Meet Western Dove (business Name) Katie Weaver ( My Name As Owner) | Artisan Horse Tack and Leather Goods

We had the good fortune of connecting with Western Dove (business Name) Katie Weaver ( My Name As Owner) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Western Dove (business name), is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think success in the art world is having a style that is 100% authentically your own and recognizable by anyone familiar with it. I have been successful in maintaining that same recognition while evolving and elevating the original concept. I maintain a level of quality and beauty that has come to be expected, and my clients trust me and the product I create. Building relationships and being trustworthy is success in the business world, but presenting an original piece that is well received is my idea of success in the art world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am naturally a very creative and expressive person. I am sensitive and emotional. I am observant of how others are feeling, I am always singing to music, writing poems, I’m curious about the world, I’m a day dreamer – I am not into instructions, rules, numbers, or worried about money… understanding myself and what works for my personality is what allows my art to come out in its freest form.

If I “try” to make something to appeal to others but it doesn’t sit right with me, I become a sell out. I create from pictures, snap shots, and memories flowing through my head. I don’t give myself a plan or barriers, I just let whatever wants to come out of me to come out!

Because I am the original designer of gem stone and turquoise embellished horse tack, every piece is a story. When someone copies my designs, they are missing the emotion and depth that formed the art in the first place. .. it’s like they dug up a casket – all they got are the bones, the soul has already left the body. I know that sounds dramatic but it’s true!

There is a reason that my sets have been a part of so many major wins for cowgirls and cowboys competing. I pour so much of myself and good intentions and energy into them and that is transferred into the horses. My spirit, my dreams, and my heart are in every inch of it. I am along for the ride, I am part of the success story.

I don’t recall any major hardships and epic failures because I have been so intentional with what I put out. That’s the secret that isn’t a secret at all – if you are authentic, you will find an audience. Failures are learning opportunities and hardships build character. I don’t deem them as set backs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Dallas! I have a few favorite spots that I always recommend or take friends to. First off, the Perot Museum is perfect for all ages. The architecture’s alone deserves a visit. Secondly I have enjoyed the Dallas Wold Aquarium for the diversity of species and ecosystems, as well as the proximity to the animals. Dallas Arboretum is gorgeous anytime of year! The grounds are stunning and the restaurants within the gardens feel so elegant. Shopping I like Knox Street as well as dining. “Favor the Kind” is such a unique boutique and I enjoy lunch at “The Porch”. Bishop Arts District is such a pedestrian friendly neighborhood and the food at Te-Xas is delicious! I love Elephant East and Mercat Bistro in the Harwood District and I would recommend Hotel ZaZa for a wonderful weekend getaway! The live music in Deep Ellum, Cedar Springs Tattoo in Oak Lawn is a cool spot and you can walk across the street to Hamburger Mary’s or Woodys while you wait! The Sculpture Garden and Clyde Warren Park are wonderful spots to get outside! You can never go wrong with the view from Reunion Tower and the Fortune House on Greenville Ave. is unforgettable!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I absolutely want to give a shout out to what has inspired me the most, and that would be artists and cowgirls.

Artists create and express themselves because it’s what they are born to do. It must come out and I relate to that calling. I love both music and visual art.

Impressionist Artists are what I was first captivated with. Monet, Manet, Renoir, and Van Gough used their brush strokes and technique, color choices and subjects to tell a story. Howard Post and Maynard Dixon have a simple way of depicting Western scenes with a clear focal point. Frida Kahlo and her use of expression and color are so honest. Georgia O’Keefe provided a a magnifying glass to her subjects with such clear lines. Donna Howell-Sickles crosses both lines of cowgirl and artist and it’s her choice of primary colors and joy that catches my attention every time.

Currently I am in awe of Jivan Lee, Mark Maggiori , and John Nieto. Stylistically they are so different but it’s their color, and emotion I am pulled in with.

For cowgirl inspiration it’s both in the aesthetics as well as the spirit. There is an independence, a restlessness, strength, dignity, and a stubbornness that I relate to. The fashion and traditions of cowgirls can transform over time but there’s also a line you don’t cross…. There are unspoken rules and integrity in being a cowgirl and you want to be on the right side of it.

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Image Credits
Bee Silva