We’re looking forward to introducing you to Colette Copeland. Check out our conversation below.
Colette, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I’m learning from a wide range of teachers and communities. I’ve slowed my teaching schedule to make space for new study, and over the past three years I’ve reconnected with my learning mode by taking classes from many mentors. My Nia dance teacher, Megan Reese, embodies daily joy through movement. My aerial circus trainer, Monica Mancuso-Roberts, encourages empowerment through strength; when I’m in the air, I feel like I’m dancing in the sky. I’ve been an artist member of The Alternative Art School’s online global community for three years, taking classes that have shifted how I approach my practice. Last year I joined ecoartspace, a global network of artists, curators, researchers, and scientists committed to making work about the environment. I’ve also taken online performance courses from ECC Performance, a Netherlands-based organization—Rosie Gibbons’ course on absurdity in art and Verena Stenke’s course on performing with non-humans have transformed my approach to performance.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator based near Lake Granbury, a move I made about 1.5 years ago after 12 years in the DFW art scene. Over the past few years I’ve slowed my teaching to create more room for study and collaboration. I carry with me the pearls of wisdom I shared with Voyager Dallas in 2020: engage in creative play; be yourself and don’t let the naysayers extinguish your creative spirit; push yourself out of your comfort zone—failures are the seeds of growth; and once an artist, always an artist. These tenets still guide me, especially when the weight of the world feels extra-heavy.
Most recently I’m pursuing projects that cross writing, performance, and visual art. For the past three years, I’ve been working on an experimental, collaborative, community sound project amplifying Texas voices including female, non-binary, and queer voices. It has been exhibited in five cities throughout Texas. I value one-on-one encounters and collaborative artwork above all. My current work blends eco-performance art with humor to address environmental and climate destruction, inviting reflection and conversation about our shared landscapes.
In 2023 I was honored with a Fulbright Scholar Research Award to live and work in India, researching contemporary female artists whose work engages with socially engaged themes like gender oppression, gender violence, and environmental issues. I also created a companion sound project recording female, non-binary, and queer voices. It was a gift to live and work in another culture. My colleagues at the National Institute of Design welcomed me as family. I lived on campus, sharing meals with students daily, learning so much from them about the country’s diverse cultures.
Two exciting projects are in the works for 2026. In January, one of my videos will be exhibited on all 96 screens in Times Square, New York, as part of the Midnight Moment monthly series. I’m grateful to The Alternative Art School for partnering with Times Square Art Alliance and fostering this opportunity. In March, I’ll participate in the Chockechaka Art Residency in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru, where I will immerse myself in the land and culture. I’m not sure exactly what I will create yet, but I know it will include printmaking, performance and sound recordings.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My mother is the relationship that shaped me most. She nurtured my creativity from the start and stood by me through difficult times, teaching me that I could achieve anything and that financial independence mattered. Her battle with ALS ended a few years ago, but her lessons endure. She showed me grace and the dignity of facing illness with courage. She still appears in my dreams, sometimes young and vibrant, reminding me of the strength she embodied in life.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
The struggles shaping me right now are not childhood fears, but the current social realities. The political climate in Texas and the country with so many injustices make my heart hurt. I am concerned that basic human rights for women and queer individuals are being stripped away. I am concerned that difference is not something to be celebrated, but something to be feared. I am concerned that freedom of speech and expression is no longer allowed at publicly funded institutions. I am concerned that hate and intolerance is allowed to thrive and is promoted as acceptable behavior. How do artists persevere in times like these? How can I make a difference? I believe with all of my soul that the act of making art is an act of resistance. When we put that art into the world, that is a gift. Each person can make a difference through small gestures every day. Acts of imagination and creativity. Acts of kindness. Practicing radical joy. Practicing deep listening to humans and non-humans alike.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
none of these questions really spoke to me, so please leave this out
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Ironically, as I near 60, legacy has moved to the forefront of my mind. As I mentioned in question 1, I’ve slowed down my teaching to make room for learning and for a collaborative, playful artistic practice. The two life-threatening events my husband faced, along with my own near-fatal anaphylactic shock experience, were wake-up calls to live more fully and intentionally. I’m choosing to stress less about the small things and live with more purpose—spending time outdoors on the lake and in nature and carving out quiet time for reading and reflection. I’m more introverted now, preferring meaningful one-on-one moments overcrowded gatherings. If there’s a single aim this year, it’s to do less and be more. I hope my legacy will be remembered for generosity of spirit and lasting creative influence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.colettecopeland.com
- Instagram: @colettemedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colette.copeland.5
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user8477735
