Meet Sara Bowersock of Point Blank Art & Design in Westminster

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Bowersock, owner of Point Blank Art & Design.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Sara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Hmm..well…I guess I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember. I used to get in trouble in Kindergarten for taking crayons to recess and drawing on the outside doors of the building haha.

I was living in Tulsa, OK, and although I really wanted to go to Savannah School of Art, I ended up going to college locally, at the University of Tulsa. I enrolled in the graphic design program because that was the only way I knew of at the time that an artist could actually make a living. I didn’t really LOVE design, and unfortunately, the required design classes didn’t allow for painting or printmaking, so I only got to do some drawing classes and a LOT of art history (a required minor for the Design program).

While in college, one of my professors introduced me to the art of Shepard Fairey and Banksy, and I fell in love. I was already a big Warhol/pop art fan, and I absolutely loved Ralph Steadman and the slightly controlled chaos his work exuded. I started playing with acrylic paints, stencils and spray paint at home, and that is what started the trajectory of where I ended up.

I graduated with a BFA for Graphic Design and immediately got a job working for a company in Tulsa where I got to design gift bags, gift card holders, stickers, etc. (think Christmas, birthday, valentines day)…It was an incredibly fun job – I always told people I got to draw “disgustingly cute shit” for a living. Snowmen, Santas, hearts, little critters – the company’s client list included (still includes) places like Wal-Mart, Target, TJ Maxx, the list goes on. So it was always fun to see my designs on display in these stores across the country. However, I guess I still had a creative itch to scratch. I submitted a couple of paintings to a local art show at a gallery my friend owned. To my surprise, people were loving my work. I sold the pieces I submitted to that show and was offered a solo show.

I sold nearly every piece at that first show – it blew my mind – and I wanted to keep doing more.

I started painting things that I enjoy. Mostly, music-related subject matter, old school movie monsters, and again, to my surprise, OTHER people liked these things enough to buy paintings of them haha. I was fortunate to have friends that owned different businesses and offered for me to do shows, so I did a couple of shows each year, selling original paintings. In 2008 I opened an Etsy shop and started selling prints. The business continued to grow, and I continued doing shows in shops and bars, and art festival type events.

In 2012, I got married and moved to Colorado. I continued to work from home for the company I had been working for in Tulsa making gift bags. My husband was really a fan of me letting go of the day job, and really encouraged me to pursue the art full time, that was a scary thought to me. I mean, the term “Starving Artist” exists for a reason.

But, slowly, I started doing more and more art festivals, increasing my wholesale accounts, increasing my commissions. It was getting to the point that it was hard to do the business and work a day job. My day job was pretty stressful. Always fast paced, fires to put out, crazy deadlines, and I was trying to run the business in between that. The stress and anxiety was getting worse and worse, each year, as I was trying to decide what to do. Let go of the day job and pursue the thing that doesn’t yield a steady paycheck, a 401k, health insurance? Or let go of the business, so I could focus on working the 8-5, and enjoy my evenings, weekends, paid vacation, insurance, and 401k?

Finally, in September 2018, I had to go to Tulsa for work, and I thought, this is the right time to resign. I had been at the company nearly 13 years – (the only “real” job I’ve had my adult life) and wanted to resign in person. I gave my resignation and told them I would stay on until December 31. They were wonderful. Even saying I didn’t have to return any of their equipment right away because they wanted me to freelance etc. It was perfect…

But then I got back home. I was excited at first, but slowly the “what if’s” started taking over. I spiraled into intense, debilitating, anxiety and major depression. It was the darkest period in my 38 years on this planet. I ended up rescinding my resignation, thinking some of the pressure would lift, and I’d feel better knowing I went with the more stable job than pursuing the art career. However, it only made things worse. A lot worse. I shut off my Etsy shop, ignored emails, canceled planned events from October through January.

I had a suicide attempt, and hospitalization. A place I never thought I’d be in a million years. I had completely unraveled. The anxiety was so crippling there was no way I could go back to work at this point. So, I REALLY resigned this time and was determined to dedicate myself to healing and getting better mentally, emotionally, and physically. With the amazing support of friends, family, and therapists, I FINALLY started to come around. SLOWLY. But some progress was better than no progress.

I had signed up for a series of 16 shows, The Oddities & Curiosities Expo (the same show done in multiple cities) for the year. The first one was January 19th. I didn’t know if I was ready, but with my husband’s support and encouragement, we went. It was the first time in months I finally felt a glimmer of my old self, and some hope, real hope. Being with the other artists, the traveling, the people we were getting to meet…I knew I was where I was supposed to be. Since then, we’ve been to Tulsa and Dallas, and I’m heading to Indianapolis this week, 12 more cities to go after that! (The Denver show will be October 5 at the Denver Mart).

Although it was hardest time of my life so far, I’m grateful for the journey that has brought me to where I’m at. I’m hoping to create some new pieces that are a lot different from my usual work. Paintings that tell this story. That people can look at and find hope in. Create something that exudes hope and light, through the struggle. Suicide, depression, anxiety…these things can come with a lot of shame and stigma. And I’ve decided I don’t want to hide in that shame, I want to share my story – because someone, somewhere, may need to hear it, or read it, and it may help them know they are not alone. I know personally, when other people have shared their stories, I am grateful, and they’ve helped me. So I want to do the same.

It’s clearly not been the smoothest of roads, but overall what have been some of the biggest struggles?
I’m just getting started on this journey, so I know there will be more businesslike struggles to come, but for now, I think one of the biggest things I personally struggle with is comparing myself to others and what they’re doing in business or art. I start thinking “oh, I probably need to do this or that” or whatever. But really, what I need to do is be true to myself and my vision. I don’t need to do what anyone else is doing, I don’t need to compare myself with other artists or other business owners. There’s so many amazing artists out there and it’s hard not to be like “oh wow, I wish I could do stuff like this or that”, to which my husband always replies “the world doesn’t need another (insert name here), it needs a Sara Bowersock” haha. He’s smart.

Staying focused on the here and now and not worrying too much about the future is hard..but I guess ultimately, I’d rather fail at trying to make a career/business out of my art, than regret never trying. I’ll be grateful for whatever time I have getting to do what I love the most!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Point Blank Art & Design – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I strive to create paintings that grab people and evoke emotion. Whether through color, composition, or subject matter, I love taking a familiar image and breathing new life into it, giving it a fresh look, and a spontaneous dynamic. I want the viewer to recognize the images, and hope that they will bring all of their original associations with the image to my context.

I mostly sell prints (I don’t currently have any available originals), but I take a lot of commission work.

The thing I’m most proud of as a company? Probably the fact I’m actually a company hahaha. This is my JOB now. I have grown enough to quit my day job. I was basically always lead to believe you couldn’t support yourself being an artist…but here I am. So I am proud of that! So many people will ask “what do you do” and I will say “I’m an artist” and they will say something like “I mean, what do you do for a living” or “well, what do you do for work to make money?” haha…”I SELL MY ART”… I’m not sure how many people believe that, as opposed to just thinking “well, her husband probably pays all the bills” haha. And it’s true, I may not have been as likely to take this leap without his support, but I still had to take the leap, and I still have to contribute to paying bills haha.

Also pretty proud of the fact I stalked Jack White and found him, and gave him a painting. Maybe that’s not something to be proud of as a company..ummm….or as a person…stalking probably should not be a thing to be proud of, haha, but it gave me great joy. And he seemed to like it. I still wonder whatever happened to it once it left my hands…

What sets us apart from others?
Hmmm, well, I do pride myself on great customer service, and I love customer interaction. I really care that my customers and clients are happy with what they purchase, and I really strive to maintain great relationships.

We also love to give back. Since I always consider myself to have one foot in Tulsa, one in Denver, we give 10% of our profits to charity, splitting it between one Tulsa charity, and one Denver charity. Last year we gave to Feline Fix in Denver (Colorado’s leading spay/neuter source for free roaming “community” cats and a significant provider of quality and affordable spay/neuter services for pet cats –cats are a passion of mine! ), and Tulsa Girls Art School in Tulsa (Tulsa Girls Art School offers visual arts training to reach and improve the lives of girls. Students learn entrepreneurship, fiscal responsibility, art show curation, and public speaking skills during their time at Tulsa Girls Art School)

This year we are going to continue giving to The Feline Fix and Tulsa Girls Art School, but have also added on Mental Health Colorado and Mental Health Association Oklahoma.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Oh man, that’s tough! Denver is SO GREAT. I love the mountain views, the incredible artist community, the craft beers (Especially Black Shirt Brewing), the amazing food, the endless amount of things to do. I never want to live anywhere else!

What do I like least? I-25 haha.

Pricing:

• Prints $25-$35
• Originals starting at $525

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pointblankart.etsy.com
• Phone: 3127724747
• Email: info@pointblankart.net

Image Credit:
Michael Cooper

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.