Vision, Clarity and Decoding the Dream State

This is the second in a series of blogs and images that address the topic of "Time".  Again, Liz Madden-Zibman, is my guest contributor. (See her Bio below.)  And as mentioned in the last blog, Liz is an extremely talented creative writer; her commentary in this post underscores that talent.

Some background info:  for this edition, I sent Liz 9 different photos to inspire her thoughts and provide grist for the "pen" - or rather, "keyboard".  The 2 photos that most resonated with her are featured below.  They were captured at the end of day (when the sunlight is the best!) at the New Jersey coastline on Long Beach Island.  I used a technique that involves slowing down the camera shutter speed.  Without further ado...

Vision, Clarity and Decoding the Dream State - by Liz Madden-Zibman

Kate’s second array of photos in this blog reminds me that we may be leaving behind the idea of refuting clichés and instead exploring new territory. It seems Kate’s blue-sky arrangements might be treading into the dream state. Enigmatic and ephemeral, the shots remind me that time is more than a physical calculation. 

Waves

Granted, we can clock the number of hours in which we sleep. We can enumerate the amount of events that occur in the world while we sleep. In some ways time seems like a hive of numbers where we can even assess its 

value like a fixed number, something in the manner of the clichéd 8 hours sleep being a “good night’s rest”, equated with physical verve and mental awareness. 

Flight

Yet, it’s easy to ignore the phases of time that are nestled inside our dream state. Kate’s photos here seem to be a tribute to that dreaminess world where the mind drifts like striated clouds, meanders like flighty breezes, and washes like rushing waves. The photos themselves even has a post-dream reaction where after viewing them, there’s a sense of clarity, wakefulness, refreshment.



People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes.” 
― Neil Gaiman

To view more of my photography on Etsy click here:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/KateRyanFineArt

Liz Madden-Zibman writes imaginative tales and literary fiction, exploring themes of  hope, renewal and creativity. Her novel chapters, short stories and poetry are published in Shaking Lit: Best Prose 2007-2010, Transfer 37, The Kelsey Review, The Kennesaw Review, the U.S. 1 Newspaper Summer Fiction Issue, and most recently, Voices & Visions and La Pluma y La Tinta, New Voices Anthology. Liz has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor’s degree in English/Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She teaches research writing in the disciplines, at Rutgers University.  Contact her at: ezibman@gmail.com.  Check out her blog at:  http://danceoftime.blogspot.com/