Meet Alicia Patel | Creative Director

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

Hi Alicia, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
A lot of people think that when you work in a creative field, ideas just come to you like visions, that you have to “feel” it. But like any job, you have to work really hard to push ideas out most of the time. You have to do your homework and revise over and over. The seed of an idea can come intuitively, but there are many steps to turning that into something good that solves the design problem. I sometimes liken it to giving birth mentally! It can really drain you but when you create something that’s just right for the client, it’s an amazing, satisfying feeling.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

My background is in graphic design and photography. I studied and worked in both fields before I decided to focus on graphic design. Having knowledge of both gives me a unique perspective in terms of storytelling.

I started my career in magazine design, then worked for years as both an in-house and agency designer, art director, and creative director. After working for other people and organizations, I thought, I can do this on my own now. I had a young child at the time and was really looking for flexibility. There’s a lot on the business and management side you need to know when you start any business. And I went to art school! But I used what I had learned in previous positions and talked to friends and read about other people’s experiences, and I just dove in. It was scary and tough at first, and I learned a lot by making mistakes, but eventually, it gelled and that felt great.

One important lesson I’ve learned along the way is how important it is for people to like working with you. They have to “like” you.. Not just your work. And it works the other way, too. If I have to choose between someone whose work is exceptional but they’re a pain, versus someone whose work is great but is easy to work with, I’ll choose the latter any day. Being able to listen and pick out the good stuff, being open-minded and a creative thinker, having the drive, discipline and forethought to get to the right solution, and being a plain old hard worker are all qualities that I strive for personally, and look for in people I work with.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

What I love about LA is what a lot of people don’t like about it.. that it’s spread out. So there’s so much to explore. You can go to Venice or the South Bay or Eagle Rock or Downtown LA and it feels like you’ve just visited 4 different cities.

I live on the edge of Koreatown and Korean food happens to be my favorite food. I’d definitely take my friend to a BBQ place, maybe Park’s or Oo Kook, and lunch at BCD Tofu House. I love grocery shopping at SK Market so I’d take them with me, then make them a homemade Korean meal (my version!). A friend recently introduced me to N-Soto, an amazing Japanese restaurant. I love EVERYTHING on the menu and the drinks are great too.

For a fun activity, I’d take them to Shatto 39 Lanes, a bowling alley from the 50’s that’s pretty much kept the same set up and equipment. I like that it’s not trendy or “designed—it’s just the way it is and genuinely feels like you’ve stepped back in time.

I spend a lot of time at Pan Pacific Park with my kids and to me, it’s the most LA park I’ve ever been to. All types of people are there, all mixed together – eating, playing, hanging out, playing music, working out, walking dogs. I’d definitely take them there on a weekend day so they can really get a feel for how Angelenos kick back on a day off. Descanso Gardens and the LA Arboretum are also fun places to just walk and enjoy some downtime. And I’d have to take them to Amoeba for sure.

The people are what make LA so interesting to me. Everyone from everywhere is here and they’re all welcome, and even encouraged, to do their own thing. So you have this incredible mix of people and personalities all interacting. I’d definitely have some of my friends over for a dinner party so my visiting friend could meet some real Angelenos!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Jacqueline Moorby gave me one of my first jobs at a fitness/lifestyle magazine. I wasn’t completely qualified but I was hardworking and disciplined and super eager to learn, and I told her so! She gave me a chance where I think a lot of people wouldn’t have because my resume didn’t fit the bill. I ended up learning so much from her, and I grew into the job and beyond. It really kicked off my career in graphic design.

Website: https://its-golden.com