Fever Dream

Have you ever experienced a fever dream? I have and they are fantastical, intense and usually more distressing than a regular dream. They can occur when we are sick and our body temperature is elevated. In a small 2013 study, one volunteer said their dreams would move “back and forth between a very difficult circumstance and a very comfortable circumstance.” (https://www.healthline.com/health/fever-dream#about). That comment seems to represent our waking state during the current pandemic.

This work was painted during, and inspired by, the COVID-19 pandemic. There are references to the passing of time and a sense that nothing is permanent. It also alludes to the passivity of our bodies despite the activity of our frenetic minds. Fever Dream, oil on canvas, 16 x 24 inches