Monday
Nov152010
From the Department of Unsubtle Unconscious
Monday, November 15, 2010 at 10:33AM
My subconscious clearly needed to work some issues out around creativity and pregnancy with last night's dream. Not much room for interpretation here. When I wrote it down, I had to shake my head at myself. I appreciate that my brain spelled out exactly my most frightening fear about becoming a mother in such an elegant scene. Thanks, brain!
In the dream, I'm a background actor portraying Georgia O'Keeffe on a film shoot in New York City. The movie is about the mafia or some other subject altogether; this is just a cameo.
In the scene, O'Keeffe has just arrived in New York and is dazzled not by the skyscrapers, but by the blank space between them. As Georgia, I take stunning photos of the sky with an antique camera, steeped with inspiration, and say pithy quotes that inspire the other famous artists with whom I'm walking.
The director wraps that scene, so I go back to the extras holding area, waiting in case I'm called to play another role. When I get there, I realize two things:
1) I didn't bring a change of clothing with me -- I only have clothes to play Georgia O'Keeffe, and
2) I'm visibly pregnant! I can't be Georgia O'Keeffe if I'm pregnant!
I approach the middle-aged extras wrangler and tell her my dilemma. Annoyed, she reprimands me for not bringing this to anyone's attention. I'm so embarrassed - why didn't I tell anyone? Why didn't anyone else notice? Now the footage is ruined and they'll have to reshoot the scene.
She finally looks at her clipboard and says, "It doesn't matter. We double-booked this role, so we can shoot it again later." She motions to the other actor on board to play Georgia O'Keeffe -- it's an old, hunched-over woman, a crone, in ragged clothing.
Edited 10:34 a.m.: I just looked at my calendar, and guess who was born today in 1887? Yes. Georgia O'Keeffe. I'm going to take this dream as a birthday visitation meant to reassure me that just because I'm not taking her exact path, I can still be a legendary artist.
And yes, I do write the birth dates of my favorite women artists and writers on my calendar. I like having them there amongst my friends' birthdays, too.
In the dream, I'm a background actor portraying Georgia O'Keeffe on a film shoot in New York City. The movie is about the mafia or some other subject altogether; this is just a cameo.
In the scene, O'Keeffe has just arrived in New York and is dazzled not by the skyscrapers, but by the blank space between them. As Georgia, I take stunning photos of the sky with an antique camera, steeped with inspiration, and say pithy quotes that inspire the other famous artists with whom I'm walking.
The director wraps that scene, so I go back to the extras holding area, waiting in case I'm called to play another role. When I get there, I realize two things:
1) I didn't bring a change of clothing with me -- I only have clothes to play Georgia O'Keeffe, and
2) I'm visibly pregnant! I can't be Georgia O'Keeffe if I'm pregnant!
I approach the middle-aged extras wrangler and tell her my dilemma. Annoyed, she reprimands me for not bringing this to anyone's attention. I'm so embarrassed - why didn't I tell anyone? Why didn't anyone else notice? Now the footage is ruined and they'll have to reshoot the scene.
She finally looks at her clipboard and says, "It doesn't matter. We double-booked this role, so we can shoot it again later." She motions to the other actor on board to play Georgia O'Keeffe -- it's an old, hunched-over woman, a crone, in ragged clothing.
Edited 10:34 a.m.: I just looked at my calendar, and guess who was born today in 1887? Yes. Georgia O'Keeffe. I'm going to take this dream as a birthday visitation meant to reassure me that just because I'm not taking her exact path, I can still be a legendary artist.
And yes, I do write the birth dates of my favorite women artists and writers on my calendar. I like having them there amongst my friends' birthdays, too.
Reader Comments (1)
Oh my goddess!! This is such a brilliant dream that you conjured! Yes of course she came to visit you. So interesting I feel very connected to Georgia O'Keefe myself because she got started so late in life as an artist. I just love it and so happy I saw your FB post.!! xoxo Wendy
PS. Do you realize that it is exactly 2 years since we met in person? Two years ago today I had my mastermind with Joe Vitale in his Rolls Royce and the next day we had breakfast! So perfect that I saw your note!