Dreamworks and The Symbolism of Birds
I think it's fair to say that I have become known for my countless paintings of birds, why?
If I look at most of my paintings over the last few years they almost all feature birds. Do you remember in lockdown in 2020 how we, if we were fortunate to be able to, spent such a lot of time noticing birds in our gardens and parks, the drop in traffic noise, the stillness rarified by fear amplifying their song?
During that time I was struck by the activity in the garden of the birds and I began to paint them, almost sanctifying their presence by placing them against imaginary stained glass windows. They started to become symbolic of freedom and adaptability to me. There seemed nothing freer than a bird, able to go wherever it desired, able to adapt to the buffeting of winds and forces of nature.
Two oil paintings made by myself during lockdown 30 x 30cm
What was the freedom I craved?
at first it was definitely a ‘freedom from…’ away from the city, the griminess of urban decay, away from domestic duty, peace from interruptions of children, family, spouse, responsibility, obligation,time constraints and room for spacious thinking time and epic landscapes.
then I seemed to move on and the symbol came to stand for ‘freedom to…’ a feeling of wanting to run for the hills, to the wild open spaces of Wales, to the mountain tops and valleys, to quiet contemplative woodlands with ancient trees where I could feel rooted and amongst the ancients.
eventually, as I worked through these challenges I realised that the freedom lay in my head all along, I didn’t need to do a geographical relocation, because I learned to manage a work life balance and prioritise those activities (and non-activities) that kept me sane. I can go into those another time but as I realised who I really was, the shift came and the symbol stood instead for ‘transcendent thinking.’ The understanding of who I am, what I am and what I am here for became my work and fulfilled many of the needs I thought I had. The hills, wide open spaces, mountains and valleys, places of contemplation and rootedness were all within.
Jung and Symbolism
Along the way I started to become interested in the work of C.G. Jung, the father of psychoanalysis (after Freud with whom I would have a difficult relationship!). Jung was particularly interested in dreams and symbols developing a process he termed active imagination.
Jung’s ideas fed into psychotherapy, art therapy, dance and music therapy all part of the panoply of psychological release available today. All the time the idea, for him, was to allow us to get in touch with our true self and find the senses of purpose that we all need.
Jung himself was a mystic. He filled sketchbook after sketchbook with notes and drawings which he called the Black Books, which were eventually consolodated into the most beautiful work The Red Book, or Liber Novus which he stipulated should not be published until after his death. It is filled with astonishingly beautiful symbolic watercolours. Jung was a mystic but he kept it hidden from the scientific world for fear of being discredited in his field of psychoanalysis.
Jung also became fascinated by alchemy as a symbolic representation of individuation, the process of synthesis of the Self which consists mainly of the union of the unconscious and the consciousness. He said:
"Only after I had familiarised myself with alchemy did I realise that the unconscious is a process, and that the psyche is transformed or developed by the relationship of the ego to the contents of the unconscious".
Jung, C.G. (1989),Memories, Dreams, Reflections Vintage
Jung and Active Imagination
Jung developed a method of assimilation of unconscious contents through their experimentation as fantasies in the wakeful state which he termed ‘active imagination’. This can be used in or out of the therapeutic environment as a journey of possible self discovery on the path to individuation or self-realisation. I have played with this approach myself through recording my dreams, which are often of birds, and making more resolved work from the dream-sketches:
Meta Thinking / Transcendent Thinking
This work has lead to further thought, for me, about the idea of being metahuman. To be metahuman means to move past the limitations constructed by the mind and enter a new state of awareness where we have deliberate and concrete access to peak experiences that can transform our lives from the inside out. I would count drawing, meditation and walking in nature as being peak experiences. Athletes and musicians often experience this state when performing particularly well. You might call it ‘being in the zone.’
Waking up, we learn, isn’t just about mindfulness or meditation. Waking up, to become metahuman, is to expand our consciousness in all that we think, say, and do. By going beyond, we liberate ourselves from old conditioning and all the mental constructs that underlie anxiety, tension, and ego-driven demands. Useful insight on this is Deepak Chopra’s ‘Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential’ much of which draws from ideas from the Upanishads and Vedanta teachings of ancient India.
This I would say could be called transcendent thinking where transcendent doesn’t mean going above, but more working alongside from a different perspective.
The combination of meta thinking, ideas of alchemy and symbolism have resulted in some interesting and helpful personal development. Combining this with study of Sanskrit texts such as The Upanishads, The Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita has made for an enlightening journey. Long may it continue!!!
… and the birds continue… more paintings
At a recent three person exhibition, ‘Sprezzatura’ with Julia Burns and Rachel Magdeburg, I was able to show some of the paintings resulting from these dreams and imaginations. They are all available to see here (they are at a very good price for a VERY limited time - let me know if you would like to purchase) but here are a few:
I have put the prices of these paintings here and there are more on the link page too - I unashamedly am selling these for funds for next year’s PhD fees and my travel related to drawing and painting in my beloved Campervan - a place for spacious thinking. Let me know if you would like to purchase. Postage is extra, at cost, and the work will be sent in a strong tube for you to choose a frame. Get a bargain whilst it lasts because through a gallery …. well, you know …..
I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of my process. Consider paying to be a founding member here to support my work - just out of sheer altruism! Just around £40 at the moment.
Love the echo of Hilma af Klint's work in the swan piece. I sit at my desk and watch the birds feeding all day long while I write. The hummingbirds fight with each other over the food - they're so territorial - and the tiny birds have to wait their turn when the blue jays rock up. There is such freedom in their short lives. I envy your dreams! Mine are anxiety fests filled with aliens and my dead parents turning up to ask me if I miss them. I wouldn't want to paint my dreams - I'd scare everyone. When I'm working completely in harmony with nature, whether I'm gardening or painting outside, that's when I feel transcendental - like I've stepped outside of myself and I can let go of my internal thoughts and just accept being part of a greater whole. A lovely read.
So beautiful and so interesting, thank you for sharing. I’ll save this to read over and over 😁🙌