A portrait is often defined as an artistic expression from its creator. Often it is a painting or a photograph. Portraits can also be defined in literature and writing. Often in literature and writing, it is defined as a profile- revealing motives, thoughts, biographical aspects, and more. An example that comes to mind is "Portrait of a Killer" by author Patricia Cornwell in which she depicts the infamous Jack the Ripper.

A dreamer is often defined as a person who lives in fantasy or imagination. Often they are depicted as unrealistic or delusional but sometimes they are also seen as optimistic and curious. There has never been one dreamer; there has been many. From Langston Hughes to Martin Luther King Jr to Sleeping Beauty and Mariah Carey, anyone can have a dream.

A portrait of a dreamer can be described as an artistic revelation of its creator. In this case, a portrait may not fall within the traditional boundaries previously mentioned. A portrait of a dreamer can reveal anything and everything about its creator.

I am a dreamer.

When I was a little boy, I began to dream. I used to go to sleep at night and envision a world unlike my own and exist in a space created by and for me. I not only dreamed at night but dreamed by day. Sometimes it was the only way to get through the day.

I dreamed of someday being big as the world around me. I dreamed of running through the grass chasing butterflies. I wanted to go where the butterflies lead. Sometimes I would run and envision myself running to the haven I created. I’d see the sun just over the horizon and I would get closer and closer but never actually reached it. It was all but a dream.

I am a dreamer.

This is my portrait. I dream each and every day. If I could write on a wall how many dreams I have that enter my brain, the wall would be filled from the ceiling to the floor. I dream of anything and everything. I dream of happiness and joy. I dream of love and companionship. I dream of success and hard work. But most of all, I dream of authenticity and vulnerability.

What does this portrait reveal about me- the dreamer? I can reveal many things about myself others do not know.

Many see the dreamer and do not see the dream. They see only the person on the outside but not the energy within. Big eyes. Black hair. Tall physique. The cover does not come close to the story deep inside. My eyes tell a story. My walk tells a story. My smile tells a story. My very existence tells a story. The story I give off may be a completely different story that was given to me.

I have dreamed many dreams. From one dream came another dream. But one thing that has remained constant is the artistic expression in which these dreams have existed. The portrait of a dreamer remains.