Annelies experiences life as an artist, visionary, entrepreneur, facilitator, educator, change agent and consultant. Studies in social psychology, creative process, transformation and change leadership enriched her life and work. Through her recent studies, the Conduit Center for Creative Change was born.
www.conduitforchange.com
In 1992, Annelies began her career with passion and devotion. Knowing that education was the key to her success, she placed herself on the forefront of her craft and took every opportunity to learn. At 19, the youngest ever hired in all three hair care companies, she began as an educational consultant for Zotos International, Matrix International and Paul Brown International. For five years she traveled across the Southeast and as far as Barcelona, Spain as an educator, inspiring others in her field. Simultaneously, she tapped into the theater world, designing hair, make-up and wigs for theatrical characters. By 24, she had designed several seasons of shows, joining North Carolina Theater in 1996.
While designing and working as a free-lance artist for television, film, print and theater, Annelies continued on her path towards Broadway. Her first National Broadway Company tour was with the ‘King and I’, which then lead to work with stars like Petula Clark on ‘Sunset Blvd’ and Bernadette Peters with ‘Annie Get Your Gun’. Here she designed several off-Broadway productions including ‘Amhal and the Night Visitors’ at Lincoln Center in NYC and ‘Imperfect Chemistry’ at the Minetta Lane Theater.
After seeing all of the United States several times over, she left NYC and decided to return to the calm(er) life in the land of tall pines and pin oaks of Raleigh, NC. She rekindled her creativity with metalsmithing in the NC mountains and began exploring her ability to sculpt with mediums other than hair, which then resulted in several successful art shows including at the Feaerington Village Sculpture Show and the Visual Art Exchange.
In 2001 she worked on the film production, ‘The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood’ with Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd, followed by countless other films such as HBO’s ‘Iron Jawed Angles’ with Hillary Swank.
In September 2001, 9-11 took rocked the reality of the world, causing Annelies to re-asses her life. This coupled with other unexpected changes in her life prompted her move to Dubai, located in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. The experience was a journey that transformed her path, direction and passion. She vowed to make a difference in the world in a more fundamental and meaningful manner. After almost a year in Dubai, she returned to the states, unexpectedly due to health issues with both of her parents. Annelies used the transition to build an educational photographic documentary on the Middle East, Dubai and her experience there. A beautiful 15 minute dvd set to mid-east music of her photography was the foundation to her teaching cultural tolerance classes for local schools and for public lectures throughout the Triangle.
Today, Annelies continues to offer her creative skills, talents and vision through classes, workshops, personal clients and contract work.