| Winnie Wood, co-owner of Mt. Pleasant’s infamous Native Wines store, recently found a way to combine her two loves: wine making and performing arts. At the recently-held Utah Arts Festival, the award-winning actor, producer, choreographer, director and performance artist produced a piece entitled “The Fine Art of Wine Making.” “I stomped 200 pounds of fresh strawberries in an old-fashioned claw foot bathtub and made wine, and paraded around wearing this crazy outfit,” Wood says with a laugh. The wine-making performance was meaningful for Wood in more ways than one. Not only did she get to perform and teach people about wine-making, but it was also her first production after winning the Mayor’s Artist Award during the opening ceremonies at the Utah Arts Festival June 21. Winners of the prestigious award are selected by past recipients. “To be included among the wonderful and talented people who have won this award previously is what makes winning this award so great,” says Wood. Wood, who opened Native Wines four years ago with Bob Sorenson, has been active in Utah’s theater community for years. She founded the Dance Theater Coalition 21 years ago. The group helps produce emerging, independent artists. “We are a production company that accepts proposals from people looking to direct plays, choreograph a dance or a poetry reading,” she says. Wood has continued to work in the coalition while running Native Wines, commuting to Salt Lake City frequently. “I still manage to work in Salt Lake in the theater now and then as well,” she says. “I’ve been a performance artist my entire, brilliant career.” Wood is also a member of the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance’s executive board of directors. She is in charge of interpretation for the board, which is promoting the heritage highway in cities and towns along the historic roadway. | 
