Meet Dorian Wood | Artist

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

Hi Dorian, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Kind, mindful people are the only people I’m interested in working with. You can be the most gifted, successful artist on the planet, but if you’re an asshole, I pity you, and I also don’t want you around me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started playing piano at the age of 4, thanks to my grandfather, who was an accomplished pianist from Costa Rica. He was brilliant but also too strict for my tastes. Even as a little baby, I wanted to do my own thing, so I rebelled early on and quit taking lessons from him. My family chastised me for years, telling me over and over that I would regret my decision. I had to prove to them that I could do what I wanted on my own. Some may call it arrogance, but I’ve had a fire in me since day 1 that is more driven by imagination than technique. I was more interested in fucking up Debussy’s Clair de Lune than learning it note for note.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love hiking. I have several favorite spots around town: Debs Park, Griffith Park, Eaton Canyon, and a secret trail that I won’t mention because I don’t want it ruined by people. So yeah, if a friend were visiting, there would be a hike in there somewhere, followed by lots and lots of eating. Las Cazuelas in Highland Park, House of Pies in Los Feliz, Wong’s Wok in Silver Lake, Rick’s Burger in Silver Lake, Modan in Eagle Rock, back to Wong’s Wok in Silver Lake. Best orange chicken on the planet. I love Moffett’s Chicken Pies in Arcadia, despite them having Fox News blasting on TV all the time. Take the pies and don’t look back. After eating is probably when we’d hike. Oh, I forgot to mention Forest Lawn Glendale as a place to go on walks, or just to hang. The pre-recorded presentation at the Hall of the Crucifixion is a must-see. It’s a gigantic theater that is empty most of the time. Good for resting your feet and cooling down on a hot day, and for making out, too. Night time, I don’t really go out. My out-of-town friend would be on their own.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my hubby Joe, who has seen me at my most hysterical and irrational and has never stopped believing in me.

Website: http://dorianwood.com

Instagram: dorianwoodmusic

Twitter: dorianwoodmusic

Image Credits
From left to right: Steve Gunther Timothy Norris Graham Kolbeins Jason Savvy Gonzo Bojorquez Carlos Taberna Eduardo Infante Dorian Wood