Insomniac: A Reflection of Creativity and Sleeplessness
- Jeremy Faivre
- Sep 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2024
There’s a unique kind of clarity that comes in the stillness of night when the world around you sleeps, yet you remain awake. This quiet, sleepless state has been both a challenge and a muse for me, and for five long years, insomnia was my constant companion. During those sleepless nights, a strange kind of duality formed within me—a tug-of-war between the creativity that fueled my passion and the overwhelming exhaustion that crept into every waking moment. Out of that personal experience, Insomniac was born.
This 16” by 20” soft pastel piece, created on a canvas panel, reflects my journey through insomnia. It’s not just a depiction of sleeplessness, but also an exploration of how the mind—particularly the artistic mind—finds life amidst such weariness. Inspired by the raw energy of the song Bones by The Dead Love, a punk rock anthem, this piece taps into that gritty, defiant spirit, challenging the constraints of reality through the boundless power of imagination.
The Duality of the Brain: A Visual Narrative
One of the driving concepts behind Insomniac is the symbolic representation of the brain’s two hemispheres: the right side of the brain, responsible for creativity, imagination, and emotion, versus the left side, the seat of logic, structure, and rational thought.
• The Right Side (Creativity): This half of the artwork bursts with vibrant colors and fluid shapes, an explosion of expression that mirrors the way ideas flow freely during those restless nights. The right brain is always awake, churning out ideas and artistic visions, fueled by insomnia’s strange energy. For me, sleeplessness wasn’t just a period of suffering but also a time when my imagination took flight, allowing me to produce some of my best work. The fluidity of pastels allows for an organic, dreamlike quality to emerge, capturing the ethereal nature of creativity in its purest form.
• The Left Side (Logic and Reality): In stark contrast, the left side of the brain, depicted through muted tones and rigid, geometric forms, represents the harshness of reality. This side is dulled by exhaustion, the monotony of daily tasks, and the practical demands of life. It’s that side of the brain that fights to maintain control but often feels sluggish, like moving through molasses. Logic, here, feels stifling, as if sleep deprivation has made the everyday world grayscale, lacking the vibrancy that imagination brings.
The Influence of Music: Bones by The Dead Love
The creative process behind Insomniac was deeply intertwined with music, specifically the song Bones by The Dead Love. The raw emotion, defiance, and intense energy of this punk rock track perfectly encapsulated the feeling of being an insomniac—struggling, yet pushing forward. Bones talks about the inner conflicts we face, the invisible battles we fight that others can’t see, much like the fight between creativity and exhaustion that I experienced. This song fueled the brushstrokes, inspired the sharp contrasts, and set the tempo for the piece, giving it an undercurrent of rebellious energy.
Here’s a link to the song if you’d like to give it a listen:
A Personal Triumph Over Insomnia
Insomniac is not just an artwork for me—it’s a testament to what can be created when we face our inner struggles head-on. Insomnia took five years of my life, but it also gave me the space and time to tap into a level of creativity I hadn’t accessed before. The exhaustion was real, but so was the fire it ignited within me to produce art that spoke to my experience.
If there’s one message that Insomniac conveys, it’s this: even in the midst of sleeplessness, exhaustion, and seemingly endless nights, there is potential for beauty, for expression, and for transformation. Creativity doesn’t sleep, even when we can’t.
This piece is a tribute to that relentless drive to create, even when life feels overwhelming. It’s for all those who, like me, find themselves awake at 3 AM, battling with their thoughts, yet finding inspiration in the quiet moments when the rest of the world is still.
Explore Insomniac—a piece born from sleepless nights, powered by imagination, and inspired by the fight to stay awake, both literally and creatively.
As of writing, the original Insomniac artwork is currently available to purchase. Printed reproductions are also available as well! Here’s the link to the online listing page:
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