#sparkchamber 021626 — Annie Wood
A powerful, practical mantra for radical authenticity is “be who you are; trust how you got there.” Today’s #sparkchamber visitor, Annie Wood, sets a good example for us all. Annie describes herself as “a lifelong actor and writer, Hollywood native, neurodivergent hyperactive creative compulsive poet who is easily inspired. I was lucky enough to have a free-spirted childhood that I managed to somehow keep inside of me. I credit the spirit of my unique, childlike, amazing mamma, and my funny, intellectual father for giving me the space to be who I am.”
In the 90s, Annie was the host of the nationally-syndicated TV dating game show BZZZ! — a fast-paced competition among contestants looking to win a dream date and cash — which made her just the third female, solo dating-game-show host in the history of television.
Her career focus took a turn in 2015, when her mother died. “I just suddenly felt the need to create visual art. Since then, I’ve had solo exhibitions in Venice, Italy and several places around Los Angeles, as well as been featured in artist magazines and in group shows.”
Annie is participating in Startup Art Fair Los Angeles from February 27 through March 1. Near the Venice Beach Boardwalk and boho-chic Abbot Kinney Blvd, more than 80 independent artists will take over the Kinney Venice Beach Hotel, turning every room into a one-of-a-kind contemporary art experience. Annie will be in room 232. If you’re in the neighborhood, drop by and say hello!
In addition to crediting her parents for who she is and how she got there, Annie also acknowledges herself, “for continuing to love myself through all my failures and through all the times I felt weird or out of step with others. Self-love is of the utmost importance in this world.” Hear, hear!
1.] Where do ideas come from?
From the past before we were born from the moment we are living in from the future not yet known from all the lives we’ve ever lived
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
To know myself and in knowing myself, sharing myself, and having others think about who they are, why they are here and now we are connected, and it’s through creating where I can feel like tiny bursts of answers are visible like fireflies and that’s what being alive is
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
I have a 3-hour morning ritual to get me going that involves meditation, yoga, dancing in my VR machine, vitamins, coffee, email... then I visit my 101-year-old pops with my husband, then lunch, then I hop on to a script I’m writing, a poem, a painting, a sculpture, if an audition came in then my focus is that... if something has a deadline it gets done first. if no deadline, I go to the loudest calling. I work until 7 or 8 and then have dinner with my husband. It’s a beautiful arrangement. I don’t feel I need to find a flow, I hyperfocus on what interests me and so much interests me. It’s just a matter of choosing.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
In acting it’s easy, the scene is over. In writing, it’s often the last line landing in a way that gets to me somehow. In art... ah... yes...that’s the hardest one to answer. da Vinci said art is never done, only abandoned. that feels about right.