Meet Kristine Lo: Creative Director | Mindfulness Guide | Photographer

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

Hi Kristine, why did you pursue a creative career?
Although I have always been naturally creative growing up, I didn’t pursue any creative pursuits until my 20’s. It started with a fashion brand designing clothing and producing jewelry. I took 1 sewing class in college and was self-taught in making jewelry. It was purely out of passion and loved the feeling of freedom from creatively expressing myself.

While I was starting my fashion brand, I was also in college. I suffered from a lack of self-confidence and self-worth. I actually didn’t really know what I wanted to do but did what I thought was expected of me. So I graduated with a degree in Public Health with the intention to work for non-profits that help communities in the public health sector.

But it was through storytelling through visuals, creating clothing and jewelry as a meditation, and sharing content online that was my way of truly making an impact. In hindsight, my inner suffering and not knowing was the catalyst to my creative career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about.

I love sharing stories and evoking emotion through the medium of Photography and Writing. I feel that what sets me apart is my ability to not only be Creative but intentional about the process. I often share about creating ‘Conscious Content’ – sharing from your lived experiences and personal insights instead of looking outside and emulating what other people are creating.

I also deeply care about the integrity of the work and the message that I share. So whenever I partner with a brand for Photography or Creative project, it’s important that it’s in alignment aesthetically and energetically.

I’m really excited about facilitating more Creative and Mindfulness experiences through courses, workshops, and retreats. As a Creative Director and Mindfulness Guide, I weave the tools of mindfulness with creativity. Something I call ‘ Conscious Creativity’ and has been offering these since 2019. Will be launching my new website soon at www.kristinelo.com with my Creative and Mindfulness offerings.

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

For 5 years, I built this fashion brand from my bedroom to a studio in downtown LA. I wore many hats – Photographer, Designer, Social Media Manager, Production Manager, & Intern. I loved the process of creating from a concept to launching a collection. That process of starting from a vision to creating all the pieces, then manifesting into beautiful items for people to wear was amazing. I was featured in LA Fashion Week and sold my jewelry online and in stores worldwide. Also had celebrities and influencers wearing my handmade pieces which really helped with building a brand online.

After some years of burnout doing it all myself, I decided to get a ‘secure’ job and landed a role as a Finance Manager at a Photo Agency. Even though I was crunching numbers 9-6 pm Monday to Friday, I started taking photography & film classes, built my portfolio, and started booking clients on monthly retainers. I absorbed everything I learned in Film & Photo Production and was so inspired by the world-renowned Visual Artists & Documentary Photographers our agency represented. In 2016, I quit that full-time job to pursue a full-time career creating for a living and haven’t looked back since. I’ve since shifted my career pursuits as a Creative Director and Mindfulness Guide.

As a Creative Director of a Conscious Branding Agency called NATURE AND INTENT, my intention is to elevate my clients’ creativity and share their essence through their online presence. I still wear many hats to this day under this agency – Creative Director/Photographer/Brand Doula/Designer/Content Creator/Content Producer. But what has remained is what I call my ‘Conscious Creativity’ – my ability to remain curious, connect as a channel of ideas, and collaborate with others to manifest their vision. Recently trained as a Mindfulness Facilitator through UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center. I also teach Mindfulness and guide people to access their inner creative gifts through courses, workshops, and retreats.

Although I spent a significant time in my adolescent years hustling and identifying with the Creative titles I held, it was the inner drive, passion, and desire to creatively express that drove me to create. Our art is an expression of our human experience and believe that creativity is not just what we do. It’s a way of being.

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?
OJAI GUIDE

NOURISH:
– Farmer and the Cook
– Hip Vegan
– The Nest
– Little Sama

VISIT
– Meditation Mount
– Rose Valley Falls
– Downtown Ojai
– Ojai Valley Inn

SHOP
– Bungalow
– Ojai House
– The Crystal Shop
– Rainbow Bridge

STAY
– Ojai Rancho Inn
– Hummingbird Inn
– Ojai Valley Inn The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Special Thank you to Kalika Yap (Entrepreneur & Founder of Orange & Bergamot) – for pushing me to share my knowledge as a Creative Guide. Thank you to Laura London at OTIS for recognizing my potential as a Photographer. To have the positive push of a trained Visual Artist is what led me to pursue Photography. Also deeply grateful to my friends and community for holding space for my creative expression, self-healing, and sharing mindful ways of being.

Website: www.kristinelo.com and www.natureandintent.com

Instagram: @kristine.lo and @natureandintent

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEEOwykGH-XBxn8qPEDlySQ

Image Credits
All photos are mine.