Verbal Description: Jane Dickson’s 99¢ Dreams

Jane Dickson’s 99¢ Dreams (2020) is made of acrylic paint on linen and measures 39 x 73 inches (99 x 185.4 cm).

On the top of Jane Dickson’s painting is the phrase ”99 CENTS DREAMS.” The symbol for “cents” follows the number 99. The word “dreams” is in capital letters. The phrase is painted in red in a blocky, chunky style and appears handwritten as it lacks the sleek, clean look of machine design. There is a thin greenish line around each element in the phrase (numbers, symbol and letters) causing the phrase to visually pop. Below ”99 CENTS DREAMS” is the phrase: EVERYTHING 1 DOLLAR AND UP.” The symbol for money is placed before the number 1 and all text is in capital letters. The font is a very thin handwritten line. The phrase is in red, outlined by a thin line of green. This area takes up slightly more than half of the painting. Its background is a milky greenish white. A dark greenish line separates the top area from the bottom area of the painting. 

The bottom part of the painting contains the phrase “99 CENTS DREAMS.” Again, the symbol for “cents” follows the number and “dreams” is in capital letters–but now they resemble neon signage in glowing red hanging on a storefront window allowing us to see the yellowish, green glow of the store’s lighting (you can almost hear the florescent lights’ buzz) and the murky green aisles of a 99 cents store. There is a thin green border around the entire painting and that border slightly crops the signage of “99 CENTS DREAMS” at the bottom of the painting.