When Is the Meaning of Life: Interview with Alexander AD

About this episode

In this episode, Clarissa interviews artist Alexander AD about his creative journey and impact on the Altadena community post-fires.

In this episode, I sit down with Alexander AD: artist, designer, photographer, chef, and filmmaker whose work in Altadena has quietly shaped how the community remembers and reimagines life after the fires. We explore: Alexander’s journey from corporate VP to full-time creativeHow growing up with strict expectations led him back to artThe role of resilience, curiosity, and intention in his workHis deep connection to Altadena and the Eaton fire recoveryThe story behind his proposed mural inst...

People in this episode

Host: Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey

Guest: Alexander AD

Topics covered

• art
• resilience
• community
• creativity
• personal journey

Keywords

• artist
• designer
• photographer
• chef
• filmmaker
• Altadena
• Eaton fire
• resilience
• creativity

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Altadena

More episodes of Painting Your Path

• What If Your Next Prescription Was Creativity? · June 12, 2026 · 14 min
• The Mid-Year Pause: How To Find Your Way Back · June 5, 2026 · 13 min
• Mid-Year Truths: What’s Actually Working · May 29, 2026 · 12 min
• The Cost of Staying Hidden · May 22, 2026 · 16 min
• When did We Stop Knowing What We Want? · May 8, 2026 · 11 min
• I’ll Start Soon Is a Lie · May 1, 2026 · 10 min