Nestled in Bushwick, a neighborhood known for its vibrant arts scene, is Pyperbleu Art Collective, an art goods store and design studio. The small brick and mortar shop sits on a corner, with a blushing white cat painted on the glass door greeting visitors. Inside, the space features a colorful selection of lifestyle products, including apparel, home goods, and stationery from local artists and founder, Pyper Bleu.
EnVi spoke with Pyper in the back of the shop, which doubles as a workspace and an event area. Flyers from a recent event hung on the walls, while test greeting cards and a painted portrait covered the table. Surrounded by works of progress and remnants of recent gatherings, Pyper reflected on how the collective first came to life.
Pyper started as a YouTuber, known for her cozy and relatable vlogs as an art student, amassing over 400K subscribers over the past thirteen years. She later earned a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied textiles and painting. But her love for art came long before her college days.ย
Opening up a shop with her mother, Lily, had always been a dream of hers. Whenever the two would travel together, it became a favorite activity to look for local business and support their handmade goods. โWeโre both crafters,โ Pyper explained, referring to her motherโs talents in paper crafts. Pyper credited her mother for enrolling her in an art academy when she was young, nurturing her love for painting, and sparking the dream to one day build a hub for art goods like the ones in the shops she saw.
Diving into Pyperbleu
After moving to New York, Pyper found herself to be at a crossroads.
โThe shop in itself, I would say it started because I was festering with my dreams for a long time and the longer I hesitated, the more I experienced inner tension and discontent. Imagine someone trying to jump into a pool for like a long time,โ Pyper shared.
With support from her mother and sister, Pyper finally decided to take the dive. In the summer of 2024, Pyperbleu Art Collective opened its doors. The transition from content creator to entrepreneur while balancing being an artist was not an easy one. For Pyper, the path to opening the space was marked by taking risks and self-reflection.
โThe last five years of being in New York, it feels like I was like a fish out of water. Flopping around seeking relief. Only recently have I undergone a next step transition of finding out what it is that I think will bring me more peace and alignment. And a lot of it does have to do with questioning my motives behind my work.โ
The challenges of opening and running a shop span a long list, from financial logistics to the day-to-day responsibilities of maintaining both a creative practice and a storefront. Pyper described the first year as a steep learning curve, stepping into entrepreneurship without a formal business background. As the shop approaches its second anniversary, Pyper again emphasized the importance of the people around her who supported her along the way โ from her family and team, loyal and passing shopgoers, neighboring businesses, and her longtime viewers she affectionately calls โkind strangers.โ
โI don’t think it’s really that like, oh, I found a way to do it by myself and I summon the strength and I’m like so capable. I think it’s like, the more I can be vulnerable to those around me, the more people just started coming out of the woodworkโฆ That’s a village right there.โ
Redefining the Dream
Last fall marked another milestone for Pyper, who was named a finalist on NBCโs business reality competition series On Brand With Jimmy Fallon. Pyper went into the show with a competitive spirit, but finished with gaining utmost fulfillment from the mentorship and camaraderie she experienced throughout the competition.
Much like how her initial goals evolved over the course of the show, Pyper also found the vision she had for the shop shifting in a new and unexpected direction.
โEvery time I closed my eyes and dreamed of that finished appearance of the shop, I always pictured somewhere I wanted to go shopping, something that was like so saturated with cool stuff. I wanted to look impressive. I wanted it to look lucrative and successful. And now, I do not picture that stuff at all. I only picture the people.โ
Pyper credited her growth to the fleeting interactions and reciprocal kindness from passersby and visitors. Through community events such as art workshops and collaborations with other small businesses, Pyper found a real joy in building the hub that she imagined from the very beginning. That vision was reflected all around her, as she pointed out papier-mรขchรฉ ceramics from their past โCozy Villageโ ceramics show that filled her office space.
Later, while Pyper helped out a pair of customers, we overheard their delighted surprise by the level of detail that went into packaging their items. Each purchase is wrapped in a designed envelope and accompanied by a postcard with a warm message on the back.
โBeing able to show certain people kindness and see the genuine shock on their face that like people can still treat each other this way as strangers,โ Pyper mused, โI do feel like in tiny ways I’m changing the world.โ
Itโs precisely this outlook that Pyper applies to the curation and creation of the shopโs artful goods, creating products that are inspired and intended for the everyday, while sparking joy and creativity.
The Practice of Passion
Itโs a pressing question in todayโs creative sphere whether turning a passion into oneโs career diminishes it. Many young artists wrestle with the fear, but Pyper thought differently, instead seeing it as a test of commitment.
โI actually think it takes true passion to eat shit because pursuing your dreams, making it monetized, it will test how much you actually want something. So I actually argue that it doesn’t kill your passion. Like your passion is the only thing that will not kill you,โ she argued.
To stay motivated and avoid burnout, Pyper shared some of her practices that help her sustain her creativity.
โUnplug as much as possible. And then face yourself. Then lower expectations for creativity. Because I think as someone who’s high achieving, I want everything I make to be a masterpiece. But now it’s about being someone who practices perfectly, which means consistency. To be prolific, to be open and curious rather than very egotistic.โ
Aside from this disciplined outlook on art creation, lately Pyper has been finding inspiration in the city of New York. She recounted her museum visits and felt herself being especially drawn to portraiture. A self-proclaimed people watcher, Pyper showed a bit of her sketch journal where she drew people who came into the store. For her, the cityโs constant stream of unique stories makes for a boundless source of inspiration.
โClearly in New York, there is such a pervasive support for that value, like for that human storytelling. So thank God for that. That’s why I can’t leave this place. That’s why I can’t leave New York, okay?โ
Pyperโs current aspirations for the shop and her own prospects as an artist are abundant, including planning a new collection for the store, serving as creative director for an upcoming conference, possibly publishing a poetry book, and painting more. โIโm trying to be more impressionist,โ Pyper exclaimed, laying out her plans of painting en plein air (painting outdoors) as the weather warms, live painting friendsโ weddings, and potentially pitching a solo show.
As our interview wrapped up, Pyper shared her advice for young creatives and entrepreneurs, urging them to stand up for who they are as people and artists.
โDo their best to work on feeling connected with themselves. Because that will really be the key to their success. To really question the purpose and the why behind their choices.โ
To keep up on all things Pyper-related, check out Pyperbleu Art Collectiveโs website and Instagram, as well as Pyperโs Instagram!
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