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What is Sticker Art?

What is Sticker Art? 0

sticker art founder bryant aucoin

exploring silverton colorado

As I’m road tripping around with my wife, friends and pup to climbing and hiking locations I look for moments that could inspire sticker designs.

Once back home in Durango I collaborate with a group of talented illustrators here in Colorado to bring those concepts to life as Sticker Art. 

camping and backpacking bumper stickers

The Sticker Art above was inspired by backpacking in the San Juan Mountains pictured below.

backpacking in the san juans

Most of the time my phone stays in my pocket on the trail or on the road (on airplane mode to avoid over connectedness & save battery life). As inspiration comes I take a few photo's of the moment and then move over to the note pad app and jot down my feelings at the time.

There's a story printed on the back of every sticker describing those feelings for the moment that's illustrated on the front. And that's where I credit the illustrator who helped design the sticker so they can garner new clients from their work. 

Each sticker is meant to share those feelings we get when exploring. To bring back the memories of that awesome route you climbed or epic backpacking adventure with a specific friend. Hopefully it also inspires people to get outside more often and keep them stoked through the work week for upcoming adventures whether in their backyard or abroad. 

snowboarding goggles frozen beard

Snowboarding in single digit temp.'s with a frozen beard at Wolf Creek, C.O. which inspired the snowboarding sticker below. 

outdoor snowboarding sticker

I'm incredibly grateful for my parents encouragement at a young age in entrepreneurial endeavors. Before I had a driver's permit I was selling boiled peanuts on the street corners of Charleston, S.C., went on to buying and selling used cars out of our front yard and had a route of candy and soda vending machines. 

My dad and I spray painted an entire El Camino jet black once and made around $200 flipping it - it was an awesome time that taught me a lot about business.

sticker rock climbing

Climbing Wham Ridge on Vestal peak (13,864 ft) above inspired the Alpine Rock Climbing sticker below.

alpine rock climbing sticker

When I got the idea for Sticker Art on a climbing trip I immediately knew of one big hurdle - I have no idea how to draw anything. Those previous entrepreneurial experiences though taught me to sell an idea well and to not be afraid of failing.

So I jumped in and contacted a few talented artists I found online and pitched them the concept via email. Luckily a few illustrators were down to help and after 6 months of toiling away on this concept after work from 5 - 9pm with them, I quite my job and went all in on stickers!

working on the road

Bryant balancing running a small business and playing outside with his dog Maybel.

The artists I work with each receive a small royalty as I sell the stickers they illustrated so we all benefit as the business grows. Sticker Art really wouldn't be possible without their talented minds to help create the illustrations that make Sticker Art what it is. 

Now I balance running this small business and get to spend way more time with my wife Emily, my friends and pup Maybel adventuring outdoors where I get even more sticker ideas. 

I love what I do and I'm incredibly grateful for all the supporters, like the small businesses who sell our stickers and those people who connect with the illustrations enough to buy a sticker. 

Our illustrations are getting better as the artists and I get the feeling of how to make the most beautiful Sticker Art. I am stoked at what is to come, like the new overhung limestone sport climbing inspired sticker I'm finally getting around to creating! 

www.StickerArt.com - Scope out the latest designs

climbing desert towers
Bryant and his wife Emily climbing the desert tower Jah Man in Moab, Utah. 
There Are Good Times And Then There Are Bad Times

There Are Good Times And Then There Are Bad Times 0

grateful for what injury brought me

There are good times like this......

 

Injury for someone who loves the outdoors is a revelatory stage.

I made the above video over about a month period of time late this summer as I spent many trips with my adventure partner and wife Emily road tripping the SouthWest.

It was an awesome few long weekends we took full advantage of and then randomly one night, thankfully when we were home in Durango, a cyst burst and she internally bled 2 liters of blood into her gut. 

 

And then there bad times that happen right in the middle of it all....

  Awesome futuristic laparoscopic surgery immediately  ensued after rushing her to the ER, saving her without any hiccups.

Now she's  back to crushing cracks and overhung limestone with a  bit of fatigue just a few weeks later. So damn grateful for modern medicine. 

 

This weekend at Indian Creek amongst other awesome souls and new friends - we met a kind women from Canmore Canada who I noticed climbing (only top rope) with a neck brace that had a Wu Tang quote hand stitched on it in pink. By the ease she was moving up stout cracks it was obvious she was a very strong climber... who happen to have broken her neck 2 years ago in a white water accident. We all got to talking at the crag.

When I've seen those people who love the outdoors get injured. You know those people who have such a high appreciation for staying active that they define a lot of their lifestyle by a specific sport like climbing or mountain biking and strive to push the grades and technical challenge? Yeah, you know them or more likely you are one. 

When that inventible big or small injury occurs and you're able to get back to doing what you love there is this beautiful appreciation that occurs deep in the heart. The heart really softens to feeling fulfilled by simply getting on the rope or bike again no matter the difficulty. For even being able to take a hike down the same trail you've done a hundred times. 

It's just so evident the gratitude exuded from these lovers of life with past injuries who seem to universally seek simply being out there, for the picnics & snacky food mainly. Injuries puts a huge downer on your day to day, hopefully temporarily, but eventually bring about a lot of love and compassion for the small things. 

I encourage you to try as we do to really take advantage of as many weekends and evenings out after work pursuing your passion or just being active. You never know when all this could be taken from you in an instant. 

Keep It Flowing 0

volume for of sticker art

The Quad anchor setup.

The most creative historical figures from Beethoven to Aristotle walked daily, you should to for at least 30 min. Bring a pen and paper or your phone on silent with it opened to notepad to write down insights that come. Your productivity will increase while not working too. 

Music Suggestion: JJ Cale - I'll Make Love To You Anytime

 

 

 Amazing Buttered (Indian falvor) Chicken Crockpot recipe.