Sunrise Sonata

The James and the Giant Peach Daydream Contest

"For this contest, put yourself in James' shoes and show us where you go to escape the real world! Illustrate the magical landscape of your daydreams and let us see where your imagination takes you."

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When I saw this contest pop up in my message box, I knew I had to enter. James & the Giant Peach is still one of my favorite claymations, and also one of my favorite childhood books.

Now, my picture here may not feature any peaches or giant insects, although I did take some inspiration from the first scene of the movie in which James is looking for shapes in the clouds with his parents. However, I mostly drew from my own daydreams, and what I find most beautiful and awe-inspiring in the world.

Nearly all of my daydreams revolve around the wide, open spaces of nature. I dream of places far from the light and sound pollution of the city, where the stars can be seen clearly at night and the hum of motors and electricity are left behind.

Beyond the setting, there are two things that are nearly always present in my daydreams. The first of these is a fiery sunrise. I first saw a colorful, painterly sunrise in a visit to Arizona, and I've never been able to get it out of my mind.

The second ever-present element of my daydreams are creatures of the ocean, most notably manta rays. Have you ever watched mantas gliding together in search for food? They look like clumsy, lumbering giants physically, but are one of the most graceful things I've seen in my life. Their movements make me think of ghosts, slowly dancing together to a long-forgotten song.

So this is the place I go to escape the chaos of the real world; where I can find peace, and simply lay in the grass to watch the haunting dance of the mantas.