Meet Colleen Dream Weaver | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Colleen Dream Weaver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Colleen Dream, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I take risks ALL THE TIME. There is a lot of pressure to “succeed” in our capitalist society, and to succeed on the first try. But I have benefited more from my failures than my successes. Taking risks and making mistakes is how I’ve learned the hard lessons in art-making and in life, and by learning those lessons I have developed amazing artistry skills, built up my confidence and have even become more efficient in my art-making processes because I know what to avoid and what works best for me. Some call it trial and error or R&D, I call it FAFO. I have impulsively started large ceramic projects only to realize I should have built an armature to support the piece first, and have had to dismantle 2 days of work and start over. The hours I spend manipulating clay have taught me that I can’t force clay to do anything, but I can coax it. There is a fine balance of needing enough water, but not too much water, to keep clay from cracking, and I had to develop a feel for this by trying new techniques and making mistakes and also having happy accidents that have taught me art hacks I probably never would have figured out if it weren’t for taking risks.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been fortunate enough to have tried and practiced many genres of art including: visual art, sculpture, ceramics, healing arts, performance, acting, singing, dance, comedy, filmmaking, puppet-making and puppeteering, the chemistry of mold-making and casting, clothing and costume making, crocheting, graphic design, jewelry making, makeup, special effects, wig design, prop building, set design, displays for marketing… the list goes on.

I attended the Denver School of the Arts as a Film/Video major 6th-12th grade, so I was essentially raised to take artistic approaches in all areas of my life. DSA also gave me opportunities to dabble in all of their art/performance classes and to meet prominent working artists. I did not have a typical middle school/high school experience. I was in an environment of diverse friendship and unapologetic creativity during my most formative years, and though I still work very hard, I think my artistic attitude comes very naturally.

Was it easy? I think about this a lot and I guess the general answer would be “no”, but I worked hard at things that I was interested in so I was having fun most of the time. Ease is such an interesting concept, I don’t think anything is easy but I have the power to make things more enjoyable and I certainly feel satisfied after breaking a sweat while being creative and problem-solving. Folks have said I am naturally talented and it kind of bothers me because I have spent 25+ years practicing art and pursuing art education. I have run repetitive drills to get better, spent a lot of money and have listened to a lot of criticism to gain the skills I have today and none of it came naturally to me, The drive to be creative is what comes naturally, and because I am aligned with that goal I have been able to withstand many challenges. I accept that my art is not for everyone, there will be criticism and competition, this is fine, it doesn’t change who I am and what I want. I love making art and I love my community of artist friends and there is so much positivity there that it is hard to be brought down by a nay-sayer. Plus, art is enigmatic and subjective so anyone who speaks to me like they know exactly what art should be, I know they’re full of it. lol

The project I am most proud of is my Oracle Poggz collection. Though I am focusing more on ceramics right now, I moonlight as an oracle deck creator (like tarot but different). True to my character I wasn’t able to make just one oracle deck and be done, I came up with a way to have an ever-expanding oracle deck so I never have to stop. I create pogs, the cardboard disks that were super popular in the 90’s. Pogs were a game kids played and each pog disc was different. I remember going to the vhs rental store and only caring about the trough of pogs, thousands to choose from, 5 for a dollar I think. In 2019 I was inspired to make an oracle deck using pogs instead of cards, and because pogs were collectable with eclectic designs, this gave me the freedom to make as many as I wanted. I started with a base deck of 24 pogs that come in a miniature backpack with a guide book and have since put out 8 more editions. These editions are art cards with 6 punch-out pogs that people can add to their original deck. I am overwhelmed by the wonderful reviews I have gotten for this deck and I’m humbled to see it as a healing tool that encourages a connection to the inner child. I am most proud of this creation because it has gone world-wide. This fun idea has infinite possibilities and gives me a chance to send people cute packages with nostalgic memorabilia. It just feels good to be making Oracle Poggz.

I would like everyone to know that their authenticity is import and and it is a gift. I wish we had more accepting culture, it can be difficult to be unconventional, but please know you are appreciated as your authentic self and you make the world a better place when you express your uniqueness and live freely. Take risks, break the rules and be kind to each other.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be where I am today without the loving support of my mom, Kathy. She is the first person to give me permission to be authentic and has encouraged me on all my hair-brained schemes. I have seen so many creative people struggle with not being supported by their families, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have such an open-minded mom. Her sense of humor and willingness to learn, as well as a deep compassion for all people has been so inspiring and I know much of my creative freedom comes from her pushing me forward.

Website: https://www.moonpumpkin.com

Instagram: @moonpumpkinart @moonpumpkinfx

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@moonpumpkin8131

Other: TikTok @moonpumpkinart