Designer Lauren Bessette Finds Creativity in D.C.’s Quiet Spaces

Bessette talks the creative community in D.C., and how its green spaces are central to avoiding burnout.

We spoke with 15 innovative creators around D.C. to learn more about their work. Check out the full roundup here.

With work including interior design, custom installations, murals and other original artworks, Lauren Bessette’s creations can be found all over D.C. We caught up with the owner and lead designer of Lo Bessette Co. to talk her projects and what she does to connect with the creative spirit.

District Fray: When your art is also your work, how do you maintain the creative spirit?
Bessette: I believe that as creatives, our work is not simply learned skills, but comes from our core being. Therefore, we have to nurture and feed the self in order to create a home within us where our creativity can flourish. For me, practicing yoga and mindfulness, spending time in nature and with my sweet pup Bambi, taking rest in solitude and spending time with my fellow creatives are all essential to creating a foundation for my ideas to grow. We all go through creative slump periods; it’s important to accept this as part of the process and honor your need for rest to be able to create again.

What is a project you’re really proud of?
I’d probably say a recent interior design project I completed for a D.C. bar and restaurant. This was a large redesign project that tested my skill set and tenacity. The final product came out beautifully. I learned and grew a lot personally, as a designer and as a business owner. 

When you disconnect from work, where do you go in D.C. to recharge?
I disconnect and recharge myself daily by catching a vinyasa flow class at Past Tense Yoga in Mount Pleasant. Yoga, for me, is instrumentally helpful in washing away the stresses of entrepreneurship. It allows me to approach my life and work with a calm and creative center. Additionally, I take frequent early morning hikes with my dog in Rock Creek Park. Spending time in nature quiets my mind and provides peace, tranquility and grounding.

What’s your favorite street art in D.C. and why?
Instead of a particular piece, I have to say the DC Walls festival as a whole. The festival aims at celebrating a wide range of muralists with all different styles. Last year, the DC Walls organizer’s son painted a sick dragon/dinosaur mural and I damn near cried when I saw it. Just take a walk along the Metropolitan Branch Trail and catch artists like E$, Nate Mann and Nicole Bourgea to name a few.

Keep up with Bessette’s upcoming projects by following her on Instagram @lobeanie. 

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Abi Newhouse