Only in My Dreams recent paintings by David Szekeres

Only In My Dreams  

recent oil paintings 

Southside Gallery

June 3-30, 2000

Jean’s invitation for me to show my work at the Southside Gallery came 

at a peculiar time. It was to be the last show before the doors of the Gallery were to close… at least for a while. I was slightly intimidated, as 

I had not yet shown in any Cleveland gallery. 

I decided to abandon most of my previously visited subject matters and strive to move to a different realm. I delved into my memory bank of 

images I had seen or experienced in dreams. This provoked more 

emotional reaction than I had expected.

Many of the images had been deeply imbedded in my mindspace. (As 

it turned out, I found may others shared some of the same dreams.) Some of these images had been haunting me for a good part of my 

life, or were definitely personal to me; others were just plain disturbing. Some were refreshingly serene. Though all were, at this point in my 

life, most intriguing for one reason or the other.

Regardless, they proved to be interesting to most viewers. Recalling memories of their dreams long past. Some also not pleasant and others pleasing or amusing. 

But what might have been amusing to some proved to be unfamiliar or uncomfortably dark to others. One viewer felt they should be worried about my stability, commenting on the overall dark and depressing tone, and suggesting I was depressed. Quite the contrary; mission accomplished.

I sat in the gallery one Saturday afternoon only to be present for the visit of some very well respected artist friends of mine who just happened to be visiting from their home in Chicago. Actually, one of them had a show the night before in a gallery in Kent. 

My experience at the Southside Gallery proved to be a rewarding one in many ways. I would like to congratulate Jean for her motives, successes, and accomplishments in her efforts in creating such a venue in a now thriving Cleveland community.

David Szekeres