August 13, 2010

CHAPTER VII - 7.1 Personal Interviews.

7.1 Personal Interviews.

Brenda Ferrimani began her artistic work in the 1980’s as a graphic designer, operating her own design firm with clients throughout the state of Colorado, where she resides. During this time she also became known in the area for the historic murals she painted with private and public commissions, and for her work as President of the Berthoud Arts and Humanities Alliance, lending her support to other Colorado artists.


The Dream:
I am holding a silver tool and making circles that become worlds. My son sees the tool and what I can do. He says, ‘Mom, that’s cool! Can I use it?’ He takes the tool from my hand and leaves in my car.” - - Brenda Ferrimani Dream Journal.

On October 2006, I contact Brenda Ferrimani, by email, and asked her for a personal interview. Here is the interview questions/answers on the topic “Dreams and Creativity” with Brenda Ferrimani on 17th of October, 2006:


Cristina: “Who or what inspired you to use your dreams to create works of art?”
Brenda Ferrimani:There was a period in my life …"
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Cristina: “Was that the first time you displayed your dream art? (‘The Silver Tool’ and ‘Meeting the Inner Saboteur’)”


Brenda Ferrimani:No, in fact I began showing my Dream Art when …” (content protected)



Cristina: “Do you think that dreams are a great source of creativity? Why?” 

Brenda Ferrimani: Oh, most definitely! Creativity resides in the unconscious and …” 

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Cristina: “Do you think that dreams will affect someone's emotion and even influence a person's idea?” 
Brenda Ferrimani: I think it is sort of the other way …” 

(content protected)

Cristina: “Do you usually see actual finished works of art in your dreams and then draw/paint them in waking life, or do your start with a central image or theme and have it flow onto your canvas gathering details as it takes form?” 

Brenda Ferrimani:In my dream art …” 

(content protected)

Cristina: “How did you create ‘The Silver Tool’ and ‘Meeting the Inner Saboteur’ based on your dreams? How did your dreams play a role in the process of creativity?”

Brenda Ferrimani:In the dream …" (content protected)

Cristina: “Thank you very much for sharing your points of view and experiences here with us. Wish you all the best!”



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International Association for the Study of Dreams is a non-profit, international, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the pure and applied investigation of dreams and dreaming.
 

Cristina: “Dream does affect emotions, but what about our thought? If a dreamer doesn't remember his/her dream, will the images of dreams somehow press in his/her memory and then affect his/her way of thinking in waking life? Is that possible?”
 

IASD: “I'd say not only possible, but virtually certain. Reseachers have repeatedly shown that subliminal imagery - imagery that the recipient has no conscious awareness of - can profoundly effect behavior. Imagery from dreams not consciously recalled falls in the same "subliminal" category, and will have an effect either directly, or indirectly, through emotional affect. After all, how we feel has a large effect on what we think - ask anyone who has experienced depression.” (11th of November, 2006 - Discussion Board)


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The following is a translation of an interview dated in 17th of November, 2006, with a neurologist in Macao, Dr. Chan Pei Yuan
 

Cristina: “Do dreams affect our emotions? Why?”
Dr. Chan Pei Yuan: “Firstly, there are lots of reasons explain why we dream. Dreams are reflections of our daily life, so there is strong relationship between dream and reality. What we worry about will reflect in the dreams, and what we remember somehow stimulates our way of thinking. You asked ´Do dreams affect our emotion?´ It depends on each individual. For example, skeptics can usually separate dream from reality, so they don’t have so much affects on dreams. They are not even aware of the existence of dreams. Another example is people who live in poor country like in Africa. What they only care about is survival, so their dreams rarely reflect affections, psyche and consciousness. On the other hand, people who have religious belief may consider dream has meaning and they are more likely to be influenced by dreams. Dreams reflect their psyche. What they worry in daily life will lodge in the subconscious mind and it will reflect in the dreams.

Moreover, dream reminds us about our physical condition, especially when we are sick or in disorder condition. I have met patients who suffer heart attack always dream of somebody hit their upper part of the body and patient who suffer articulation problems always dream of unmovable situation."
 

Cristina: “Do dreams have meanings?”
Dr. Chan Pei Yuan: “Meaningful dreams are those in which have strong connections with our daily life. For example, if a politician dreamed of the development of Macao, and his dream might contain something that inspire him to think in a waking state. But when you dream of a rock mixed with a flower, it might not related to the waking life, so no meaning at all.” 
 

Cristina: “Is it true that creativity occur more easily in a relaxing state? What influences directly to human creative thinking?”
Dr. Chan Pei Yuan: “The more experience a person has, the more capacity of thinking he has. Also, lots of reasons influence a person’s creative thinking. But it very much related to the basic knowledge. For example, you can’t expect a shoemaker to invent a submarine. He has no basic knowledge of making a submarine. Also, the creative area is very much connected with the language area.”
 

Cristina: “Are dreams great sources for creativity?”
Dr. Chan Pei Yuan: “No. Dreams are part of our daily life and they are natural phenomena of our body. They aren’t necessary for creative thinking. You take an example of the inventors, they don’t need to rely on their dreams to invent. On the other hand, if a person dreams a lot, this person will be very tired. Because normally we don’t remember our dreams and this is healthy.”
 

Cristina: “Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge here with me.”

(to continue - 7.2 Questionnaires.)

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