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

Hi Allie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I had a humbling reckoning with the concept of work life balance about a year ago, at a peak of burnout in my life. I have had much time to reconcile with the qualities within me that have the capacity to burn out, and be honest with them. I have decided that burnout, or the immense lack of balance, in my life comes to fruition when I am living a life in which I have to have a “Work Self” and a “Real Self”, a professional self and an authentic self. I don’t believe these identities need to be separate; in fact, Think we can be at our most successful when we infuse our most genuine parts with what we choose to share with the world around us. I consider this balance of how we understand, process, and share ourselves with the world around us to be where magic can reside. I bring my highest self into what I do, and that is felt by those I share my energy with professionally. I am more effective when I’m in tune with myself, set the boundaries I need, and embody the energy of knowing my worth, in professional settings and beyond. Having transparency with myself allows me to be honest with those who I am in service to, which sparks more creative fire, collaboration, and balance.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
While I work professionally supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their self-advocacy, I see my work in the realm of disability justice as not separate from my creative life. Art for me is survival, and what I have always done in order to maintain the heart that I have for service to others. As a child, I spent a lot of time entertaining myself, and learned from an early age that any amount of wonder I was to feel in my life was my responsibility to notice. I never expected to be handed easy awe, but I never negated that it was present and able to be found. I have been observing details my whole life, which has translated naturally to storytelling, poetry, photography, songwriting, and facilitation. My biggest message in these practices is not that my perspective is anything special. I believe, with a degree of certainty, that anyone is able to make art that is heartfelt and true, because everyone has a full scope of lived experiences to draw from. The only difference with someone who dedicates their life work to an artistic lens is that they take the time to look closely and document in some way, even if only for themselves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ruby Fruit for a Drink Barnsdall Art Park for a Picnic
The Pacific Coast Highway, Winter, Sunset Time (with added time to share with the sanderlings)
Proud Mary Fashion to Shop
Sidecar – Eggs Benedict Donut

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my high school English teachers who encouraged my writing and introduced me to the world of poetry, via my biggest inspiration to date, Mary Oliver.

Website: alliestewartphotography.squarespace.com

Instagram: dralliestewart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-stewart-3b1218283/

Image Credits
Headshot via Kayla von de Heide

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.