Chris Wayan, founder of the World Dream Bank and Planetocopia. Photo by Mary Gow.
Chris Wayan hugging one of the unique planets he created. Photo by Mary Gow
At first it consisted of hundreds of his favorite dream stories and paintings.
Since 2000 Chris Wayan’s main project is the World Dream Bank.
“Some narrative dreams just require prose; shorter more emotional narratives may work as poems; stories with striking visual elements or strange creatures or settings are a natural for comics; intensely emotional dreams may work best as songs,” he said.
Dreams, according to Wayan, help resolve issues or offer advice.
“This week they pointed out where a leak in our roof had to be, though my consciousness had missed it for two years! I don’t see how people can ignore their dreams–they’re a huge, vivid part of my life. Only seems natural to do art about the fascinating places and beings I’ve seen.”
Now his World Dream Bank is up to 2500 pages, and nearly half the dreams and art are other people’s contributions.
Wayan also writes poetry, prose, and songs in addition to painting, sculpting, drawing and making comics.
Mostly he creates dream art.
Chris Wayan with a furry creature he created. Photo by Mary Gow.
He’s lived on Bernal Hill over 20 years and always considered himself a San Franciscan though he grew up its suburbs.
His biggest non-dream art project is Planetocopia – a series of sculpted globes with online tours of their lands and cultures playing with ecology, feminism, pacifism, and Utopia.
From his website you can also figure out how to make your own planet! Visit Planetocopia at http://worlddreambank.org/P/PLANETS.HTM.
“Go to http://www.worlddreambank.org to share your favorite dream, or show a drawing of that one dream you can’t forget…” said Wayan.