Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Anonymous Art Gallery

Starting point is 00:00:00 Before tonight's episode, I want to let you know about our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium, the best way to experience the show and get a good night's sleep. With Get Sleepy Premium, everything is ad-free. You'll receive a bonus episode every week, and have full access to our entire back catalogue. Your support really helps, and means so much to us. Simply tap the link in the show notes to learn more. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you two three episodes each week. Do you have a baby that won't fall asleep? A noisy neighbor you need to block out?

Starting point is 00:00:42 Or maybe you're looking for relaxing music, nature sounds and atmospheres to work, relax or study too. If so, the deep sleep sounds app is for you. It has a huge library of sounds from nature and daily life, ASMR triggers, plus ambient sounds and music. You can even combine sounds to create your own unique mix and use them as a background soundscape for your favorite Get Sleepy stories. Through our partnership with Deep Sleep Sounds, you can get a 30 day free trial by going to deepsleepsounds.com slash get sleepy. That's deepsleepsounds.com slash get sleepy.

Starting point is 00:01:33 Or just follow the link in the show notes for a 30 day free trial of the Deep Sleep Sounds app. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas, thanks so much for tuning in. Tonight's story will be read by a reef, and it takes us on a journey through a mysterious art gallery full of beautiful paintings. So let's just take a moment to unwind and settle in before we hear tonight's story. Find a comfortable position wherever you are. Once you're ready, take a big deep breath in through the nose.

Starting point is 00:02:43 And back out through the mouth. Feel how the weight of your body sinks into your bed as you exhale. Throughout this relaxation and during our story, thoughts may come and go, and that's okay. When they arise, just gently bring your attention back to the breath and reset yourself into a state of calm. Now begin to visualize a single ray of warm sunlight shining down in your direction. Whatever this light touches, warmth and relaxation are induced, dissolving any tension and bringing relief. So imagine this ray of light shining just on your toes. It feels warm, it creates space and ease as it continues to spread through your feet and up into your legs, all the way to the waist and then the abdomen. These warm rays melt away any

Starting point is 00:04:34 discomfort. They continue spreading up your chest and back, moving into the shoulders, down the arms, and then reaching your fingers and feel that sense of warmth and relief. Now the ray of light spreads over your neck and renewed. And as you continue to settle in, picture, perhaps you can see the quaint stone walkways, or a handful of potted plants on window cells. Then you might notice a bright, old young man walking down the narrow road. And this is where our story begins. Henry strolls along the paved road, whistling cheerfully. The trolls along the paved road, whistling cheerfully. Around him, the town is bright and bustling.

Starting point is 00:07:16 People laughing and talking as they pass by. Street vendors call out to him, awking their goods. The sweet sound of a guitar finds its way to his ears from a street musician. Children play tag in the town square in front of him, and as he walks past them, their delighted tricks mix and mingle with the other sounds in the air. The day is warm and sunny, and Henry is happy as he walks past the square with no destination in mind. This is his favorite hobby as an art student at the nearby university and we often find some self swamped with work.

Starting point is 00:08:15 There are assignments to be turned in, projects he has to finish and classes to attend. It often leaves him no time to himself. So earlier today, when he found that he was ahead in his work, it was a delighted surprise. I really like my work and classes, he thinks. But taking this time to focus on corner, walking into a narrow street. Buildings rise up on either side of him. There are tall ones with narrow balconies besides short, squat ones that look older. Some of them have colorful flower boxes lining the windows.

Starting point is 00:09:36 Every so often, Henry stops, peering into the shops that he passes. Each window holds a new site. First, there's a shop with candles molded into different shapes, all in bright colors. It must smell great in there, re-thinks and walks on. The next door is a flower shop. The bouquets of flowers are everywhere, propped up on shelves on the walls, displayed in a basket on the teal counters, and inside an old, unused fireplace. How wonderful and wreath-thanks. Flowers fascinate Henry. Although the blooms themselves are delicate, their stalks and stems are often

Starting point is 00:10:50 rigid and hard. It's as though the flowers are somewhere between two worlds. Henry is almost tempted to go into the store so he can buy a bouquet to draw later. Instead, he notes the name and location of the shop and vows to come back some other time. There's still so much to see, he thinks. Some of the other shops are quite interesting too. Like an old clothing store that looks like it was built when his grandfather was still a boy. Every sight is a magical one, and it ignites the passion for discovery within him.

Starting point is 00:11:56 Henry makes a mental note of the more interesting places, determined to draw them later. As the end of the street draws near, he squints at the building located at the dead end, trying to read its faded sign. There's something about it that's intriguing, it decides, as he quickens his pace just a little. He walks on until the details of the building grow sharper. The door, once a bright red, looks dull and brown in the afternoon light. But its brass fixtures shine brightly, as if someone's taken great care to keep them polished. Henry notes the frosted windows with their painted water, and when he's close enough, he sees the small, neat brushstrokes clearly made by a steady hand. His gaze travels upwards to the faded blue sign with its dark, patchy lettering. He wonders why the sign looks so old, while the rest of the shop front has been taken

Starting point is 00:13:39 care of. With some difficulty, he reads its name, the anonymous art gallery, and then in smaller, gold letters since 1921. Wow, Henry Whispers to himself. The steps up to the gallery seem to call to him, and before he can think about it too much, he finds himself at the door, pushing it open. A bell chimes above his head, and he glances up at it, noticing how the polished brass glints. How quaint he thinks, smiling to himself, before turning his gaze to his surroundings. The wood-paneled room is small, cozy and dimly lit.

Starting point is 00:15:09 An empty coat rack hangs on the wall next to the door, with a pitted wooden bench under it. On the other side, there's a metal box stuck to the floor. It's clearly a waiting room of sorts, but with no one to wait in it, save for Henry. Henry wonders if there was once a time when this little room was full, bustling with activity. As he looks around, it's as if a second reality has fallen over his view. He sees dim lamps appear, throwing the corners of the room into deep shadow. The wood paneling looks warm and rich under this light. Then he imagines well-dressed people, served by waiters in smart uniforms, who are holding shining silver platters of finger food, and re-smiles as the image fades and vaned on his mind.

Starting point is 00:16:53 He knows that in the evening it will come to life again in watercolor and soft pastel upon a thick sheet of paper. Is survey of the room complete and removes towards the door when a faded poster catches his eye. Sandwitched between two pieces of glass, the yellowed paper hangs on the back of the door. With great interest, Henry reads the following. Welcome to the anonymous art gallery. Here you'll find many pieces of art whose artists remain unknown. Contextual information from previous owners is provided under every painting. All paintings that are ready to move on can be found at the very back. If you find a painting you like, please evaluate its worth and drop that amount of money into the box by the door as you leave.

Starting point is 00:18:27 If you have a painting you'd like to donate, place it under the bench and let us know how you came across it. Thank you and have a good day. Henry reads the sign once and twice, completely mystified. What a curious place he thinks. Intrigued, he looks under the bench. He's a little disappointed to discover that there are no paintings here. But as he looks towards the door once again, he reflects that there's still the rest of the gallery to explore. After tugging the door open by its shiny brass knob, he walks

Starting point is 00:19:31 through. The gallery is bright under the warm overhead lights. While its light-gray walls are stark against the dark, wooden floor, white partitions zigzag across the gallery, providing a path through. Each wall is adorned by a painting and a relevant description. Henry stares ahead in awe, his eyes tracing the shapes of the paintings. There's something magical about this place, a subtle kind of magic. This place is subtle kind of magic. No painting is a light or of equal workmanship, but they all seem to belong exactly where they are, vital to the enchantment, and recloses his eyes and breathes in, feeling the tiny hairs on his arm stand on end. He holds the feeling in his heart for a moment before breathing out and opening his eyes, with a new figure, he walks towards the first

Starting point is 00:21:11 painting and smiles amused. It's an odd one with a lopsided apple set at the center. The artist's strokes are wide and expressive, but what makes Henry Pauw's are the colors. Bright yellow strokes mix and meld with green and blue. And the apple reveals itself from within a multitude of colors. Admiring other details in the painting is a joy. In the background, there's another half-hidden apple covered by vibrantly colored folds of tablecloth.

Starting point is 00:22:12 And nearby, there seems to be some kind of figure and refalos one particular stroke. Henry follows one particular stroke, watching how it starts at the left most edge of the painting in blue, before transitioning across the apple in green and yellow, and then sliding back into blue. The painter has a sense of humor and re-decides as he looks at the wild brush strokes. There's a cheekiness to them, he thinks. Having had his fill of the painting and returns to the description beneath it, he is surprised

Starting point is 00:23:12 by the clear hand-written print which is uniform and neat as it snakes across and down the page. It's an interesting personal touch and something that fits in with the gallery's atmosphere perfectly. Smiling, Henry reads on, the writer describes how the painting arrived at the gallery in an old piece of bubble wrap with an interesting letter attached to it. Henry clanses back to the painting and visioning its oddity covered completely before going back to the story.

Starting point is 00:24:10 The painting had once lived in the attic of a house, hidden away with other artworks under pieces of white dark. and reimagines it passing its days quietly through the years, collecting dust as it waits. Then the renovations begin, there's hammering and jostling all through the house for months. The owners finally take a look at the attic and begin clearing it out. The paintings are discovered soon after. The woman who finds them is surprised to realize that one of the portraits is her mirror image. It looks just like her, or rather her ancestor, who painted the self-portrait many years ago. After looking at the portrait curiously, then noticing the other paintings under the dark, she calls to her husband little and tells her the colors are all off. But she says that she likes them that way.

Starting point is 00:25:55 As she's colorblind, she's often unable to see the same shades as other people. unable to see the same shades as other people. But these paintings, and whoever painted them, make her feel like she hasn't really missed out on much. The woman and her husband uncover the rest of the paintings, and then sit down, looking through them the whole afternoon. That evening, they decide that they'll keep three as keepsakes and give the rest away. away. The strangely colored paintings find their way into friends' homes and an old thrift store nearby. Some of them are sold online. To new owners who appreciate the peculiarity of the artworks. And the apple painting makes its way to the anonymous art gallery. Henry smiles as he reaches the end of the sign. He wonders if the woman in this story knows which ancestor of hers created those paintings

Starting point is 00:27:30 and why. Then he looks at the next piece. A sketch of a pair of glasses with a nose attached to them. It doesn't capture his attention as much as the apple painting did, but it does make him laugh as he gazes at it, noting the tentative which seem like signs of faltering confidence. A new artist, he thinks. And then, seeing the bulbous nose, resplendent in graphite, he revises the thought.

Starting point is 00:28:23 No, a young artist. The sketch is quite good. The description explains that a waiter at a nearby restaurant found it while clearing up. Henry takes a closer look at the sketch, wondering how he had missed the distinctive texture of a paper napkin. Impressed, he moves on. Then he notices something peculiar. The warm light of the gallery shines down on the dark wooden floor. And there are spots where the wax has been rubbed off by feet. Some of these spots are in front of particularly intriguing pieces of art. Henry finds this interesting.

Starting point is 00:29:33 Perhaps the way the light bounces off the wood in such a specific way could count as art in and of itself. Abitual visitors have moved through the anonymous art gallery in a pattern, creating a visual representation of their movements. It also makes Henry want to follow in their footsteps and see what they saw as they saw it. So taking care to check the way the light is reflected every so often, Henry follows the path his predecessors set for him. First, he pauses in front of the brilliantly painted crest of a wave,

Starting point is 00:30:35 which looks as if it were a photograph and not a painting. Then he moves on around another partition and stops in front of a shimmering pink pastel lake. Next, there's a smiling girl in green ink, then a receipt filled with graphite sketches of eyes. Every artwork is different, and the stark uniqueness of each piece makes Henry pause as so many have before him. Some are drawn on paper and some painted on canvas, but very often they're doodles on the back of a receipt, on napkins, or even a gum wrapper. Each one has an equally compelling description, and as Henry reads them, he understands why so many people have stopped in thought of fame or even recognition.

Starting point is 00:32:14 It's pure creative expression. And although the artworks remain anonymous, somehow there's a sense of personality, the artists have put all of themselves into their art. As Henry muses, he rounds the corner and spots the biggest painting he's seen thus far. It stretches high above him, painted on a fading purple cloth with burn marks on its bottom left corner. With careful strokes, someone has painted tall mushrooms. Each cap spotted and vibrant. The colors are layered together so well that each brushstroke seems to contain a spark. The realism of these mushrooms gives him a sense of being small by comparison, as though he's entered a fairytale world of giant things. The artist seems to have known the effect that such tall mushrooms would have on someone.

Starting point is 00:33:54 As Henry keeps looking, he can pick out a bright moon behind the mushrooms and clouds hovering by the stalks. Henry is astounded. He steps closer to the painting, noting the small flecks of paint on the stalks, and the way the artist has painted an ethereal light coming from within them. The painted bioluminescence seems to pulse softly under Henry's gaze. As his eyes widen and wonder, and he spends time on each part of the painting. He looks through the short grass painted by the base of the mushrooms, and smiles at the small butterflies that dance between the blades. small butterflies that dance between the blades. Then he gazes thoughtfully at the blurred background,

Starting point is 00:35:21 wondering what stretches past this grove of mushrooms and what the artist envisioned. When he looks at the caps, he notices that each one is just a slightly different shade from the others. Henry is amazed by the amount of detail in this his piece, which is painted on what looks like an old tablecloth. Intrigued and relokes at the description. As he reads, he realizes that the writer, with their neat handwriting, is just as astonished by the painting as he is. The writer seems excited about this artwork, and Henry smiles fondly, feeling a sudden kinship with this anonymous writer. Holding that feeling in his heart, he reads through the description.

Starting point is 00:36:30 The painting is indeed on an old tablecloth. In fact, in the late 1970s, it once covered a family's dining table. Henry can see the dining room in his mind's eye. Unremarkable on the table, the cloth is protected by a table runner and then a clear plastic cover. The family eats at the table every day. The plastic shielding the table cloth from the spills of their three children. As the children grow, the spills become less frequent, but the plastic remains. And so does the tablecloth's secret. The eldest son grows up and soon comes to own the house. In an attempt to modernize, he finally takes the plastic off and flips the cloth over. And there he finds the magnificent painting of the mushrooms. In the description, the writer comments on how lucky the gallery is, considering that

Starting point is 00:38:19 the man decided to gift the painting to them. Henry cannot agree more. The writer continues. Although many inquiries have been made regarding the sale of the painting, the gallery has decided to keep it for a while longer and resize and relieve. He doesn't know if he could ever afford this painting because in his personal evaluation as in his personal evaluation, as the earlier sign put it, the artwork will always be priceless. The thought of being able to see this painting whenever he wants fills him with happiness, happiness. Henry crosses back and forth through the gallery, going behind and around partitions. He's following the path diligently, moving towards the back of the room.

Starting point is 00:39:44 towards the back of the room. As he walks, Henry can see the end of the gallery drawing near. The gray expanse of the black wall is covered in framed pieces of various sizes. He remembers that this is the room where visitors can choose an artwork to take home in exchange for a donation. Henry surveys the collection, noting how some of the pieces are small enough to fit in his pocket. They all have various aspects that interest him, but he feels no instant spark or connection. And then, just as he resigns himself to the idea of not taking anything home. He sees it. The woman in the black and white painting stares out at him, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Starting point is 00:41:02 Her hair is quaffed, set perfectly in dark, waxed waves. Her eyes are shadowed slightly, but the color of her lips is what draws Henry in. It is a deep, rich shade of red that he's never seen before, and doubts he will ever see again. Like velvet on paper, the color calls to him. He picks up the painting, easing it off its hook. It's light in his hands and not too large. Henry knows he will treasure it for years to come.

Starting point is 00:42:00 He wonders who the woman is and if she's a real person, what she's doing now. With these thoughts in his mind, Henry tucks the painting under his arm. As he walks towards the door, he came in through. He reaches into his pocket and draws out his wallet. Then, he empties it of everything he has and places the money and the metal box by the door. The room seems to breathe deeply for a moment. And then, with the painting in his hands, and his wondering gaze set upon that shade of deep car mine, Henry exits the gallery. The bell chimes as the door closes softly behind him. as wishing him well. ... ... you ... ... ... ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:46:08 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:46:24 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. ... ... ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:47:40 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. you ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:48:36 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:48:52 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing.

Starting point is 00:49:12 I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. you you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Anonymous Art Gallery

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.