Former professional ballerina, current actress and intl photographer (who's even captured the great migration!) based in Los Angeles with a strong lust for adventure, authentic storytelling, and connecting to others on a soulful human level
1. Tell us your name, where you were born, and your first memory you have from where you began!
Hi! I’m Sarah Jane Murray and I was born in a small city in Northern California called Stockton. First memory I have from growing up there is dancing in a onesie to Richard Simmons as my Mom preps dinner. Or possibly dancing in tights and a turtle neck to my Dad’s favorite Beatle’s vinyl. I had happy feet as a kid.
2. What were the overlaying cultural themes in your family? How did that align or differ to the communities you were surrounded by?
My family didn’t really lean into our cultural background too much. I primarily come from Scandinavian, German, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Even though we’re considered white, the city that I grew up in was incredibly diverse. Stockton’s population consists primarily of Asian, Hispanic, Black and Indian…
Hang-outs at friend’s houses consisted of incredibly delicious home cooked meals, lumpia, curry, and homemade chai tea were a few favorites. I was always surrounded by several differing religions and cultures and that felt normal to me. When I look back at photos I stuck out like a sore thumb often being the only redhead and the only white person.
The Great Migration
3. What did you like least about where you grew up? What did you like most?
There was a lot of gang activity and definitely streets that you’re not supposed to go down, but if you just stayed out of trouble you were fine! The best part was having so many green areas to play, dream and run around in. Being 2 hours from Yosemite and 1.5 hours from Monterey, is something I absolutely took for granted. It wasn’t until I left the state that I realized how spoiled I was with nature at my doorstep. My parents were adamant about giving us a childhood filled with camping and trekking in the wilderness.
4. What was the first big idea you ever had? Did it come to fruition in some sense?
I wanted to climb Mount Everest after reading Into Thin Air as a 10 year old. I didn’t actually climb Everest, but I reached the base of it after trekking in the back country of the Himalayas for 3 weeks after recovering from surgery a few months before.
I had been diagnosed with Melanoma in June '17 and was at the base of Everest by October of '17.
That was one of the first big moments where I realized ANYTHING is possible if you dedicate your heart and mind to it.
Mt. Everest
5. Who influenced your taste in expression as a child? How so?
I would have to say my parents, and a few old time musicals like Singing in the Rain, South Pacific, Fosse, etc… My Dad was a motorcycle stuntman, ballet dancer and photographer and always challenged me to see beyond what is beautiful or interesting on a surface level. He would take me on father/daughter days and we would drive to somewhere random and take photos of pond scum, or dew on a railing, or to just meet strangers and take the time to listen to them. He made beauty, imagination, and discovery feel limitless and exciting. My Mom had a magical way of making all moments enjoyable. She has a very spontaneous spirit that always led to incredibly fun adventures, whether it was a trip to the coast or to the thrift store. My Mom instilled in me a sense of spontaneity and made sure I found the joy in everything I did. So my taste in expression has always come from a foundation of pushing the boundaries of what is beautiful and interesting, led by a sense of spontaneous curiosity and adventure.
6. What was the first full album you purchased/found and couldn’t get enough
of? What did it make you feel?
First album I purchased was the sound track to the movie “That Thing You Do” hahahahaha. But I remember being 5 and memorizing almost the entire soundtrack to the Phantom of the Opera on my Mom’s cassette in our Buick Oldsmobile. I also LOVED George Gershwin, Yanni, Phil Keaggy… I remember feeling transported, like it was something that was much bigger than my current reality. And it always had me dreaming of a bigger and more exciting life.
7. What hobbies, sports, events, arts, were you drawn to before the age of 10? Do you feel like you’re still interacting with these same genres in your current time in life? Do you miss any of them?
My life revolved around my ballet career when I was a kid. When I turned 10 I spent my first summer studying in New York with the Joffrey Ballet. My ballet career was taken very seriously by my whole family. I’m no longer doing ballet, but it led me to acting, which then pushed me into photography and I couldn’t be more happy with where I landed in the world of the arts. I will sometimes think back on my time as a dancer and will miss the physical form of expression, but I also recognize that it was a healthy and necessary thing for me to step away.
8. Who was your first best friend? What is your most vivid memory of your friendship?
Christine Mullen was my first best friend at the age of 6, and she remains my best friend to this day. Most vivid memory I have with her is crying laughing in her beat up Saturn sedan. We were 17 and on our way to Big Sur for a camping trip without the parents. The cranks on her windows were broken, the AC was broken and the radio broke 5 minutes into the trip. It was the middle of summer and in the 90’s. We had to pull over multiple times just to air out. But no matter the cost we were determined to go camping. We got to Big Sur only to find out that 80% of the campgrounds were closed due to wild fires, and we ended up spending our entire budget on a site for one night. We ate crackers for every meal and had an absolute blast. That was the moment that I realized I had a friend for life.
9. Where do you go to find your peace?
Nature ALWAYS! And if I can’t get away I’ll watch a nature or adventure documentary. Tales by Light, Free Solo, The Dawn Wall, Meru, Salt of the Earth a portrait of Sebastião Salgado are a few that I turn to.
10. What is a lifelong goal you can’t wait to start? What is it about it that brings you to life?
I’m already working my way towards it, but I would love for my work to be published on a large scale so that it can impact more people. Knowing that I did everything that I could with my passion and purpose during my time here is what fuels me and brings me to life.
11. Where do you wish to travel to that you have never been? Why?
This is SUCH an IMPOSSIBLE question! I want to see the entire world, the more remote locations the better. I enjoy big cities, but I have a greater fascination of communities that live off the grid. Breathing in landscapes that very few people have seen in person. For some reason those experiences feel so much more special.
12. How do you connect best with other people?
One on one. I feel as though having deep, personal, meaningful conversations with people is one of my greatest strengths. Learning about a stranger, carrying for someone else, and truly sharing a loving moment of exchanging our truths is something I live for.
13. Favorite song of the moment?
I’m going back and forth between Big Wild and Leon Bridges. Current uplifting jam is “For the Love” by Big Wild.
14. What are you most proud of at this exact moment in time?
Getting my photography business off the ground. It has felt like 1 step forward and 3 steps back, but I refuse to give up on seeing it flourish. Another personal feat that I’m really proud of is investing in a therapist. I think everyone should invest in therapy if they’re interested in reaching their fullest potential.
15. What is the thing you are most shy about? What is the worst that could happen if you did it?
I’m most shy about being involved in group conversations. I would much rather be a fly on the wall in group settings. The worst that could happen would be that I say something dumb, and no one reacts or shoots down my opinion hahaha. It’s funny how as an adult we can still struggle with elementary fears.
16. What are the qualities that you value most in a friend today?
Compassion, kindness, empathy, loyalty, trust, ambition, and self care.
17. How do you find your calm in tumultuous times?
Yoga and meditation have been my saving grace. And it doesn’t have to be a full hour long thing, it could be 5 minutes here or 5 minutes there. But when sh**t really hits the fan I go off the grid. I escape to nature with my tent for a few days. It could be the desert, mountains, ocean doesn’t matter. Nature humbles me, grounds me and also makes me aware of my internal strength.
18. What is your current greatest fear?
Not being significant enough, or not doing enough during my time here.
19. What is your current greatest strength?
Caring for others.
20. What brings you the most joy?
Seeing that I made a positive impact in someone’s life.
21. How does your current line of work support your core values?
My core values are to treat everyone and everything with love and compassion. To lift others up along my journey, and to bravely wear my heart on my sleeve. My work as a photographer allows me to connect with others on a very vulnerable level. In order to truly capture the essence of a person or a place I want to know them intimately, and that often means spending time with them to understand who they are. The end result of that image will hopefully make a lasting positive impact on whoever views it. Whether it’s making someone feel confident in their own skin, helping someone fall in love with a landscape, raising awareness about wildlife, saving our parks or shining a light on a culture that sits under the radar… my work was born from my morals and values.
Yosemite
22. What advice would you give your 10 year old self? What advice would your
10 year old self give you?
I would tell my 10 year old self that everything is going to be ok. Don’t be afraid to take breaks. You don’t have to be perfect in everything you do. You’ll feel the urge to be invisible often. Fight that urge and stand in your light, the world will be attracted to your shine. Have courage and be kind. If my 10 year old self were giving advice to me now it would be to always add an extra 10% more effort than everyone else. I was highly competitive as a kid haha.
23. What projects are you working on now that you are most excited about? Why
are they so valuable to you?
I’m currently working on pitching a travel show. Been working on it for about a year now, and it remains a work in progress. It combines everything I love, and I would be able to shoot it with some of my closest friends who are insanely talented filmmakers. Hopefully making our mark and sharing humanity’s story.
24. Who would you have coffee with dead or alive? Why?
Sebastião Salgado hands down. He not only is one of the most legendary photographers, but he recognized that it’s just as important to photograph life as it is to photograph tragedy. And in the wake of this realization he planted millions of trees which turned a desolate valley into a flourishing forest.
25. Who do you find most inspiring at this current time in your life?
Seeing people fight for what they believe in. Seeing individuals strive to follow their dreams against all odds.
26. Do you have a morning or night routine? If so, why are they important to you?
Morning routine revolves around making the perfect cup of pour over coffee hahahaha. Night routine is double checking my emails/texts, double checking my to-do list and update it for the next day. Do an evening stretch or short yoga session, and check in with my breathe. I’m not a morning person, so having my slow mornings that have a linear focus is important to me. If I start off rushed I feel rushed for the whole day.
27. How do you best honor yourself?
I try to always make time to catch a sunset, find stillness and thank the day for what it gave me. To seek gratitude for the good in my life. I got very lucky and live next to a park with hills, so I’ll often do an evening hike and find a quiet spot to meditate.
28. What is the craziest thing you want to do?
Desperately want to go trekking through the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. It’s the worlds largest cave and takes several days to get through. It has 3 natural openings and is so large that is has its own weather system. I would also love to climb El Cap, but I definitely got to get back into the climbing gym for that haha.
29. What is your favorite meal to cook when you need something fast, and when
you are ready to invest in the kitchen?
When I need something fast its chips and salsa hahaha. When I want to take my time on something I enjoy making really good stews or roasts.
30. What is your favorite question to ask others?
What’s your passion?
31. What are your favorite travel tips?
ALWAYS buy your flight through SkyScanner if you want to save money. Use a Chase credit card while traveling abroad to rack in those points! Have cash on you at all times. Always bring body wipes in case you find yourself in a city or village that doesn’t have running water.
32. And of course, what is your go-to travel snack?
Practically anything spicy and salty (aka flaming hot Munchies, I know it’s trash lol)… but if that’s not available I’m a sucker for roasted almonds and bubbly water. If I’m going to be at elevation I keep candied ginger ready, the sugar and ginger help with the nausea.
Sarah Jane currently resides in Los Angeles when she's not mischiefing in the mountains of a remote island. See links below for contact and more work by Sarah Jane.
Photography:
Acting:
Ginger on the Run YouTube:
The Stumbleweeds YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyV1PPPFWzwZQwDEWPE6mg
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