Bringing desert vibes to the District, Desert 2 District Design is a boutique design and art studio, creating original artwork, modern calligraphy, and custom illustration inspired by our desert roots and new home in D.C. 

Our Shop

Our shop will reopen in mid-September! Thanks for your support! In the meantime, look for us at local events or order custom work. Sign up for our mailing list or follow us on Instagram for the latest news of where we'll be next.

Modern Calligraphy

Custom lettering and modern calligraphy add class and personality to your event! Contact us for services ranging from custom signage to invitations to logo design.

Custom Portraits

Custom home paintings, family portraits or paintings of the family pet make great gifts. We love to create personalized artwork for you.

A glimpse into what we've been up to lately // Subscribe to our blog or follow us on instagram (@desert2district for design, watercolors and desert-inspired art and @hodgepodgeheidi for experimental work) for daily and weekly posts!

our latest blog posts
LIFE II 30 before 30 Update
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LOCAL II Elizabeth’s Gone Raw
LOCAL II Elizabeth’s Gone Raw
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LOCAL II SUNdeVICH
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LIFE II 18 in 2018 Update (with FREE downloadable template)
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LOCAL II Crumbs & Whiskers Cat Cafe
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LOCAL II Farmers & Distillers Spotlight
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LIFE II 18 in 2018 Progress Report
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LOCAL II Olde City Farm & Garden Spotlight
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LIFE II Painting Our Wedding Ceremony
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LOCAL II Morris American Bar Spotlight
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I love giving people gifts, especially when I manage to keep them a surprise, and yesterday I got to gift this portrait to a sweet co-worker of mine whose dog has been ill. Her reaction is why I absolutely love making custom art for friends and clients. 💖 Would you give custom art as a gift?
Capturing @citycenterdc's summer vibes before the season changes. ☀️ Every weekend that I'm in D.C., I try to visit and illustrate a new place and this week I finally illustrated City Center. The colorful, seasonal decor makes me smile every time I walk by. Hope you are all having a relaxing Sunday!
Happy Friday (& #fridayintroductions)! I realize more and more that I'm happiest when I'm outside and exploring. 🏝 I'm missing all of our Hawaii adventures, but am very excited to catch up on sleep and some projects this weekend. What do you have planned?
Organizing my travel paintings is such a nice way to relive my trip. I'm already itching to get back on the road with my paints soon! Which do you like best--landscapes or architecture?
Pau. Solo Traveler, Attorney and Mentor, Creator of @hermanasinthelaw // 1/30 portraits of #30boldwomen
With my 30th birthday fast approaching, I have been thinking about the women I admire and how I want to live my next decade. The older I get, the more I admire bold women who aren’t afraid to ask for what they want and to tackle things that scare them. To celebrate my birthday, I’m painting 30 portraits of bold women and I’d love for you to nominate the bold women in your life that you admire (self-nominations are welcome too!). Just fill out the form (link in bio) and you may see your nomination on my feed. #30boldwomen // self-portrait, gouache on mixed media paper
9/40 my gouache tribute to #arethafranklin
8/40 celebrating exploration, gouache and watercolor on mixed media paper
2017-09-21 09.30.23.jpg

About

Desert 2 District Design is the creative project of Heidi Nielson, a self-taught artist and designer based in Washington, D.C.