O MY WELCOME T DREAMLAND
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR when i was young, i believed that fairies lived in the forest behind my home. i saw holes in trees and imagined a world behind the bark, promised anyone who would listen that if we were reaaaally quiet, one day they might come out to play. i would swim in the ocean and pretend i was a mermaid, acting out stories and washing up to shore with my hair slicked back and sea shells as my friends. the house across the street was a castle, the dolls by my bed would come alive in my sleep, someone in my life was a secret wizard (i just did not know who). everything in life had the possibility of magic.
this zine is for the daydreamers, for those who quietly still crave once upon a times and happily ever afters. it is for the innocence and creativity in you, the part of you that makes you question everything you see, and the part of you that still grasps onto the fact that we don’t know everything about this wild, magical world. and from the bottom of my heart, i hope you never let that dear part of you go. all my love,
sophie may editor in chief and creative director dreamland
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MASTHEAD dreamland issue i creative director and editor in chief: sophie may photographers: charles wang mariel wiley models: georgia manning grace rickert lilly mavis roxanne nielsen make up artist: danielle wetherell contributing writers: catherine gorey madeleine sopel
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TABLE OF CONTENTS keep your dreams close
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once upon a time, catherine gorey unwanted knowledge, madeleine sopel
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how to use your heart to fight
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rococo dreams
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dream catchers with claire kelly
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let yourself be childish
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extra credit surprise
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photographer: charles wang model: roxanne nielsen makeup artist: danielle wetherell 5 dreamland
keep your dreams close right now, it is more important than ever to dream. luckily, our subconscious are helping us do so. if the covid-19 pandemic is having you dreaming more than ever, you can use it to your advantage. according to caity weaver for the new york times, the google search “why am i having weird dreams lately” quadrupled from the first week of april to the second. while there has been strong evidence confirming the increase in vivid dreams with the spread of covid-19 (harvard medical school’s “dream survey,” for example), there is little science known to back up why. it could be due to heightened emotions, as the brain stores emotion as memories, which are then used by dreams. or it could be a result of an increase in stress, as the brain only remembers a a dream if woken up and given an adequate amount of time to process — and when stressed, we are more likely to wake up and stay awake. so perhaps we aren’t even having more dreams than before, we’re just remembering more. there is no concrete answer why we are seemingly dreaming more. yet dreams of social interactions or flying across cities and nightmares of hospital beds or isolation flood our minds at night. a friend having nightmares of discovering a family member in the hospital summed it up: “it’s like i can’t get away from my fears even when i’m asleep.” the only answer i can point to is that our dreams are products of what we think about as we fall asleep.
and in that way, we have a little control over the movie we get to watch. dr. barrett, author and psychologist at harvard medical school, calls it “dream incubation.” as you prepare to sleep, visualize yourself in a specific place or scenario. let the last thing you see before you shut your eyes be an image of where you want to go, and don’t let your mind stray while you fall asleep. and in a little while, the story could come back to you in your dreams. whether or not it works varies person to person, amongst other factors. but it has been proven to have a pretty high success rate. and for that reason, it feels exciting. not only that, but it can be helpful too. sleep physician and psychiatrist milton kramer explained through findings from the 1993 study ‘the selective mood regulatory function of dreaming’ that dream content affects daily mood. keeping positive hopes and dreams at the front of your mind and actions will not only help with a pleasant night’s rest, but can in turn set the tone for the following day. in an uncertain time with an unknown future ahead of us, we need to keep dreams close. let our minds escape out of reality, time travel back to our childhood dreams, stay hopeful, and work together towards a brighter future.
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model: georgia manning
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A NARROW BOAT IN THE CITY on sleepless nights in university libraries, we dream about “making it” after school. we search for studio apartments in big cities, romanticize living in small spaces with every inch devoted to the little things we love, crowded with memories and personality. it’s our american dream, our white picket fence. creative jobs and cheap wine nights and the closest friends you could imagine. on early mornings by the snowy window, we talk about stumbling upon an abandoned castle in the countryside, with ceilings to the sky, overgrown wildflowers, and birds chirping to wake us up. we’d leave the little things inside the picket fence and start over. weightless. warmed by only the sun and the heart. it’s our american dream, our happy family, our apron and apple pie. no corrupt politics or money or measures of success. A LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY
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she was so young and gentle, her mind neither feared the future, nor lingered on the past. all she knew was the present, and in the present, she trusted. she was sharp and ambitious, unable to distinguish her dreams, from reality, soaring higher than most, she evaded all limitations, unaware of their presence. she looked only to herself, unabashed and self centered, but with the purest innocence, and in these simpler times, she knew herself best. she knew everything. when did history become entangled in the future? when did she decide to flee, distrusting fate and hating life’s invisible timeline?
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who told her the truth of the world, that she was just one of many, blindly barreling through a lifetime of arduous obstacles? now she sinks below the brigades that were once invisible to her. what made her question the spirited voice that formerly fueled her eagerness to live? where does she hope to find the contentment and certainty that remains with her 7-year-old self? when was she exposed to such complex experiences? how come, older and more educated, i now feel as though I know nothing, and yet, when I was 7, i knew everything.
UNWANTED KNOWLEDGE madeleine sopel 2020
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photographer: mariel wiley model: grace rickert 17 dreamland
how to use your heart to fight the pandemic when we read history textbooks as children, we often don’t think about how our time will be told to future generations. to an elementary school student, politics of twenty years ago can feel as though they occurred in a different universe entirely. but when we are living in the age of a pandemic, it is hard not to think about how the present day will be told in the future: what our children and their children will read about the year 2020, what advancements will be out by then, if new generations will feel it happened in a world far, far away.
we don’t have complete control over how these months will be told in the future, but we can do our best to show that in the most uncertain of times, humanity and heart keep us going. that when life as we know it comes to a halt, our motivation and ambition grows. that we can stay connected from separate physical spheres. that our gratitude, empathy, and respect toward strangers we’ve never met soars. that we put aside differences to unite, as there is something greater than each of us affecting us all in this very moment. greater, but never stronger.
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ART vivienne westwood once said that “[art] tells the truth about a vision of the world at different points in time, but we understand it because of our common humanity.� in times of uncertainty and stress, the arts have been an outlet of creativity, a way to release, focus, and reflect. a space of common ground. below are some little ideas to spark the artist in you. dream home: if you find yourself daydreaming about the perfect apartment, why not create it virtually? this can be done in a variety of different ways, from making pinterest boards for different rooms to collaging images together, to drawing rooms out, to creating three-dimensional simulations. this is not only a fun activity, but an easy way to get yourself thinking about the future and keeping your dreams alive.
paper dresses: in the 1960s, paper dresses came into fashion almost as an accident. before they were seen as bad for the environment and wasteful, they were seen as liberating. they allowed individuals to try new styles and designers to create at a fast pace with more freedom. like the paper dolls we make as children, paper dresses saw no limit to creativity. one dress was even implanted with seeds, so when watered, tiny blossoms would grow. if you have old magazines or newspapers lying around, try cutting out some imagery that inspires you. dress these paper dolls in dresses, experiment with shapes and colors. the possibilities are endless. snap some photos or make stop animation videos, if you want. or, if you are really feeling ambitious, try making a full size version for yourself. then, when you’re all done, recycle your supplies!
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MUSIC new music can make any week feel a little more exciting, especially when all the weeks feel the same. even plato stated that “music is a moral law,” giving “soul to the universe” and “wings to the mind.” below are some ways to find new artists or albums if you find yourself at a loss. playlist exchange: ask a friend who knows you well or whose music you love if they want to exchange playlists. go through your music library and select songs handpicked for your friend. make a customized playlist cover image, write a description, then exchange! music book club: if multiple friends are in need of new music, try starting a music book club. make a shared google spreadsheet or document you can update with your favorite song, album, or artist at the moment. write notes on what your suggestion means to you, why you love it, or who you think would like it best. maybe even schedule a meeting each week to discuss the group’s new additions. make music: have an instrument lying around? give it a try! pick up where your childhood piano lessons left off or teach yourself the ukulele. there are always youtube tutorials. or try songwriting, a fun challenge and way to get emotions out.
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share the sun a close friend of mine flew home from new york to singapore to be with her family during this time. as she is now 12 hours ahead of me, we are on vastly different schedules. we realized, however, that at the exact time the sun sets for her, it rises for me. we call each other at 7:00 (pm for her, am for me) and talk while watching the sun from different sides of the world. it is a strangely comforting feeling knowing that no matter how far apart, we are all connected by the same sun.
write letters to loved ones i don’t know about you, but lately i have been feeling even more grateful for the people in my life. my friends who are suddenly scattered around the world somehow feel closer to me than ever. maybe it’s this common experience or maybe it’s because for the first time, there isn’t a date set in place for when we will see each other next. if you’re also feeling this, and want to show someone how lucky you feel to know them, a handwritten thank you note never goes out of style.
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LEARNING learning something new can be a rewarding way to spend a day if you have some extra downtime. if there is a topic you have always wanted to learn about, now is a great time to to research it. if there is a skill or hobby you have wanted to pick up, now is a great time to give it a go. learn with your friends what is so cool about human beings is that we all have a different set of knowledge, skills, interests, and passions. get together with your friends and see if they would be interested in sharing some of theirs in exchange for some of yours. ask your friend who knits to video chat and teach you, or your friend who wrote a research paper on feminist theory for their notes. then give a lesson of your own, and report back to one another with what you have learned! record yourself giving a tutorial on a skill if you want to share your knowledge or skills with more people, consider recording yourself giving a tutorial or discussing a topic. you can make a youtube video, a podcast, an instagram story, a blog, or share on any platform really. sharing is caring after all!
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rococo dreams when you step into the wallace collection, walk up the stairs, and turn into the oval drawing room, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed with emotion. right there in front of you, hanging on the wall so casually it could be in your own home, is jean-honoré fragonard (french, 17321806)’s the swing. maybe it’s the way the fabric floats effortlessly, revealing romantic ruffles and frills underneath. maybe it’s the way the delicate shoe suspends in the air, capturing a fleeting moment and cementing its permanence. maybe it’s the light sky spotlighting the central figure, separating her from the dark outside world. maybe it’s the flirtatious story, the colors, or just because we’ve seen the piece in photographs. but whatever it is, this painting takes you to a dream. it hypnotizes the mind, captures the soul. standing in front of it, you lose sight of your surroundings and you simply feel.
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the rococo art movement originated in early 18th century paris, when the french court moved out of versailles after the death of louis xiv. now in parisian mansions, they decorated their homes in a more modest and informal manner. in a rejection of the baroque interiors of versailles, with refined symmetry and precious metals to display wealth and prestige, these new homes were characterized by smooth curves, asymmetry, and paintings of daily life and love. rococo paintings can be identified by their pastel color palette, soft style, and most of all, subject matter. coined fêtes galantes by jean antoine watteau (french, 1684-1721), the genre focused on men and women outside in an imagined world of dance, love, and music. the scenes were painted with a lightness, elegance, and intimacy that evoked playfulness and simplicity.
the rococo art movement was soon overtaken by the age of enlightenment, when philosophers began valuing science, reason, and art of intellectual scenes over that of joy and flirtation. a key enlightenment philosopher and art critic denis diderot (french, 1713-1784) demanded “nobler art” that made “virtue attractive,” and rococo paintings became resented as frivolous and immoral. those who still praised rococo artists respected their skill, despite their ideas. when discussing fragonard, one critic noted that “the grace of its execution and the tact of the artist excuse the sauciness of the subject matter.” though relatively short-lived, rococo art has remained a key point of discussion in art history. we discuss why it emerged and why it fell, whether it is of academic standing, its impact on movements that followed, and our personal feelings towards it. an art history professor once told me that the movement is one of the most polarizing today: people either love it or hate it. it is these strong opinions that point to its longstanding impact. although enlightenment philosophers undervalued rococo art at its time — on the “hate” side of the argument — artists such as watteau and fragonard accomplished what many could not at the time. they created art that, to this day, makes us feel. they proved that art doesn’t always need to have a concrete, scientific purpose — that sometimes the greatest gift we get is the ability to stay present, emote, and discuss. Fragonard, The Swing, 1768, The Wallace Collection
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dreamcatchers in the modern age of technology we live in, photography is integrated into our daily lives. we use the camera lenses on our phones or tablets to capture moments, emotions, people, places, and arguably most frequently, pets (a friend texted me this morning that while home for four days, she took “419 photos� of her cat). the current social isolation we are living in can give weight to past photographs, as we long for closeness with family and friends. we dream for a time we already lived in, for a world that’s already moved on. up-and-coming film photographer claire kelly talked to dreamland about dreaming in the age of a global pandemic and using photography to provide a feeling of closeness during a time of uncertainty, fear, and distance. these photographs were taken by claire on march 8, 2020, at butley priory in england, exactly one week before she headed home to new york due to the covid-19 pandemic.
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in combination with claire’s work are photographs from the 1910s-1940s of women at cornell university’s college of human ecology — known then as the college of home economics. found in the library archives, these images display the first female classes at the university, and remind us that while life feels like it is on hold, we will always, always progress. looking at photographs from the past, seeing the dreams of our ancestors and how far the world has come, it is not hard to be inspired and motivated. we will get through this, we will be with one another again soon, and we will continue to make change.
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“it’s funny how when we are little we dream of living in a castle far, far away. no one ever considers the isolation that comes with being a princess in the high castle. gated off from the world at large, forced to stay home for protection. we are all princesses in that way right now.
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photographer: mariel wiley model: lilly mavis
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let yourself be childish children live lives of creativity, of imagination, of dreams. they put markers to paper and play dress up after school. they make up dances and worlds within their minds. they have not yet learned to fear mistakes or know that they will soon be graded on whether their answers are right or wrong. we spend our lives searching for inspiration or sparks of creativity, but what we forget is that we have had it within ourselves all along. we just have to retrain our brains to value it.
the following pages feature sources of inspiration, from fashion to music to books to movies. my hope is that these art forms will help you get in touch with your imagination, that at least one piece will resonate with you or inspire you to search for what will. it isn’t immature to let yourself escape the real world for a little while. it is necessary. it allows you to return fully rejuvenated, full of creative ideas, full of imagination, full of love, full of hope, and full of dreams.
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PINK MORNINGS 4Q/;2'I25F'ZA5'<EA?;CQ[ this playlist is full of songs to set a dreamy tone for the day. hint: listen at sunrise for full effect. when the morning comes / daryl hall & john oatses orange sky / alexi murdoch every time the sun comes up / sharon van etten moon river / frank ocean stephanie says / the velvet underground thirteen / elliott smith friday i’m in love / phoebe bridgers nyc baby / karen o old bone / wet river / leon bridges i’ll be yr bird / m. ward family tree / belle & sebastian hang on me - piano version / st. vincent gypsy / suzanne vega woodside, queens / juan wauters ooh song / dyan adam driver / sipper symphonia ix / current joys
JV''/0123425/
RED, WHITE, casey mcquiston
& ROYAL BLUE
the novel red, white, & royal blue follows first son of the united states alex claremont-diaz as his mother — the president — runs for a second term. although the most enticing part of the novel is undoubtedly the romance between alex and henry, the prince of wales, the entire setting paints an alternate reality that allows us to escape. a world where a texas democrat became the first female president of the united states in 2016 feels like a dream compared to the actual results of the 2016 election. and even more so, the novel takes place during the 2020 election, which reading now, during the real 2020 election, feels quite bittersweet. although president claremont is unfortunately not the actual president running for reelection, her presence makes us hopeful for a future similar to that of the book: with diversity, inclusivity, pride, progress, and love. #claremont2020
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MOVIES emma: emma. (2020), directed by autumn de wilde, portrays the jane austen 1815 novel. a self proclaimed matchmaker, emma woodhouse learns lessons of friendship, love, and family. the heartwarming and comedic coming of age story is in itself a reason to love the film, but it is the setting, interior design, colors, and fashion that make this film a dream. for emma’s house, the team set out to find a home never seen on film, accurate to early 19th century, and with interiors they could paint bright colors. the goal was to create a dollhouse unique to the film, and the result was a picture perfect pastel candy dream. we step back in time with delicate curls and empire waist dresses. tiny tea cakes that match flowers and couches that match wallpaper will take you back to childhood slumber party dreams.
marie antoinette: marie antoinette (2006) evokes a similar dream-like feeling to the one emma. does. directed by sofia coppola, the film merges versailles interiors with 2000s bright colors, music, (converse shoes featured in one scene,) and perceptions of the queen of france. dressed from head to toe in rich pinks and baby blues, with hair built up to the ceiling, a fan in hand, endless custom shoes, and friends around her, marie antoinette indulges in champagne towers and tiered cakes to the sound of ‘i want candy.’ in some scenes, her hair is even dyed pastel pink. these colors, shoes, and dessert platters (that look more like works of art) embody youth and spirit, and fulfill our 21st century dreams of what living in a palace would look like.
if you’re having a hard time visualizing a creative space, immerse yourself in a new world through film.
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BRANDS tarina tarantino: jewelry and accessory brand tarina tarantino uses rich colors, fantastical subjects, and various unexpected materials to create unique and recognizable pieces. collections include ‘confetti cake’ and ‘neon pop,’ and tarina tarantino the brand also sells ‘d.i.y. mona gallery necklace as seen in dreamland factory kits’ to make your own variation on a tarina tarantino piece. moral of the story? this brand is bound to spark creativity. vivetta: italian designer vivetta ponti gathers inspiration from her childhood, as well as artists, musicians, and films. the world of vivetta draws you in with its combination of romantic nostalgia and fresh irony, and keeps you intrigued with its intricate detailing. no matter how many times you look at a vivetta collection, something new will be sure to catch your eye.
susan alexandra: susan alexandra, based in new york city, is known for hand-beaded bags and bringing joy to any situation. but while the collections spark smiles themselves, the customized mini meals the brand has been selling for charity since the end of march 2020 may spark even more. proceeds go to no kid hungry, which during the covid-19 pandemic is working to provide meals to children who typically rely on school for food. a cute clay dish of your favorite food made by susan alexandra herself and helping children stay nourished? it’s hard not to smile.
susan alexandra custom mini meals
susan alexandra rosebud bag
susan alexandra cloud bag
vivetta resort 2020
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EXTRA CREDIT: COLORING PAGE
adapted from vogue’s march 9, 1899 cover
my interpretation of the coloring page
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THANK YOU FOR READING, SWEET DREAMS!
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