louis and other former coworkers soon at Rick’s funeral (June 22).

I have to design an invitation card for my father’s 90th birthday party. My brother’s partner Paige initially planned to make the card at Walmart, but I reminded her I am a designer and would like to be in charge.

I am designing a new clay project that will include a small book with handmade words. A woman near Lake Nokomis will fire my pieces.

The Dreamsters Union