We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lauren Besser. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lauren below.

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I have of course thought about this many times over the years. Ultimately I am definitely happier as a creative. I have worked traditional jobs, a stint working in a large corporate office was the one that solidified my long-held feelings that I would eventually start my own creative venture. There are many ways to exist as part of our collective and I find it unsettling we’re socialised to think there is one particular pathway to reach clearly defined markers of success, built on traditional notions of profit rather than purpose. This does a real disservice to the individual as well as in a broader macro context. It stymies creativity, innovation, and progress at all levels. It keeps the individual unfulfilled, tame, obedient, and suppressed. I don’t need to work through the emotions regarding a creative living versus a more traditional one as much as I used to when I felt a lot of pressure around me to earn a secure income, to have a more ‘stable’ career. I’ve learnt to live in a way which allows me to follow my curiosity. This feels more important to me than anything else, at least in this moment.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Sure. My educational/university background is in Psychology. I didn’t pursue it as a career however I have come back to it during the pandemic and started working in forensic mental health before relocating to New York. This led me on a path to psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions, specifically trauma which is an area of interest I’m continuing to engage with and pursue separate to my creative practice. I see the link between my curiosity for mental health conditions and jewelry-making but I might save that explanation for another day.

As a child I was no doubt influenced by my late grandfather who was an avid art collector. It was an absolute privilege growing up surrounded by his wild paintings, pottery, ceramics, jewelry, canes, and sculptures. It was like a magical wonderland. He had a very distinct eye for beauty which has greatly influenced my creativity and the way I move through the world more broadly. In terms of my jewelry training, I had not studied metalsmithing so I fell into jewelry making without having the traditional skills. This turned out to be a real gift as with ignorance comes the potential for greater possibility. I was a creative child often sewing, cutting up and altering clothes, and experimenting with different materials and mediums. I was in between jobs when I decided to take the chance using my savings to put together a small collection of jewelry and simply see how it would be received, jewelry being a hobby I was enjoying at the time. I showed the collection to my family at a group dinner one evening. They didn’t understand the aesthetic so were not exactly encouraging, but fortunately a patron at the restaurant we were dining at happened to see me showing them. She approached me asking how she could buy them and the rest is history (though there is of course a lot more to the story!) The next few years were spent working from my kitchen table, staying up until 2am most mornings. For a business working with hand-made product I feel fortunate to have been able to supply large volume orders to the likes of Swarovski etc. I’m proud of managing to keep the business in house, not pivoting to offshore production even though it would mean greater financial success and scale, and that I have remained true to my vision, values, work ethic and brand identity.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely – experimentation and curiosity. I love finding new and unconventional ways to do things. As I’ve not trained in metalsmithing this means I’ve had a lot more freedom to find out how to do even the most basic of things, such as soldering. By not necessarily following the tried and proven path it’s given me a broader sense of possibility. I extend this thinking to traditional academia, and life. Whilst I’m of course all for education I find that learning a particular way to do things, to interpret ideas etc can be very limiting regarding innovation. A unique lens, and particularly the space to express it, is imperative for new ways of thinking, doing and being.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

People and government need to invest more in funding the arts. It’s that simple. Artists/art make the world go around in so many fundamental ways. When we speak of art we are speaking to beauty. Beauty is what keeps humans in awe. Awe is what keeps us humble, inspired, and knowing our place in the grand scheme of things. It also often provokes social change by being provocative/political, a pivotal role amidst the social fabric.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maripossa.com.au/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maripossajewellery/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/laurenbesser1