Dreama Kattenbraker

Artist Commentary: I am a greedy collector of stories and words.  Cultural myth, faerie tales, ancient, modern and evolving are inspirational. Favorite sources of story are the pure, magic-filled versions from children, or the experience and wisdom of elders, now my peers. Transforming stories into images feeds my spirit when idea for an image or sculpture reveals itself and a story begins to “tell itself” to me. I find it particularly enjoyable and healing to unravel, and convert societal assumptions, expectations, or literal translations back into mystery and wonder. I have an extreme interest and desire to grasp and understand science. Moving between clay, painting, mixed media collage, encaustic, assemblage, and recently textiles allows for learning and experimentation.

Dreama Kattenbraker’s childhood (as an Air Force “brat”) and adulthood kept her family on the move. “Home” has been in NJ, AL, FL, CO, VA, NC, SC, CA, GA, IL, Greece, Italy. She and her husband spend time in the Pacific NW with her grown children yearly. Since 2002, she has lived happily with her husband of 46 years in Southwestern Virginia.

Art-making has provided a means of adapting to constant moves and change. She was able to study Art Education/ English Literature (UNC-G, NC, 69-72) and a liberal arts degree in Cultural Anthropology (major) and Psychology (minor) (Univ. South Carolina ‘87).

She continued course work in Studio Arts at College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL (1996-2001).

She has enjoyed/been employed/volunteered as: babysitter, housecleaner, bathroom janitor, lifeguard, wife, mother, grandmother, legal secretary, retail clerk, bookkeeper, political activist, animal activist, advertising designer, wild & domestic animal rescue, art teacher, local theatre, scavenger of odd objects in antique stores and flea markets, gardener and art fair gypsy. Each of these experiences serves the art-making process. She is a member of: Open Studios Tour- Botetourt, Nature Artists Collective, and currently have artwork represented by Lindor Arts (Roanoke, VA), and Jane Wilcoxsin Gallery (Mineral Point, WI).