Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Sadler.
Olivia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In regards to calligraphy, it started as a pseudo-hobby/calming task for when I got super stressed with 2016. Sparing everyone the details and potential pity party, it was by far the toughest year of my life. I struggled with self-worth, confidence, and a sense of purpose, and during the days of endlessly scrolling through my Instagram Explore, I watched a video of a woman, Shinah Chang, doing modern-style calligraphy. Her account, Crooked Calligraphy, consists of the most beautifully written curse words and made-up vulgarities. It was exactly what I needed to see at the time. Shinah dropped out of law school to become a calligrapher, and now, she runs an incredibly successful business. The huge risk she took paid off, undoubtedly thanks to a lot of hard work. There wasn’t any particular moment where I realized I wanted to be a calligrapher, but because of her account, I started trying to emulate what I saw. I would get sucked in for hours, trying to practice writing her hilarious phrases, and I could distract myself and take time to heal. Flash forward three years, my style of writing has morphed along with my self-worth, confidence, and sense of purpose that I was struggling to find before. In 2019, I’m a public health graduate student, psychology researcher, and calligrapher. I’m practicing edits on people’s logos, wedding invites, branding, home decor, and so many other exciting pieces. Somehow my meditation became pretty sweet side gig! Thanks to all the strong women in my life, especially my mother and best friends, I made it out of that funk – even better than I was before.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Like I mentioned before, the road to where I am now started off really rocky. It was full of significant medical issues, among other things, and those will really eat away at your sense of self. While you’re going through a rough patch, or a much longer journey, be kind to yourself. Try to be patient and consciously avoid saying things to yourself that you wouldn’t say to someone that you care about. It’s clearly harder than it sounds because society has taught women to feel less-than in so many facets of our personal and professional lives. Leave the negativity to them, and be kind to yourself.
We’d love to hear more about Olivia Sadler Calligraphy.
Well, running Olivia Sadler Calligraphy is my third “job”. I’m in grad school and working full-time, in addition to being a calligrapher; honestly, it keeps me sane during the busiest of times. Growing up, I didn’t picture myself becoming a business owner, but I never wrote it off (never say never – it’ll catch up with you). But there’s always been this clear split in my brain, and my job and grad school were taking care of the analytic side, so I needed balance. Now that I’m finally honing skills that utilize the creative side, I’m creating modern calligraphy that I can put on just about anything: mirrors, chalkboards, stone, leaves, walls, paper, metal, acrylic – you name it.
I absolutely love addressing envelopes for clients, especially for weddings and other big special occasions. Sending handwritten letters is massively underrated, so creating invitations or cards, and then sealing it with a wax stamp is a classy and elegant way to make someone feel special. Additionally, the clients and collaborators I get to work with are some of my favorite people I’ve ever met, and I feel eternally grateful for the connections I’ve made through a job I basically happened upon. They have pushed me to create things I didn’t realize I was capable of making (i.e. a 6 foot tall buffet menu for a wedding, company logos, etc.). In the future, I hope to take this on more full-time, but for now, I’m very happy with how my business is growing!
Which women have inspired you in your life?
The list is far too long because I find inspiration in woman I meet. I was raised by strong women, mentored by strong women, taught by strong women, healed by strong women. I work with strong women, listen to music made by strong women, support businesses owned by strong women, read books written by strong women. I admire all of them and their strengths, and they inspire me daily. If we can continue to support and learn from each other every day, the growth will be endless.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oliviasadlercalligraphy.com
- Email: oliviasadlercalligraphy@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/oscalligraphy/
Image Credit:
A. Thomas Photography (https://www.athomasphotography.com/)
– photo of long menu and fans with peach int the middle
Rachel Feinberg (https://www.instagram.com/shutter.berg/)
– Personal Photo
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