tag:robingalante.com,2005:/blogs/news-and-ramblings?p=3News and Ramblings... 2019-08-06T11:33:48-07:00Robin Galantefalsetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/62145222020-02-13T15:56:35-08:002020-02-13T15:56:36-08:00Interview with Smash Pages<p>I was interviewed by Smash Pages, a comic blog, about my San Francisco portraits, work with Nocturne, dream drawings and more! </p>
<p><a contents="Read the interview here!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smashpages.net/2020/02/13/smash-pages-qa-robin-galante/">Read the interview here!</a> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smashpages.net/2020/02/13/smash-pages-qa-robin-galante/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/b834a230c40c07513516d58f879430166e55b9f5/original/home-by-the-beach.jpeg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpeg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a></p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/60564412020-01-02T10:09:12-08:002020-09-08T11:23:31-07:00The Richmond Review<p>Hello all! </p>
<p>I am so honored to be featured on the front page of the Richmond Review this month! Gui Oliveira interviewed me a few months back and wrote a beautiful piece about my work and how I became inspired to paint portraits of the Richmond District, my beloved San Francisco neighborhood. Read the piece here: <a contents="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2019/12/31/capturing-the-richmond-in-watercolors/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2019/12/31/capturing-the-richmond-in-watercolors/" target="_blank">https://sfrichmondreview.com/2019/12/31/capturing-the-richmond-in-watercolors/</a></p>
<p>Happy New Year! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/b98ec3bf7615feae4b68fb77c1022a68cd4a44ae/original/richmond-review-1.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
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<p> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/59443452019-10-30T14:25:02-07:002021-07-17T18:45:40-07:00Published: "Exploring Little Russia, Past & Present" <p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thebolditalic.com/exploring-little-russia-past-and-present-9070dc2a4632"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/75dfba0d6c9e51a43d3de1efecc25d01ba482c07/original/joy-of-all-who-sorrow-sm.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a></p>
<p>Hello! </p>
<p>I just finished a second illustrated story for the Bold Italic. This one is all about an oft-overlooked corner of the city - and some personal history too. </p>
<p><a contents="Read it here.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thebolditalic.com/exploring-little-russia-past-and-present-9070dc2a4632">Read it here. </a></p>
<p>So much fun, I love doing these! Hope you are safe and untouched by the many fires raging in CA. </p>
<p>Till next time, </p>
<p>Robin </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/58818592019-09-05T11:40:42-07:002019-09-05T11:40:42-07:00Published in The Bold Italic<p>Hello everyone! </p>
<p>I was asked by the editors at The Bold Italic to write a piece featuring my artwork. I had no idea what to write about... my first draft was meandering, to say the least. My editor asked some questions in the margins, and got me to re-think what I want to say. The result is this: a story about me, about my neighborhood, about living and working in a changing city. </p>
<p><a contents="Read the article here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thebolditalic.com/to-balboa-street-with-love-cb3050258761?source=friends_link&sk=ac491a64e7699b436bae428f2b47e464">Read the article here</a>. Enjoy! </p>
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<p> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/58493172019-08-06T11:33:48-07:002019-08-06T11:35:32-07:00Greeting Cards for Sale! <p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/740c2beee5697ec6277fcc84a72c8527b695d3e3/original/bazaar-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>
<p>Hello friends, </p>
<p>As you know, I'm a big fan of Bazaar Cafe, one of the sweetest cafes in my neighborhood. I feel very lucky to have my greeting cards on their shelves. Today, I stopped by and found that all my cards were SOLD OUT (yay!). So I brought some new ones in, including brand new "4-Star Theatre" greetings. </p>
<p>Support a local artist and one of the best local businesses in the city and go buy some for your friends! Only $5 a pop, perfect for birthdays, thank-yous, condolences and "just because". </p>
<p>Look on the shelf under the noses... </p>
<p>Or, if you don't live nearby, you can <a contents="purchase them here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/robingalante/shop/recent+greeting-cards?ref=sort_order_change_recent&asc=u">purchase them here</a> and have them delivered to your door. </p>
<p>~ Robin </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/58430592019-07-31T11:06:28-07:002019-07-31T11:06:28-07:00Newsletter Feature! <p><em>"You can keep up with everything coming from Galante's prolific imagination via social media, proof that there's still delight to be found in the oft-fraught platforms.”</em></p>
<p>I'm a little bit famous! </p>
<p>A friend of Vanessa Lowe (producer of Nocturne) sent her an email the other day. It was an industry newsletter called "Inside Podcasting." It turns out that they featured me and my artwork (including my work with Nocturne, my neighborhood portraits and my dream drawings) in the latest issue. I had no idea! It feels so good to be recognized for something that I truly love to do. </p>
<p><a contents="Here's the blurb.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://inside.com/campaigns/inside-podcasting-16276/sections/follow-friday-robin-galante-128546?fbclid=IwAR3_kD9zaq49f2fFOyMno-yttnMHHn71v9jflHniF-k2NfYY0aFfiD2w-CM" target="_blank">Here's the blurb. </a></p>
<p>Yay! :-) </p>
<p> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/56001042019-01-17T09:51:48-08:002022-04-12T04:45:58-07:00The Richmond District<p>When I first came to San Francisco for college, my roommate insisted on bringing me to a little cafe in the Richmond District called Simple Pleasures. "You have to try their raspberry rings!" she said. I had never been to this part of town. As we drove past the ocean and turned up Balboa Street, I was enchanted by the neighborhood, with its colorful houses and apartment buildings blocks away from the crashing surf. We were enveloped in fog, and fog horns sang in the distance.</p>
<p>We passed by a little bait and tackle shop surrounded by colorful apartment buildings. Gus' has been here for over 60 years and it's filled with - you guessed it - bait and tackle, but also an ever-changing and oddly enchanting assortment of other items. Once I walked into a collection of china fit for an English tea party. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/c63aa2f1c1d772b067b596c629bd9e59b8519fb0/original/gus-tackle-shop.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>And then we passed a strip of local shops, including Crown Hardware and the neighborhood watering hole, the Hockey Haven, a great place to play pool and watch whatever game is on. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/6b7f13516870e197eaa4d98da87521e0303add49/original/balboa-street-crown-copy.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Once we reached the cafe itself, were greeted by murals on the walls, overstuffed couches, and people of all ages crowded around the large tables in front working on puzzles, reading the newspaper, playing chess. The air inside was warm and smelled like pastries and lasagna. I didn't want to leave, and I still haven't left - it's been my hangout for close to 20 years. </p>
<p>A few years after I graduated. I moved to the Richmond District and haven't looked back. It's like a small town here, with a little grocery store, amazing bakeries, and of course the Balboa Theater, which has great deals on matinees and the best popcorn in the city (IMO). </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/be5708602cec341c537b431bada9ea5f84791e40/original/balboa-theater-sm.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I discovered Geary Blvd on my walks from my apartment. It was like another world, if that other world were, say, Russia. Russian bakeries, Russian markets, Russian shops, and Russian Orthodox churches, all nestled between hardware stores, mattress outlets and pharmacies. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/75dfba0d6c9e51a43d3de1efecc25d01ba482c07/original/joy-of-all-who-sorrow-sm.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Some people don't like the outer avenues, complaining that it's too foggy, too far from downtown. Some people even call it "the suburbs". But for me it's perfect. On one side I have shops and restaurants; on the other, I have a forest of trees by the ocean. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/0f319a3ac310aff8b850fc4f4570a963bb4b47f4/original/fog-forest.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I can't imagine living anywhere else. </p>
<p> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/48243592017-08-24T11:16:00-07:002017-08-24T11:37:40-07:00The Magic of Nocturne: a podcast about the night.<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/3300a45f33d2a810918c113dcdc49a69e5e2d17e/medium/look-up.jpeg?1465342546" class="size_m justify_left border_" />The podcast <a contents="Nocturne" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">Nocturne</span></a><span style="color:#2980b9;"> </span>has been getting a lot of attention lately - and it's well-deserved. In <a contents="The New Yorker" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.newyorker.com/culture/podcast-dept/nocturne-the-podcast-that-explores-the-night" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">The New Yorker,</span></a> Sarah Larson writes a lengthy backstory about producer <a contents="Vanessa Lowe" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.knitwisemedia.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">Vanessa Lowe</span></a><span style="color:#2980b9;"> </span>and describes the podcast as having "a nocturnal mood, atmospheric and occasionally mysterious, that feels just right between the hours of eleven and deepest dark." <a contents="iTunes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-31-shortboard/id951238847?i=1000390869166&mt=2" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">iTunes</span></a> featured Nocturne on its Podcast page this week as well. </p>
<p>I met Vanessa in 2014, when she reached out and asked if I could create the logo and later, <a contents="artwork for each Nocturne episode" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://robingalante.com/galleries/220186/nocturne-series" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">artwork for each Nocturne episode</span></a>. When I heard the podcast for the first time I was blown away by the production: a range of inspiring, sometimes creepy, stories about the night against a backdrop of well-chosen sound effects and music that evoke the shifting moods of nighttime. Vanessa's voice is perfect for this kind of storytelling, soothing and honest.</p>
<p>Below are some of my favorite episodes. So lie back, put on your headphones, and get transported by one of the most beautiful, haunting podcasts out there. If you're like me, you'll get hooked. </p>
<p><strong>1. <a contents='"Shortboard" ' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-31-shortboard/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">Shortboard</span></a><span style="color:#2980b9;">:</span></strong> Surfer Matthew Bryce finds himself lost at sea. </p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> <a contents="A Catalogue of Nights:" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-30-catalogue-nights/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;"><strong>A Catalogue of Nights:</strong></span></a> Vanessa Lowe leaves home for 6 months - this is what she heard, around the world. </p>
<p><strong>3. <a contents="Moon Shadow" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-26-moon-shadow/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">Moon Shadow</span></a><span style="color:#2980b9;">:</span></strong> A lunar eclipse brings out a different side of the moon - and of us. </p>
<p><strong>4. <a contents="3am:" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-29-3am/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">3am:</span></a><span style="color:#2980b9;"> </span></strong>Stories about how, in the middle of the night, our minds wander to dark places.</p>
<p><strong>5. <a contents="Look Up!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-18-look/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2980b9;">Look Up!</span></a></strong><span style="color:#2980b9;"> </span>We're usually doing the opposite - looking down at our phones. Paul Salazar discusses the importance of looking at the night sky. </p>
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<p> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/46576212017-04-04T10:45:34-07:002017-04-04T11:08:44-07:00Story Time: Opening for Gaelynn Lea, and some fun history... Hey! <br><br>When local music promoter and friend <a contents="KC Turner " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kcturnerpresents.com" target="_blank">KC Turner </a>invited Eric and I to open for <a contents="Gaelynn Lea" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://violinscratches.com" target="_blank">Gaelynn Lea</a> at Doc's Lab here in San Francisco, we were thrilled.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/46e6a18a366f954164d12d12b9b4e440dd767b4c/small/17757511-10154319743386937-5791748894669024824-n.jpg?1491329076" class="size_s justify_center border_" />We fell in love with her music when she won NPR's Tiny Desk Contest last year. She plays the violin like a cello and uses a looping pedal to create gorgeous melodies that support her thoughtful, often inspiring lyrics. He thought our music would go well with hers, which is the highest compliment. <br><br>The show was at Doc's Lab here in San Francisco, which used to be The Purple Onion. Tons of famous folks performed (and even launched their careers) here back in the day, including the Smothers Brothers, Robin Williams, Phyllis Diller, The Kingston Trio, Maya Angelou, Richard Pryor, and Woody Allen. The Purple Onion was the first "big" place I ever played. It's literally an underground venue, tucked beneath a bustling stretch of Columbus Avenue in the shadow of the Transamerica Pyramid.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/e6db3f4126e6a96a5df655f7afdcee1b36838151/small/546337.jpg?1491328880" class="size_s justify_center border_" />I still remember the first time I descended the stairs (more on those in a moment), put my guitar down, and looked up to see an intimate yet spacious room with red brick walls, a full bar, and tables with white tablecloths. When I got up on stage, the lights (that changed color with the mood of each song) and the flicker of candlelight illuminating strangers' faces in the audience made me feel like I was famous. <br><br>I played there a lot, usually as part of songwriter showcases with friends as well as local folks I hadn't heard before. The host of these shows was a magician/comedian named Greg (can't remember his last name) who has since moved to the East Coast. Before each show, we would stand on the sidewalk and pass out handmade flyers to tourists and folks who had just gotten off work in the Financial District, imploring them to come down for a "An Evening of Music, Magic Tricks, and Comedy". <br><br>One fateful night, I walked down the steep, dark staircase right before it was my turn to perform, and I missed a step. It wasn't a quick fall; it was a slow-motion, awkward sort of crumple and I landed in a heap on the floor. Everyone turned around and I was mortified. To make things even more fun, I spontaneously decided to play piano on one of my songs, which would have worked out fine had I known how to play piano. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/d42d318207cc42a017846381494fc9a5f0979ae0/medium/17629942-10212733714085811-4175516794997478154-n.jpg?1491328949" class="size_m justify_right border_" />So, returning to 2017: Doc's Lab is sleek and modern compared to the old Purple Onion. I kind of miss the warmth and kooky vibe of the old space but there are some good changes. The stage was moved, which is great. The old stage was a bit awkward, as the audience surrounded you on 3 sides and you faced the main entrance head-on, which was super distracting as the door was constantly opening and closing. The new stage is also much larger, with plenty of room to move around and put all your gear. They also added an elevator, a green room, and a nice restaurant upstairs. The food is fantastic (try the gnocci!) and the cocktails are tasty. <br><br>After soundcheck, all of us talked for a while before the show. Not only is Gaelynn an amazing musician, she's also really fun to hang out with. Her and I have a lot in common: we both started playing at the ripe old age of 27, we love shiny things, we like to joke around on stage, and we write songs about birds. Any nerves I had (after not playing in front of an audience for a YEAR, yikes) disappeared and became pure excitement and joy - this was gonna be a FUN show. <br><br>It felt so good to play and rekindled my love of performing, something I had briefly set aside in favor of more <a contents="introverted pursuits" data-link-label="Art" data-link-type="page" href="/art" target="_blank">introverted pursuits</a>. And it was wonderful to sit in the audience after our set and listen to such an incredible performer. I'm still high from it all. <br><br>We have <a contents="another show" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.reverbnation.com/show/20104173?utm_campaign=HTML5_ShowSchedule_Widget_Details&utm_content=show_details_link&utm_medium=widget" target="_blank">another show</a> on May 13th at Bazaar Cafe with <a contents="Liz Ryder" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.lizrydermusic.com/" target="_blank">Liz Ryder</a>, which is a coincidence - Liz opened for Gaelynn the night before we did. Liz is incredible, one of our favorite songwriters.<p>Come see us and say hi!! Show starts at 7pm sharp. </p>Art, music, love, and new friends - life really doesn't get any better. :-) <br><br>Check out Gaelynn's music and bio here: <a contents="https://violinscratches.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://violinscratches.com/" target="_blank">https://violinscratches.com/</a><br><br><br><br><br> Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/42184092016-06-07T16:31:44-07:002022-05-21T03:32:42-07:00"Emily & The Magical Library"Great news! The children's book I illustrated, "Emily & The Magical Library" by Paul Rest is now available for purchase. The copies are spiral-bound, signed and numbered by the author. <a contents="Click here to order a limited edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:paulfrederickrest@gmail.com" target="_blank">Click here to order a limited edition</a>! <br><br>In the meantime, here are some snapshots from the book, which includes over 40 full-page watercolor illustrations. This was a labor of love and I'm thrilled to have been a part of such a beautiful book. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/69c58f218991d0a2045507fa215f93d78f91102e/large/screen-shot-2016-06-07-at-3-11-29-pm.png?1465342227" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/2f9f0cd5c0d805aa9840d6a050ede34a570882c0/original/screen-shot-2016-06-07-at-3-10-00-pm.png?1465342237" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/40807072016-03-09T14:17:49-08:002019-02-01T08:59:08-08:00House Dreams, Part 2<p>As I've described <a contents="before" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://robingalante.com/news/blog/illustrating-dreams-the-beginning" target="_blank">before</a>, I have a recurring dream about a house. The house has stayed pretty much the same for 15 years, although there have been variations. It's located in a strange, barren neighborhood with other similar homes. The house feels like a step back - I always sense that I lived there in the past, and in the dream I usually make the decision to move back. The house feels familiar and "safe", but also like giving up. <br><br>After having the dream again, I decided to try and illustrate the neighborhood. It turned out well, and this is pretty much what it looks like. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/4a779119b0036364b619fe84c9e9fed70339a245/original/the-neighborhood.jpg?0" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/39681162015-12-28T10:10:06-08:002015-12-29T16:05:18-08:00Interview with Yorokobu Magazine<p>Hello! <br><br>I was interviewed by <a contents="Yorokobu Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.yorokobu.es/una-artista-ilustra-los-suenos-como-los-recuerda/" target="_blank">Yorokobu Magazine</a>, about my dream drawings and my music. I'm am very honored they contacted me and it's a gorgeous website. They release a printed publication once a month. It is in Spanish. Maybe I'll be famous in Spain! <br><br>Here it is: <br><br><a contents="http://www.yorokobu.es/una-artista-ilustra-los-suenos-como-los-recuerda/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.yorokobu.es/una-artista-ilustra-los-suenos-como-los-recuerda/" target="_blank">http://www.yorokobu.es/una-artista-ilustra-los-suenos-como-los-recuerda/</a><br> </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/39681152015-12-28T10:06:20-08:002017-01-13T16:11:39-08:00"Nightbirds" <p>I'm proud to share this collaboration between myself, songwriter Mike Rufo and videographer Glen Kinion. Song by Mike, artwork by myself, and video magic by Glen.<br><br>Enjoy! <a contents="https://youtu.be/4LtTga6FY9w" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/4LtTga6FY9w" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/4LtTga6FY9w</a><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/4LtTga6FY9w" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/08002029eeac67308b8ac8a51519a8f2598759cb/original/screen-shot-2015-12-28-at-9-31-52-am.png?1451324160" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/36959952015-05-06T10:49:53-07:002017-01-13T16:11:39-08:00We're on the radio!Hey everyone!<br><br>... Well, the new version of radio. Eric and I were interviewed for the latest episode of the Nocturne podcast, <a contents='"(This is Not A) Love Song"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-6-this-is-not-a-love-song/" target="_blank">"(This is Not A) Love Song"</a>. It was a lot of fun and the episode is, like all their episodes, intriguing and multi-layered. <br><br>Nocturne is steadily climbing the iTunes charts - as of today, it's #24 in the "Society & Culture" Top Podcasts category (kind of a big deal - sharing space with This American Life, Hearing Voices, Freakonomics and others). I'm still illustrating each episode, and the artwork for Episode 6 is below.<br><br><a contents="Click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/nocturne/id951238847?mt=2" target="_blank">Click here</a> to view Nocturne in iTunes and subscribe! <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/75f46ce8a3f58d855bc55a335a985e86a9fc2360/original/not-a-love-song.jpeg?1430934256" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/34890772015-01-27T10:19:58-08:002019-05-30T00:31:49-07:00Nocturne Podcast: Art and sound, together. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/158446a30d134a2f483fef7fcbacb0a0ba707c1d/small/nocturne-baker-2-150x150.jpeg?1422381645" class="size_s justify_left border_" />I've always been a night person. As you've probably seen, I am a huge fan of dreaming and love to <a contents="illustrate my dreams" data-link-label="Dreams: Illustrated" data-link-type="page" href="/dreams-illustrated" target="_blank">illustrate my dreams</a> as a way to remember and understand them. Sometimes I find myself awake in the wee hours of the morning. It can be a time of wonder, of solitude, and of quiet creativity. And other times, <a contents="it's not" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://robingalante.com/blog/blog/3am" target="_blank">it's not</a>. <br><br>A few months back, songwriter/podcast producer Vanessa Lowe asked me to design a logo for her new podcast, <a contents="Nocturne" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/" target="_blank">Nocturne</a>, a beautiful collection of stories about the night. Now, we are embarking on a new and unique collaboration. For each episode of Nocturne, I create an illustration. I listen to the episode (often over and over again) as I work, and weave in the images that I see in my mind's eye as I listen. It's a wonderful project, very inspiring and a new way for me to work. <br><br>If, like me, you're a fan of <a contents="This American Life" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank">This American Life</a>, <a contents="Radiolab" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.radiolab.org/" target="_blank">Radiolab</a>, Invisibilia, Snap Judgement et al, give Nocturne a listen. Nocturne is a beautiful work of art in and of itself. Below are the illustrations and audio (click on the title) for the first 4 episodes.<br><br>And the other cool thing? My husband Eric designed their <a contents="website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/" target="_blank">website</a>. :-) Enjoy! <br><br><strong><span style="color:#0000CD;"><a contents='"Welcome to the Night"- Episode 0:' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/welcome-to-the-night/" target="_blank">"Welcome to the Night"- Episode 0:</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/83198015478fff49a81c0498c25fb50d52ca36c4/original/nocturne-ep-00-intro.jpeg?1422381707" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><a contents='Episode 01 - "Night Owls"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/episode-1-night-owls/" target="_blank">Episode 01 - "Night Owls"</a>:<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/36b48b6e9d9b3c96b208e99ffc1d5dfb23906a6e/original/nocturne-night-owls-ep-1-sq.jpeg?1422382082" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><a contents='Episode 02 - "Portal":' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-2-portal/" target="_blank">Episode 02 - "Portal":</a> <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/47efd8392023f0f866389218a4ccb03b8a39153f/original/portal-ep-2.jpeg?1422382132" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><a contents='Episode 3: "What the Baker Saw":' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-3-what-the-baker-saw/" target="_blank">Episode 3: "What the Baker Saw":<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a6bb384a2deade7bc1b4af93b61db969f7fc70e0/original/nocturne-ep-3-baker.jpeg?1422382123" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></span></strong><br> Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/30925422014-07-22T17:53:31-07:002021-07-31T04:46:57-07:00VIDEO: Live Performance at the Monkey House Theater Hello! <br><br>So this past Saturday, we had a super fun show at the Monkey House Theater in Berkeley, CA. It's a wonderful, intimate venue with great sound and an awesome audience. Owner Ira Marlowe was kind enough to shoot a video of our set. <br><br><a contents="Click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvWI0PuZzZpUDC-F_pkA3-XIIDGYsIO4_" target="_blank">Click here</a> to watch selected songs from our performance, as well as see the whole set if you are bored at work and don't mind a little banter (you can always fast-forward through the tuning and talking, right?).<br><br>I know I haven't been on here much - pretty busy with a range of projects (including illustrating a children's book and a short story for a local author - YAY!). Stay tuned for more news and check out our Shows page, we're playing a bunch of gigs in the next month. <br><br>Enjoy your summer! <br><br>Robin Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/30813152014-07-16T17:27:23-07:002017-01-13T16:11:39-08:00ArtifactsThe other day, my mind did its usual wandering (yeah, while I was working - sshhhh), and I found myself imagining a post-apocalyptic world where humans were gone, and all of the things we valued so much had been left behind. This world also included strange animals that grew lightbulbs out of their heads. <br><br>And then I went back to work. But not before drawing several scenes from this strange time and place: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/70dad5834643ddc1721e9780a717bd2a0b310749/large/artifacts-iii-small.jpeg?1405556717" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/80cb6a457f7191d9ad9f7daf3f8f3bed307eac31/original/artifacts-ii-small.jpeg?1405556715" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/57652ac86b9e4a00470b53498d0db63167ab22cf/original/artifacts-i-small.jpeg?1405556711" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/28391952014-04-02T12:30:14-07:002021-08-13T03:20:51-07:00Cherry Blossoms and Paper AirplanesUsually, my dream drawings are a mashup of all the dreams I remember after a given night. Sometimes these drawings have as many as 4 separate dreams in them. <br><br>The other night, all I could remember when I woke up is a snippet of a dream, where I was gazing up at the sky and the sky was filled with cherry blossoms and paper airplanes. The image stuck with me throughout the morning, and I decided to capture this moment in an illustration.<br><br>This picture is my simplest dream drawing and it showed me that I don't have to remember much to come out with something interesting. <br>Cherry blossoms and paper airplanes is a wonderful combination, and not one I would have thought of consciously. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/e63f77763a38ca209a75d6f4f7aab38d08affa90/original/cherry-blossoms-airplanes-n.jpg?1396466964" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/26237822014-02-21T12:54:59-08:002017-01-13T16:11:39-08:00That's a...what??... <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934618758191/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/4baee7186c7ac8628f56d214053eb6ff9505da98/medium/columba.jpg?1393016332" class="size_m justify_left border_thin" alt="" /></a>Have you ever had a dream where you are in the middle of, say, a zoo, but you know that it's actually your house? Okay, maybe not a zoo. It could be a supermarket, an ice-skating rink, or perhaps it's a house. Wherever it is, it surely doesn't look anything like your home. Despite all appearances, though, this place feels very familiar. <br><br>Things in dreams are often not what they are in real life. (That sentence sounds so lame, but I'm not sure how else to put it). <br><br><br><br><br>Like, in one dream, I was shopping for brakes for my scooter. This is what they looked like: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/652138234804496/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/b3090fe3c88ff03532e5cf0f5c75ea7dc5545f25/medium/scooter-brakes.jpg?1393015413" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>That thing that my brain made into a brake does in fact exist. It's one of those pencil holders that used to be popular when I was in school. Go figure. <br><br>And in another dream involving lots of creepy military jets, I saw a drone: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/727224180629234/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/5944dc6d458534d8b947dd595e7721b699fc4241/medium/drone.jpg?1393015633" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>The keypad (?) was on the side and there was a single wing. Of course. <br><br>One of my favorite dream-inventions was this desk that you could carry with you like a briefcase. <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/727682073916778/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/ddd3357f77b94a8ff13c188e74dfbf1c8186c2a5/medium/desk.jpg?1393015770" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/727682073916778/?type=3&theater" /></a><br>The only problem with the desk is that it was HUGE and had to be carried flat, like a pizza, or else it would get disorganized. I wonder if the desk represents my work life - pretty cool, I like it, but making sure that everything goes smoothly is sometimes a heavy burden. It's fun to think about the symbols in our dreams.<br><br>What are some weird objects you've seen in your dreams?Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/26099892014-02-19T14:40:11-08:002023-10-16T07:46:27-07:00Animals in Dreams, Part I<p><a contents="" data-link-label="rabbits-n.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/126728/rabbits-n.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/f29f3204d001f7c267ae9dc50b9732e37538fc65/medium/rabbits-n.jpg?1392858766" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>When an animal comes to you in a dream, what does it mean? Some people say they are spirit guides, some say they are symbols, some say an animal in a dream is, well, just an animal. <br><br>I have many animals in my dreams. I think that this is, at least in part, due to the fact that I absolutely love animals and I think of them often. When I encounter an animal in a dream, I often wonder what he or she is trying to tell me. <br><br>This is one of my favorite dream characters of all-time: The Indestructible Bird. I had this dream when I was going through a particularly difficult time in my life. I did not feel strong at the time, I felt very vulnerable and fearful. But, this bird was the bravest, coolest character ever - and I felt like it was, maybe (hopefully), a symbol of my resilience despite what was going on. <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="427680-10200279861627283-1956244687-n.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/126734/427680-10200279861627283-1956244687-n.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/25917a30e476e5ca2e31aa9f651cdec29765ee64/medium/photo-1.jpg?1392848560" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>Sometimes, I get visits from animal-friends I know in real life. This is Cooter, a sweet Great Dane that hangs out at my local cafe: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="207693-10200274995265627-921635353-n.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/126735/207693-10200274995265627-921635353-n.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/f45b3e51eacb36aeca5322c476d93313adcf19e6/medium/photo-2.jpg?1392848681" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>Cooter is walking <em>me</em>, rather than the other way around. He's in charge. I'm not sure what he represents here, but I felt comforted to know he was taking the lead. <br><br>Animals aren't always brave, or sweet, or familiar. Sometimes they're just plain odd. This sea cucumber was extremely slippery and difficult to catch, but I finally got him: <br><a contents="" data-link-label="sea-cucumber.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/126731/sea-cucumber.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a4910250e56fa6c65902958ee99ca5235d9da402/medium/photo-4.jpg?1392848815" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>He seemed to represent something I was trying very hard to get ahold of. Perhaps my creativity, since sometimes the muse is elusive. Again, it was a pleasant feeling. <br><br>Speaking of odd, I had a dream about evil angora rabbits. I LOVE angora rabbits, precisely because they are the antithesis of evil. But, not here: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="rabbits-n.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/126728/rabbits-n.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/0b8d4f8ac2e4fd0da05d511c934b57acdfdd5fd0/medium/photo-3.jpg?1392849534" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>I have NO CLUE what he meant in this dream. No freakin' clue. He looks kind of cute here but he scared the crap out of me in the dream. I'm thinking, he's like a wolf in sheep's clothing - something I took to be harmless but turned out to be harmful instead. Hmmm.... <br><br>Do you ever have animals in your dreams? If so, what were they and what do you think they symbolized? </p>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/25822062014-02-14T10:18:00-08:002017-01-13T16:11:38-08:00Performance Anxiety<br>All of us deal with performance anxiety at one time or another. Maybe you have to make a presentation at work, and your palms are sweaty just thinking about it. Or, you've got a test the next day and despite all the time you've spent studying, you're worried about whether you'll pass. You're up late, unable to sleep, worrying about how well you will perform, whether it be during a date, a job interview, or a meeting with family. And many of us, at one time or another, have anxiety dreams that reflect our fears in these areas. <br><br>As a performer, I have TONS of anxiety dreams - mostly, where performances go terribly wrong. <br><br>Sometimes, I show up, and the "stage" is in an odd place. Like here, behind a television: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/727682047250114/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/6f22b62327948370f8167c1159707c23d1eeef45/medium/photo-5.jpg?1392400172" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>Or, it's in the middle of the audience: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934672091519/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/8d41330f1c532f9b77bea1cea0180330947fd9f9/medium/photo.jpg?1392400173" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>And the audience could care less... <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934672091519/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a405f4867b527fed4765f155a67e384ab03ae7fb/medium/photo-3-2.jpg?1392400170" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>...AND I do not recognize any of the lyrics to my songs... <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934672091519/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/8e698bbaa95ee86e9c7e1c282440ddde6703868b/medium/nolyrics.jpg?1392401019" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>And I'm wearing the wrong shoes. <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934672091519/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/61184f8b2c8bf7863d0ad65eb0f1c0814ea3177b/medium/shoes.jpg?1392401663" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>I'm totally out of my element. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/cd0ae1e5d0be7998c23c4be700a6679a434dd85c/medium/photo-4-2.jpg?1392400176" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br>And perhaps most importantly, I'm late: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934712091515/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/e48462abe445d5e8de12bc320d485c544476418c/medium/clock.jpg?1392401660" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>Time's almost up, and we only just started our first song. <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/645934712091515/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a00faae47502bcf04e94a77e74da5e092822b629/medium/late.jpg?1392401662" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a><br>In the real world, gigs are, by comparison, a piece of cake. Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/25744322014-02-13T08:35:40-08:002021-09-05T11:40:24-07:00Spiders! I'm afraid of heights. I'm afraid of mayonnaise. And, yes, I'm afraid of spiders. <br><br>The lamest thing about my arachnophobia is that I'm really, really scared of the sorts of spiders that won't hurt me. Namely, daddy-long-legs. The longer the leg in relation to the body, the more afraid I am. It's not logical, but there it is. <br><br>As I mentioned in my <a contents="last post" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.robingalante.com/blog/blog/dreams-within-a-dream" target="_blank">last post</a>, I have many dreams about spiders. This one from the other night was cute: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/00a59a12430e864e7f50cc0343e613f59eab90c7/original/photo-1-1.jpg?1392310578" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>...Until he wanted to dangle. When spiders dangle, that's the WORST: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/9a0fe7db89bc6af290eab82ba96e1d5f21117eb4/original/photo-2-2.jpg?1392310694" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I don't like to read dream interpretation books, really (weird, right?), because I feel our dreams have their own meanings, as unique and the person dreaming them. Usually when I wake up, I trust my first interpretation of what things mean. I'm a little stumped, though, because sometimes my spiders take on some very odd, entertaining forms. <br><br>The Classic Spider <br><br>These are straight-forward. Daddy-Long-Legs. Usually dangling, or chasing me. Like these spiders, from <a contents="this dream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201836851351053&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank">this dream</a>: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201836851351053&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a353bc22bf6b75ece367e30866c9799b0cd5f361/original/photo-4.jpg?1392308990" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br><br>In waking life, I read a headline (did NOT click on the link, for fear of seeing pictures) about a giant daddy-long-legs being discovered in South America. Following this, I had <a contents="this dream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202862875281010&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank">this dream</a>, where the spiders were gigantic and oddly tall and skinny: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202862875281010&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/3865105e1bd1fc633a9d317472bf26d9ce0f4924/original/photo-3.jpg?1392308779" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br>And recently, I had <a contents="a dream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202914440850117&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank">a dream</a> about a very different sort of spider. He was cute and terrifying all at once. Still trying to figure this one out: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202914440850117&set=a.4828480557986.190835.1475735181&type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/4470f1c04573b0413275c7fb81d202b917fbf8bd/original/photo-2-1.jpg?1392308772" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br>After posting this, I'm sure more spiders await. Yikes... Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/25689442014-02-12T12:44:18-08:002022-05-25T03:42:41-07:00Dreams Within a DreamEvery once in a while, I actually dream that I am dreaming. In my dream, I will wake up and remember the dream I just "had". Now that I've started illustrating my dreams, I sometimes actually start the process of remembering, writing down, and drawing the dreams - <a contents="within the dream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/650731414945178/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">within the dream</a>! <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/650731414945178/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/a9e7dac9fd936681b734f6de3e39b11fa203ec30/original/photo-1-2.jpg?1392311459" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br>For instance, this character is looking at a dream drawing that I made - of the dream that I was having at that moment. Talk about trippy - and confusing: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/fdaa84d62980b9371346b65fecaf97ffba87ac05/original/photo-2-3.jpg?1392311135" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>A quick aside: last night, in my dream, I dreamed about a spider. A ladybug spider. He was very cartoonish, big bubbly eyes. Despite this, he was scary. Spiders always scare me, cute or not. And the worst thing that can happen, is when a spider decides to dangle: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/9a0fe7db89bc6af290eab82ba96e1d5f21117eb4/original/photo-2-2.jpg?1392310694" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I'll write another post about all the spiders in my dreams - they've been showing up often and in strange ways.<br><br>Anyway, I dreamed that I woke up and tried to remember the dreams I just had. In one, I could actually read (although I couldn't remember the words when I woke up). I remembered the spider, and began drawing a funny looking machine/house on stilts. I went back to "sleep" (still dreaming), and all I saw was the glow of the inside of my eyelids. I tried to make myself go back into the dream again. Again, all this is *while* I'm dreaming. Very odd. <br><br>Here is my dream from last night, as best I can remember it: <br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/robingalanteart/photos/a.645934525424867.1073741827.321950417823281/746910208660631/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/fc8527f714d9a10a495834db3e2930b1b6152906/original/photo.jpg?1392237695" class="size_orig justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a>Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/25607862014-02-11T10:45:38-08:002018-02-22T01:00:05-08:00Illustrating Dreams: The BeginningAbout 9 years ago, when I first moved to San Francisco, I started having a recurring dream. I am in a house. The house is in the middle of a field, and it's an industrial area. People are coming in and out of the house, and the general feeling is one of being "stuck". Like the house is a place I left a long time ago, but, here I am again, and I don't want to be back. <br><br>Over the years I have been in this house, in my dreams, many times. I was trying to describe the house to my husband, as the details were vivid in my head - what the main room looked like, the loft area to the side with the bed, the creepy, abandoned bridge that sits above and to the back of the house. But when I tried to draw a floor plan, the images actually became less vivid and I found I was unable to put the dream on paper in a linear form. <br><br>In my dreams, images show up as "snapshots". There's some continuity, but the sense of space is not based upon a neat framework of what the rooms look like. Instead, there is a general <em>sense </em>of where things are. I decided, then, to draw my house in a non-linear way, much like the way it looks and feels in the dream: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/8076050aad0013e0e09bbc0f2d190d894fb4b810/original/aframe.jpg?1392144009" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I was hooked. Finally, I felt like my drawing actually looked and felt like the house I dreamed about so often. By not caring about the picture "making sense", suddenly, it made sense. Dreams make perfect sense when you're inside them, right? Once I drew this house, I decided to start drawing all my dreams in this very same way. And as a result, my dreams are more vivid than ever before. Here's one of my first dream drawings: <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/8fb1c283ae739defe2d009c02b7774c67f1d9889/original/527282-4828435036848-1292187536-n.jpg?1392144245" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>And thus began my journey of drawing my dreams. I don't intend on stopping anytime soon! :-) Dreams are cool, and it's fun to "live" in them for a while. Robin Galantetag:robingalante.com,2005:Post/25562972014-02-10T17:36:26-08:002017-01-13T16:11:38-08:003am. For the past year or so, I've been waking up in the middle of the night. I'm using the term "night" loosely here, as it's usually around 3 in the morning. It usually starts when I get up to get a glass of water. <br><br>I don't want to wake up <em>all</em> the way, so I do this thing where I half-close my eyes. I carefully get out of bed, eyes almost closed, and fumble for my water glass, then the door, then the doorway, then the sink. I fill up my water, still half in dream-land, eyes nice and heavy, and fall back into bed. I close my eyes and snuggle back under the covers.<br><br>It's about now when I start thinking about death.<br><br>Or, some conversation I had with someone a year ago where I may have said the wrong thing. "Oh, stop it, that's in the past," my Higher, Cooler Self says. "Let's not focus on the past. Let's focus on the present." So my thoughts come to the present, and stop for a moment. The thoughts look around and say "Huh. Not much happening here" and then swing into the future like Spiderman. THWACK, they land right on death. <em>I can't imagine just NOT EXISTING. That doesn't make sense. What will it feel like? Will I even know? </em>Then to the past - my friend's death, my mom's, everybody's. <em>Oh no, everyone is going to die</em>. That's worse than me dying, even. <br><br>Then I think about the present, which, at this time of night, includes tomorrow, and all the things I need to get done. Because that's more present-ish. It's closer than, you know, that other thing I was just thinking of. There's a bill I need to pay, RIGHT NOW (that's in the present), only I can't because it's 3-f*cking AM. And there's a friend who I haven't spoken to in ages - is she mad at me? - whom I should call RIGHT NOW (still in the present!) but of course, she's not up. <br><br>At this point, I go into the living room, and sit and stare at the wall. Actually, I stare at my mom's painting. It's this beautiful painting of a sun, and it calms me down. I listen to the occasional buses running up and down the street by the park, the sound of a car or two passing, and my cat, who's on my lap purring. And all is usually well again. Sometimes I write, too, but mostly I sit and listen. And it's really helped. I know, it's not what I'm "supposed" to do, but it works for me. <br><br>I wrote a song about this, it's called, un-ironically, 3am. You can <a contents="listen to it here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://soundcloud.com/robingalante/3-a-m" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0000FF;">listen to it here</span></a> if you're, say, up at a certain time and freaking yourself out. <br><br>And here is an illustration of some 3am moments...<br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://soundcloud.com/robingalante/3-a-m" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/55660/0e6f7d87f75e08ecc96e244f1724946c5c4e03e1/original/1185551-10202925571648380-874510696-n.jpg?1392405090" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>Robin Galante