Meet Angela Ferdig | Creative
We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Ferdig and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Angela, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
I think the most important thing I’ve done as a parent for my children is to really, mindfully watch and listen to who they are and allow them the space and freedom to be that. The hardest part about the job of a parent is to coach and mold children through life without changing them at heart. We are all born with a strong burning flame of self. Sadly, our families and school purposefully and inadvertently extinguish the flame. My main purpose as a parent is to keep the flame burning strong so they can always guide themselves due North, especially at the darkest of times.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think I’m proudest of the fact that I can call myself a creative, or an artist and I believe it whole-heartedly. I don’t feel like a fraud anymore. My creative side has been suppressed for almost my entire life but creating is what gives me breath. Creating a scene, logo, picture, brand identity, website, marketing materials, a reel, etc it all makes me feel alive. I’ve had to overcome my parents, an ex-husband and “friends” wanting me to do something else and in some cases forcing me to. I’ve pressed on and I’m starting to find my footing in a way that goes back to who I am at my core.
I was a professional tennis player. Since I was 4 years old I was molded to be an athlete. I did not have a natural talent for it, and it was torture. I spent 20 yeas of my life on the court wishing I could get off of it. Instead of focusing on training or scouting opponents I sketched better t-shirt designs for tournaments, better tennis clothes or how a tennis club could be better designed and laid out. I carried a camera everywhere I went. After a year on the professional tour I quit playing. I went to work in marketing, design, pr. Even the worst jobs and bosses felt like magic because I was finally doing what I loved. But I had imposture syndrome. I didn’t go to art school and my media degree had no hands on experience except for an internship at a local ABC affiliate. Despite all the work titles I gathered throughout the decades it wasn’t until the last three years that I have come to fully accept I am an artist and a creative. It took having a wise mentor for me to take a good look in the mirror and believe what I was seeing is real.
I love connecting with people and hearing their stories and I think that’s why clients come to trust me with their own brands and companies. Creating isn’t just about what looks good to me, it’s about what represents the people who created the brand to begin with and their clients. Most products and services are launched because someone saw a need and they felt they could fill that void for people like themselves. So, when I listen carefully to an owner/creators’ story I am really also hearing their target audience’s story. My goal is to make that connection at its purest point and then to make the message and product look amazing. For me, there’s nothing more thrilling than when good design has a positive effect on the bottom line. That means we all get to continue doing what we love most!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ooooh I love LA as much today as the day I arrived and I’m proud to show it off to friends when they come to town. Because LA has so much traffic I feel, for efficiency’s sake it’s best to pair up location/experience to a good restaurant in the same areas. If my friends are into architecture the Gamble House in Pasadena is a must, specially if you’ve watched Downton Abbey. The Gamble House opened in 1909 and Downton Abbey took place between 1912-1926. You get to see life back then up close. Without A/C there were outdoor sleeping porches which the Gamble House has. It’s crazy to think of life back then without the internet let aloneelectricity. I’d hit Copa Vida for coffee and a snack before hand and then Fiore Market Cafe in South Pass. I love both places for their food quality and local neighborhood feel.
LACMA is another favorite because it has such iconic art installations on its grounds that have become quintessential LA sights. Urban Lights, the cluster of 1920’s street lamps at the entrance to the museum is fun to walk between and it’s also a very Instagram-able place. As is Levitated Mass, the hanging boulder at the other side of the museum. LACMA also has a great collection of art AND the Academy Museum is next door. It’s a great stop for any Hollywood buff. For an amazing meal and an iconic building, Republique is the restaurant pairing I’d do in this part of town. The building was built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin. In 1989 it became the iconic LA Brea Bakery and Campanile, and today it’s Republique. All of these places are gorgeous to photograph. At Republique look out for the knife that’s stuck in the wall.
I finally learned to surf this past year. It was a life long goal. I’ve shared my love for it with all my friends and many have jumped at the opportunity to learn. Surfing in Malibu doesn’t get more California. I would take them to get a lesson with Tony Zapata, a Malibu native and former pro surfer. The next stop from there would be the Malibu Country Mart with all its amazing shops and eateries. My favorite food stop is Broad Street Oyster Company. Their lobster rolls are the best! I do also love people watching at Sunlife Organics. That’s pure Malibu.
A trip to LA would not be complete without the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign so a stop at Hollywood and Highland is a must with a walk around the Kodak theater, the host site of the Oscars. My favorite spot to show out-of-towners the Hollywood sign is from the Griffith Observatory. I like to include a shortish hike because that is also so very LA. A pitstop at The Trails Cafe in Griffith Park is good place to get a fantastic sandwich and eat among the trees. The trail to the Observatory is across the street from the cafe. It’s a beautiful hike that ends at a beautiful building with a view of the Hollywood Sign.
Last but not least I love back to back adventures in DTLA. In one little huddle and in walking distance from each other, are great iconic and historical spots that all center around The Grand Central Market and all its fabulous eating options. The Bradbury Building is gorgeous with its architectural and film history. Angels Flight is an epic fun ride in a cable car that’s been in place since the 1920’s, it’s also a little scary I won’t lie. Down a couple blocks is The Last Bookstore, which feels like stepping into Harry Potter’s world. A couple blocks over is The Disney Concert Hall and The Broad Museum. Both are great buildings that have become very much a part of our “skyline” and fun to walk around. The Broad has a great art collection with modern pieces and experiences by Yayoi Kusama and Akashi Murakami as well as Warhol, Basquiat and Lichtenstein. If we’re in the mood for a really wonderful and special meal, I always recommend Chef Tim Hollingsworth’s Otium next door to The Broad. I adore that place for its originality of dishes, beautiful atmosphere and lovely staff. DTLA is steadily blooming with art and great restaurants. If I have fans of fashion and the show Making the Cut then I have to take them to The ROW, where all the winners show, and then to eat at one of the pizza places featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table, Pizzeria Bianco.
My take on LA is more towards the art and architecture of the city and its restaurants. I am a food photographer and I’m always looking for great backdrops to photograph people but I think it’s also because LA gave many architects the freedom to design without parameters and that feels very much like what this city has been for me and my creative development.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One Moms Battle is an organization started by Tina Swithin. It’s a support and educational group for women who are trying to get out of toxic and abusive marriages. The current system, in the words from Hulu’s “Fleishman’s in Trouble”, “the system is freighted for the fathers and there’s nothing to be done”. One Moms Battle has helped me not to feel alone, or shame in my process. I found friends, resources, education and a space to be creative through my pain. I’ve been documenting women’s stories going through this very litigious process. What’s common in every story and a serious blow to equal rights in the work force is that almost every woman in this process has lost her career or education due to an abusive man. This means the landscape of our workforce is changing against women and it’s not by choice. Across industries women are falling off the C-suite and upper management track because of domestic violence. The network of women I have met through One Moms Battle has been my life vest during the most turbulent time of my life.
Website: https://www.angelaferdig.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelaferdig/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-ferdig-a81909/
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.
