Lorelei Oconnor

I had three near-death experiences in 1984 due to childbirth complications during the birth of my one and only son. In 1987 I recieved a visitation from a woman being during an afternoon nap. She had me leave my bed and ushered me to follow her. She took me to my son's art table. She told me (not normal language exchange but temporal) to paint a picture. up until that moment I never had any art experience, classes or otherwise. As I began making the pictures with my sons's paints, the woman being began leaving. Her presence was that of immense love. I asked why she was leaving, she replied that her purpose for the visit was done.
After the dream, in my waking hours and days I could not release the dream from my mind, it being much like an obsessive thought. After two weeks with no relief, I went to an art store in downtown Portland. I had never been in an art store before so the experience was daunting and overwhelming. I chose gouache and a piece of heavy weight water color board. I hadn't thought of a paint brush. Home, I put the paper down on my son's art table, just like I did in the dream. I put the colors on a plate, taking a toothbrush, I painted the same painting of my dream. From that moment on, I've been an artist. ISte...

Oregon Art Institute