~ Painting A Day ~ John R. Redmond: I’m A Dreamer

Detail of 28” x 22” x 1/2’’ abstract acrylic painting on stretched canvas by John R Redmond

Hi EveryOne,

Dreaming, Imagine . . . Eye . . . Vision . . . hmmmmmmmmmm . . . he thought gazing at the ceiling in preparation for painting . . . hmmmmmmmm . . . or perhaps . . . AUMmmmmmm . . .

Dreaming; from the dictionary…I like to use the dictionary. We use words all the time. It’s nice to remind oneself of the meaning and it can be interesting to see their roots. I do like # 3 in the verb group below.

Further below I share lyrics from a song I wrote titled, “I’m A Dreamer”.

Dream

1. A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

2. A daydream; a reverie.

3. A state of abstraction; a trance.

4. A wild fancy or hope.

5. A condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration: a dream of owning their own business.

6. One that is exceptionally gratifying, excellent, or beautiful: Our new car runs like a dream.

v. dreamed or dreamt (dr*mt), dream·ing, dreams

v.intr.

1. To experience a dream in sleep: dreamed of meeting an old friend.

2. To daydream.

3. To have a deep aspiration: dreaming of a world at peace.

4. To regard something as feasible or practical: I wouldn't dream of trick skiing on icy slopes.

28” x 22” x 1/2’’ abstract acrylic painting by John R Redmond

PERCHANCE TO DREAM

It seems that everything we see around us has been born in a dream. The human world is our dream manifested; a collective dream reality. Sometimes those dreams are beautiful. Sometimes those dreams are a nightmare. But it does seem that what we have in our human world or community was envisioned by people.

Could we dream of being . . . . . . .*

Click on any image to view it enlarged. If you would like to view my paintings check out previous blog entries and/or scroll down to Froggy at the bottom of the page. Click on Froggy and hop to my online store with links to eBay. I'm also on Etsy. Search for seller johnredmond (no spaces). You can find me on Facebook, Myspace and, "tweeet twweet," Twitter (Redjar7).

IMAGINE

Today I was listening to an interview Julian Lennon gave on a beach in the late nineties. I don’t think he talks about that kind of stuff anymore. Perhaps he has said all he has to say about his late great dad John Lennon. Julian was very candid, and compassionate, in that interview…(Below I include that interview which I found posted on Youtube).

John Lennon wrote some marvellous songs. Imagine is one of them. It is really a classic and stands among the most popular songs ever written. It’s popularity is worldwide. My friend Bob, a very big man and formerly in the Canadian armed forces, told me Imagine is the tune that comes right after Amazing Grace in it’s capacity to bring a military man to tears. John Lennon was a flawed human being but we love the dream. We share the dream. And we love the dreamer.

Detail of 28” x 22” x 1/2’’ abstract acrylic painting on stretched canvas by John R Redmond

BSP AT DOMINION CHALMERS – IMAGINE THAT

In December 2007 I received an opportunity to sing Imagine. Big Soul Project is a community choir and band in Ottawa. I sang the solo for Imagine backed by the choir of 50 and a full band…The concert was offered to a capacity crowd of 1,000 in beautiful Dominion Chalmers United Church in Ottawa - Too Cool.

While researching the song in the late fall I came upon the website IMAGINE PEACE. Yoko Ono created the website. Here is the link http://imaginepeace.com/news/ You can explore the site. It has a spot where people can share wishes and thoughts. I wrote that I was going to sing Imagine and that I had just realized that the day on which we were to perform would be the 27th anniversary of John Lennon’s passing. The performance would be even more meaningful for me. I clicked and sent the message across the cyber universe with no expectations. To my surprise, a couple days later Yoko Ono sent me an e-mail thanking me for being the one to sing Imagine on that day.

View 28 X 22 X one half inch abstract acrylic painting by John R Redmond

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28” x 22” x 1/2’’ abstract acrylic painting by John R Redmond

After the concert I wrote a letter to addressed to Yoko Ono and Friends and sent it with a photo and an mp3 file of a recording of our performance of Imagine. The recording was made with a single mike using a small digital recorder which we had placed in the middle of the hall. I sent everything in one huge e-mail half expecting it to be returned with a message telling me good luck Charlie sending e-mails that large. The e-mail went out fast and to my amazement it was all posted on Yoko Ono’s website IMAGINE PEACE, within an hour and a half! It is still there for all.

Many influences combined to create a magic moment during our performance of Imagine; the anniversary of Lennon’s death, the history of the song, the season, our enthusiasm and feeling for the tune, the beautiful hall…and more. It was felt as magic by many. We received a standing ovation. Our choir director said afterward that in all her performing experience she had never seen an audience give a standing ovation before the first intermission. It was a well shared moment in the Dream.

Here is a link to the page. http://www.imaginepeace.com/BigSoulProject2.html The sound bar is under the photo and does work! If you have trouble with the link simply Google search John Redmond Imagine Peace and you should be able to find the page.

I’M A DREAMER

A few months later I was in my apartment playing guitar and singing Imagine. I was in the mood to write a tune so using many of the chord shapes in Imagine I wrote a tune titled, ‘I’m A Dreamer’. I have not yet figured out how to post a single mp3 file to this blog so you will have to surf. If you are my, ‘Friend’ on Facebook you can find it in the ‘My Band’ section. You could also find me on ReverbNation. Here is a link. http://www.reverbnation.com/jredmond If that does not work search for johnrussellredmond.

The recording is a rough of me playing on guitar and singing. I made it at home on my computer.

This song reminds me of something Bobby Darin-ish. Perhaps it is my Johnny meets Bobby and John tune.

I’m A Dreamer by john russell redmond November 2008

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of peace

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of oneness

I’m a dreamer, a hope believer

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer

Walking a long dreamy day

My heart is here to stay

Head in a cloud, feet on the ground

Together bring dream reality ‘round

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of peace

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of oneness

I’m a dreamer, a hope believer

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer

Our sunlit eye can see

Far beyond you and me

Building a dreamland we live near

Get ready today, now, tomorrow’s here

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of peace

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of oneness

I’m a dreamer, a hope believer

I’m a dreamer, a dreamer of love

I’m a dreamer

Where your heart is there is your home

Where your dream is there is your reality

Here is the interview Julian Lennon gave on a beach in the late nineties. I don’t think he talks about that kind of stuff anymore. Perhaps he has said all he has to say about his late great dad John Lennon. Julian was very candid, and compassionate, in that interview…