Lately I have been working rather diligently on experiencing lucid dreams; doing this so that I may better discern my unconscious mind. An although my dreams have been extravagant , I have as of yet, had only two lucid dreams. Last evening being the second.
It seemed a short dream , which was a pity as it was set in the Palace of Versailles (a place I have not had the chance to visit and which I fear I may never actually visit). In this dream I have the ghost of Louis XVI on my back and he is directing me from his suite to the ground floor. He is doing so through some sort of night goggles, the images are sepia toned, and I soon realize I am having a lucid dream . From my knowledge of the palace, I begin to direct myself downward, it is dawn, barely lit and we are all alone. But as we descend to what I know will be the grand staircase it all evaporates as thoroughly as the Ancien Regime itself.
This charcoal sketch is my accounting of the dream and aside from my commedia dell’ arte costume which is how I often designate myself in drawings, it pretty accurately captures the mood of the dream.
2016
charcoal, pastel and a bit of collage on charcoal paper
12 by 18″
As I mentioned, I have been having many other vivid dreams as well, and this image Out on a Limb was inspired by two recurring dreams, none of which were lucid, but which still moved me deeply. In one series of dreams I am consistently losing my right hand ( my working hand) which of course is quite disturbing . In another I am in a snowy metropolitan area, high above mankind, as I looked down I see the most pitiful bat-bird like creatures slowly freezing to death. No matter how much I alert others to their plight and no matter how I try to disentangle them from the ice, I cannot save them. The dream left me breathless and despondent. I tried to capture that sense in this graphite drawing.
Out on a Limb
2016
graphite and colored pencil on charcoal paper
19 by 25″
That said, I will close with the good old boy himself, have a great week.
Boondocks Babylon 
Thank you for sharing your dreams Leonard, your drawings and paintings are the most wonderful expressions of what you describe here and they are always so convincing in themselves as you manage to really stay true to your vision. It’s very inspiring, and it gives your work it’s unique quality, like Leonira Carrington’s paintings, your images are their own world, and I love exploring that world in the paintings you share 😊
You know Phil, you are really just too incredibly supportive. Thank you so very much. Given I admire your work so much, your praise means a lot to me. Comparing my work to the divine Carrington sends me heavenward. Thank you friend!
You’re so welcome Leonard, I’m such a big fan! 😊