We had the good fortune of connecting with Wood Fancher Anthony and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wood, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Art is something I have always practiced. It is the only thing that has remained constant throughout my life. I began drawing at about the age 4 and I never stopped. I did not study art in college. I opted for a degree in accounting and and even worked in this capacity for almost 20 years. Art was what I did at night and on weekends. In 2019, I got tired of accounting and I decided to make art my full-time job. For the first time in my life I made art the priority. Although this change has been very difficult and continues to be so, I am growing tremendously and my work is improving daily. I have been a lot happier devoting my time to a practice that I love. The passion I feel for this work is what keeps me fighting hard to be able to continue doing it.

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 a figurative artist that works primarily in oil paint. I recently completed a large hyperrealistic painting that took me about 750 hours of work. I am really excited about this painting because it was a mental, physical and technical challenge to complete. Now that it is complete, Im taking a break from painting and conducting research. Moving forward I hope to complete a series of collaborative paintings with my art partner, Robin Baker. We are in the research phase of a series of paintings that will explore the duality of the State of Texas. The title for this upcoming 2023 art show is ‘With Love, Texas’

On an artistic level, the work Robin Baker and I are producing is exciting and unique work that no one else is creating . Our work shines bright and leaves lasting impressions. The combination of our unique styles amplifies the beauty in our work. The combination of our vastly different perspectives spanning over a 100 years of life experience allows us to present well thought-out work. We work well together and the proof is undeniable. I am really excited to see what we come up with for “With Love, Texas” we will document the process on social media so please stay tuned.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d make sure they visited the Hardy and Nance Studios at 902 Hardy Street, Houston TX 77020 and the resident artists that studio from there. The Hardy and Nance Studios packs a punch of true top notch talent. It is among the best places in the city to see wonderful original art. The Hardy and Nance Studios is also where my studio is located. Since I share a studio with Robin Baker we call it RobinWood Art Studio. We both had separate studios and due to the pandemic we decided to share a studio to help with expenses. The other artists in the building began to call our studio RobinWood and the name stuck. Because we both work 24/7 we don’t get out much so my other favorite spot in Houston is my bedroom, but that is not really as public a place as it used to be.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My studio mate and artistic collaborator, Robin Baker has been there for me since I left the accounting world behind. He has been a constant source of mentorship, friendship and encouragement. Working with Robin has made me a better artist.

Website: www.woodfancheranthony.com

Instagram: @woodfanthony

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodFancherAnthony

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzsCHHxKvixTDKz_YgzZvWw

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