Sometimes I think dreaming in general terms is a sign of a creative block–a block in disguise. There you are wondering what to do next, thinking: maybe more education? Maybe, I’ll apply for a large commission? Or curate a show? Or do a PhD? Or, or, or. I’ve heard artists talk like this. You see, none of these ambitions are bad per se, but they are all ways to go about realising something. There is something missing when we dream in general terms, when we dream our dreams are sweeping rather than granular. When we dream generally, we can have one eye on what our career, our creative path looks like on the outside. These general dreams can be shaped by what we might unconsciously think we ‘should’ be doing. By what we think our career should look like to other people.
There are no ‘shoulds’ in a creative career. There’s no obligation to achieve particular things. Being an artist is not about making sense to anyone else.
So, if you have what you need, and you don’t need to prove anything, what do you really dream? A dream that is really yours is usually recognisable because it’s quirky and embarrassing and convoluted. It might be a series of experiments. It’s probably going to be a journey into the unknown. If you’re embarrassed by a dream you have, you should totally do it!
When I work with artists, I love hearing those embarrassing dreams. The too big, too small, too weird or exposing or messy dreams. And then saying to an artist: yes, you should totally do that! And then working together to figure out the steps and practicalities. The timetable and the materials.
More importantly, when you make the weird work, you feel good! You grow in confidence. You build your audacity muscles. And it helps to dispel those ‘shoulds’, those obligations we’ve internalised from the outside. The general dreams.
Are your dreams making you feel a bit shit?