Meet Alicia Sadler | Creative, Junior Level Guru, Recreational Demigod

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

Hi alicia, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Freelancing since I was 18 meant that I was always navigating change. Change in working hours, change of travel, bike, underground, bus, foot, all four at times! Change in projects, change in people, and change in environment.

Even though I loved that change and the break in-between projects, I found the continuous hustle and asking for work a challenge, that never seemed to appease itself.

For me, the balance of working really hard on a project for a couple of months to be able to have a few months completely free of work was a luxury.

A decade in, the balance has shifted, as I moved to LA the change in the aforementioned narrowed to more of a regularity of people and projects, and I found myself wanting to break out of what seemed a smaller pool of work. And more so a desire to be working with people and projects that aligned with my creativity and values.

Asking for work also started to feel stagnant.

As it stands in an attempt to continue to understand my preferences and thus achieve balance, with what is realistically available to me at this time, not just based on ideals, or dreams, I am exploring different means of work and working hours.

I started a part-time job so I could freelance less. To begin with, I enjoyed and welcomed the change, and now I have a desire to freelance again. This time with a renewed perspective that perhaps working on projects with people who don’t necessarily align with my creativity is ok.

I have discovered that finding balance is ever-changing. What worked last year or even two months ago doesn’t necessarily mean it will work today.

For me balance comes with constantly checking in, making sure the decisions you make align with how you feel. I.e I may not like a project but the money is good, or the money may no be so good, but I love the project.
There’s no one shoe fits all. Balance comes with embracing the change.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s hard to put into words something that is ever-changing.

One of my special gifts is that I can evolve into any pocket that needs filling.

You can mostly find me on set within several roles on and off camera, and mostly always in or connected to nature.

Here are a few spaces I occupy in no particular order:

AD’ing, producing, directing, writing, painting + photography, styling + image consultancy, personal shopping, facilitated healing, plant medicine, and project expansion.

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?
A week! That’s a big ask

we would definitely be going to the mountains hiking every morning, griffith park
we’d yoga at Shiva Yoga on Fairfax, or Silver Springs on Melrose
get our vintage fix at the rosebowl or los feliz flea
grab a matcha amnd some tuna toast at canyon coffee or a chai from maru on hillhurst
go to erewhon for some overpriced soft serve, rotisserie chicken and tumeric tahini tempura broccoli! so sue me.
we’d for sure go to china town, lil Tokyo for a peruse
See if Mikey Brannon will squeeze us in for a tattoo, get our pictures taken in a photobooth obvioulsy
Ktown for karaoke then after midnight BCD tofu house, the one on Wilshire, for a hot stone bibimbap bowl with tofu
We’d have to go dancing, at Zebulon, honeys, or maybe tenants if the night took us that way!
Dinner we’re going to keep it local, cute, and sans frills, Indian sweets and spices in Atwater IYKYK, green leaves vegan on hillhurst, canters diner, 101 clarke street or Fred 62’s (late of course)
although if we did want to be a lil more boojie we would go to found oyster, lolo’s, saffys, horses, or Kazunori dtla.
We’d skate at moonlight rollerway, maybe find a local pottery class we can nip into, have a picnic at barnsdall park, get over priced ice cream for ARWAN in larchmont, go to the Los Feliz or Vista theatre to watch any movie,
and maybe drive to the beach in Malibu subject to the day traffic and weather !~

And the pis de resistance, Griffith park observatory at night

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?
Ah, shout outs to so many women!
Besides my mum and dad whom we’ll park and revisit,
I will start with two women in particular without whom I would not be in LA to say the least; exec extraordinaire Lorraine Warner, and stylist Cynthia Lawrence-John. Both gave me my first ever job, in styling, and production they taught me everything I know. They set the bar high, instilling important values I hold close to this day. Fierce, independent women, who speak their truth for betterment. They were the mentors I didn’t know I needed and will never forget.
Dear friends Deborah Fenstermacher, Lucie Veitch, Suzy Ratner, and Randy Stulberg amazing women and execs in Music, TV, and production whom since I moved to LA have continuously vouched for me, supported me as a friend and creative, pimping me out when and where they could, and continue to do so!
Paige Dorian who hired me for so many amazing projects, James RaQuel of NGNM who just always had my back, hiring me from the get-go without even seeing my work.
My visa and green card supporters; Lorraine and Cynthia mentioned above. Execs Matt Banks, James Mckinlay, Natasha Enshaei-Brugler, and photographer Dean Chalkley to name a few.
Wow, and just so many important friends who unbeknown to me continue to champion and be my cheerleader even when I’m left wondering why. In no particular order, and not excluding the already aforementioned, the following people have offered me support and encouragement beyond belief that has left a lasting imprint: Jerome Rousseau, Blossom, Romy Jo-Waller, Lucy Tcherniak, Stella Leoni, Aaron Casey, Chris Brock, Jasper aka Grant Jensen, Shelby Bryant, Alice Fox, Pinar Sener, Fred Holston, Emilyne Mondo, Ciaran O’ Shea, Makena Andros, Stefan Vlemming, Dan Shetron, Brent Barbano, James Hammond, Diana Chire, Leah Hibbert, Dani Wright, Lola Blanche, and last but not least Ali Yuman.

Special mentions to my therapist Erin Hannah Fein, and Brett Fleisher from the Yummy Heart who have helped me find a safe space to exist, and understand myself in a way that is more expansive than I could imagine. Brett doing so in community with others, harboring a safe space to be seen heard, and held, all whilst drinking tea in a wooden yurt in his beautiful back garden in Highland Park. Check out @theyummyheart. Zilah Drahn, of Plants and Spaces, who took a chance on me this year welcoming me into her beautiful business providing me the chance to be still in my first ever part time job.

Consequential strangers are all those we tend to overlook in our community that add to the foundations, whilst peacefully existing in the background. The barista you see every morning, the postman, the lady and her dog you say hi to everyday. So to all my consequential strangers in the mountains and around LA thank you for helping me feel like I belong.

And finally my Mum and Dad, for providing me with my lust for life, a strength and resilience that I didn’t know was possible, and the means to continue forward against it all.

Instagram: a_licias

Other: plantsandspacela.com
shivayogapractice.com
makenaurgf.com
silverspringsla.com
@mikeybrannon

Image Credits
1. Jerome Rousseau
2. Blossom Hollywood
3. Dani Wright
4. Diana Chire
5. Grant Jensen
7. Jerome Rousseau
8. Brittny Moore
9. Photo Booth Grand Central Market
12. Riley Westling
13, 14, 15, 16 Jerome Rousseau
17. Trevor Guyton
18. Blossom Hollywood