How Shall I Get Elephants To Stay?

I’ve created an audio version of my book of dreams — an experimental album of narrated dream stories set to atmospheric musical scores. I would like to share with you my perceptions — or rather, how I have listened to my soul speaking to me in the language of dreams.

In these recordings, I am joined by the voices of my creative allies, who have brought these texts to life in ways I could never have imagined. I am deeply grateful for their spirited, thoughtful, and compassionate readings.

During sleep, the body and mind repair themselves in order to thrive. It is a time of restoration, where essential truths are revealed in the realm of dreams, engaging all the senses. In dreams, the perception of time and space defies scientific laws. There are no rules in these surreal vistas, only an invitation to explore, untethered, and to uncover the true nature of our fears and desires.

Throughout history, a reverence for the power and meaning of dreams has shaped civilisations. Dreams provide us with a potent awareness of ourselves and our place in the world.

We sleep. We dream.

Words, music, production & concept by Gaynor Perry.

Flute: Sarah Anne Robins (tracks 2 & 29) 

Violin: Noel Vine (track 13) 

Clarinet: Robert Schuck (track 13) 

Organ: Jessica Lauren (track 10) 

Whistling: Noko 440 (track 15) 

Mastered by Brian Lucey (except 30) Simon Gibson (track 30) 

Cover art & photography by Gaynor Perry 

The Narrators (image below):

Top L-R Gaynor Perry, Deborah Griffin. Middle L-R Kate Daisy Grant, Simone Austwick, Jemima Price, Jessica Lauren. Bottom L-R Raven Kaliana, Lynne Manzi, Amanda Hull, Maria Rosamojo.

Hear the intro

My intention in creating this work is to transcribe stories delivered in the dream state directly from the subconscious and to describe these sensory experiences musically, creating richly atmospheric landscapes through which the intangible and ephemeral can be brought to life. The aim is to provide anecdotal evidence of the innate intelligence residing within each of us — an intelligence that guides and heals us throughout our lifetime.

The dreams conveyed in this body of work were harvested over a period of three years. Many of them highlight areas of unresolved emotional trauma — experiences that are difficult to understand and process. These dreams offer me a lens through which to assimilate these experiences into my being. I have endeavoured to write frank and literal accounts of what I saw, felt, and heard. My subconscious calibrates these dreams to provide me with the insight and sensory release required to maintain equilibrium and thrive.

I am presenting this intimate body of work for public display because I wish to share my experiences of communication with the self. I believe this connection is the truest bond we can attain, and yet it is one that is often dissociated. I also believe that the information from the subconscious mind is the most vital and profound insight available to us.

Please contact me if you would like to preview or download this album. 

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Three Acorns

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Agatha's Secret

Agatha's Secret from Gaynor Perry on Vimeo.

Agatha’s Secret is a hand-painted animated short underscored by an original song, exploring the emotional terrain of a woman grappling with her inner being. Through poetic and elliptical expression, the film evokes fragmented memories, emotional entrapment, and a longing for release. A recurring image of the swift, darting through the breeze, emerges as a symbol of hope and transcendence.

Set in a surreal, dreamlike world, the animation combines traditional gouache paintings on watercolour paper with digital layering and editing, resulting in a tactile visual experience. Through symbolic imagery and lyrical abstraction, Agatha’s Secret reflects on identity, the lingering imprint of past experiences, and the quiet strength required to reclaim one’s self.

Animation & Music 

written, performed, produced & mixed by Gaynor Perry

Mastered by Magic Garden

The beginning of the song, including its first few lines, came to me in a dream. Upon waking, I vividly recalled the atmosphere and translated my perceptions into music as the foundation for this piece. I also dreamed of a magical silver dress.

The Harridan

Agatha’s Secret emerged from a desire to explore the emotional complexity of inner conflict and self-liberation. The film reflects a deeply personal journey — one shaped by memory, vulnerability, and the quiet strength required to confront the aspects of ourselves that hold us back.

I was drawn to the surreal as a visual language for expressing psychological landscapes. The hand-painted gouache frames on watercolour paper allowed me to work intuitively, embracing imperfection and texture as part of the emotional narrative. The original song underscores the film’s mood, weaving together fragmented impressions of childhood, loss, and transformation.

At its heart, Agatha’s Secret is about reclaiming agency — about facing the storm within and choosing to fly. It’s a meditation on identity, emotional imprint, and the possibility of transcendence through art.

The Unbelievable Truth

This song is the result of encounters I experienced in the dream state, a place that feels profoundly real to me. As always, I strive to bring the subconscious realm to life by capturing the essence of my inner world through the medium of music.

I found them painting clouds; they said it was easy.

Then I was laying down; I was having the time of my life,

listening to the owls.

I watched you get undressed; your body is a space gate.

How many times did I take my face off?

It may not meld back on.

There's an owl on the roof, beckoning to me —

goddess of the trees.

Reach out for what you love; it's reaching back for you.

It's the unbelievable truth.

We try to resist — civil unrest at our fingertips.

You know, people live lifetimes the way you sleep.

Come to in my arms, come to.

There's an owl on the roof, beckoning to me —

goddess of the trees.

Reach out for what you love; it's reaching back for you.

It's the unbelievable truth.

written, performed, produced  & mixed by ℗ © Gaynor Perry

Mastered by Magic Garden

Elisabeth

To discern the fluid precincts of truth, it is essential to nurture a fluent dialogue with the subconscious. By cultivating heightened awareness of intuitive feelings — paired with curiosity and belief in the imagery and sensory episodes delivered through the dream state — one may discover an innate affinity with the world.

Butoh

Recently, I had the privilege of documenting Marie-Gabrielle Rotie's Butoh class. Capturing the sculptural forms shaped by the dancers, I was deeply moved by the poignant elegance of their serene surrender to gravity.

"Butoh is an act of transformation, a process by which the performer 

searches for a state of becoming." 

www.butohuk.com

Marie-Gabrielle Rotie

Marie Gabrielle-Rotie