Today we’d like to introduce you to Sahar Boussard.
Hi Sahar, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been involved in art as long as I can remember. My parents enrolled me in an art class around age 6 or 7, I think it was. Even though I tried all different kinds of extracurriculars, I only ever stuck with art classes. I continued through high school, in both group and private classes. In the private one I developed my portfolio for college applications. At the time I was very passionate about drawing as my focus and my work was hyper-detailed, especially on textures. I originally thought I would want to go to an arts-focused school, but I decided on University of Maryland, College Park where I majored in Studio Art. In my sophomore year I took a painting class and fell head over heels in love with acrylic painting. So, I ended up with a concentration in Painting and Film Photography, which was really just a passion focus! I leaned into abstract paintings, with lots of layers and again a focus on texture. My work was typically highly saturated in colors – bright, vivid.
After graduating, I didn’t pursue it as a career but always continued to paint as a hobby. I did a few paintings here and there for friends, painted pieces for my home, etc. After one attempt to sell on Etsy, I found myself lacking in inspiration and didn’t really jive with trying to create for a shop. So I closed up shop and just decided to paint whenever it moved me. And once I had my daughter in 2020, I was tired and in the trenches of postpartum – it was hard to find inspiration to paint, let alone enough time to sit down and create. But one day I did and it really sparked something within me. My style started evolving and I began painting flowers. It felt like such a natural progression: flowers and nature are FULL of texture, expressiveness, and bright colors. Plus, there is a never-ending amount of inspiration out there! I realized at that point that I really wanted to give it a shot to make this a business.
So in 2024, I worked with one of my best friends who is an incredibly talented graphic designer and art director to create my branding and my website, which I launched in early 2025. I’ve learned that starting a business takes so much patience and you really need to persevere through periods of imposter syndrome. I am learning to give myself grace in busy periods: I am still a stay-at-home mom with a Kindergartener and substitute part-time in a preschool! And now that we’re entering that busy holiday shopping season, I am trying to get myself out there at vendor shows. I’m slowly but surely finding my audience and it brings me such joy to share something so personal to me and see people connect to it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I started and stopped once before, and I was really down about that whole process. It felt like I invested so much (time, money and energy) for there to be very little growth and reach. But in hindsight I really think I went about it wrong the first go-round. And I wasn’t in the right mindset. Even though things have been quite slow to start over the last 7ish months, I am more confident than ever in my work and proud of what I’ve accomplished. My goals are more realistic and I am really leaning into the “slow and steady” mindset.
I will also say though, one of the biggest struggles I didn’t anticipate was the burnout of being a content creator! I do love to document my work, but sometimes the process is very personal. So it can get tiring to document every moment. Plus, there is so much work that goes into creating videos and posts! And it can be tough when it doesn’t seem like its reaching everyone you want it to, so there have definitely been times where I’ve needed to take a break from the constant creation and documentation on social media, even though I know it is a crucial part of a business in this day and age.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My artwork is really an exploration of nature through acrylic painting. Most of my pieces are highly textured with saturated colors. My style is mainly rooted in abstract expressionism, but my body of work has a wide range of being more abstract to more realistic. I want the pieces to make you feel like you want to reach out and touch them (and since they are acrylic, you can!), to feel like you can dive into almost a magical world or a secret garden.
I think what sets me apart is that I love to try new things, use different mediums to test and experiment, and I’m open to applying my work in different ways. What I mean by that is: I’m not tied to just working large or small-scale; I like to try and apply it to all different sized canvases or surfaces. I have works on paper, canvas, panel board, and wood. I’ve even begun offering works on small magnets, bookmarks, and ornaments, because I really believe that original art can and should be available in all price points and throughout your life’s touchpoints. It doesn’t HAVE to be a pristine 4’x6′ piece that hangs above your dining table (though I love a good statement piece, and I have one of my own in our dining room in that size!). Seeing a mini one-of-a-kind magnet when you grab something from your fridge or a unique bookmark when you open your book you’re reading can bring the same amount of joy.
Additionally, I have some pretty unique offerings in terms of non-traditional work. Beyond regular commissions, I offer wedding (or other important event) bouquet commissions as a way to memorialize a special day in your life. I’ve also painted a pair of sneakers for bride for her reception, and painted a custom Ketubah for a wedding as well. I’m really open to collaborating!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I think in this instance it would be my work finding its way to people who do not know me personally. That’s the goal really: for someone to connect with my work so much that they need it in their home, or feel inspired to gift it to someone. There is no better compliment to know what I created resonated with you that much. It’s not about a specific financial point or selling out in minutes, it’s definitely more about the connection!
Pricing:
- Gift items & prints are anywhere from $3-$36
- Originals begin at $40
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artworkbysahar.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artworkbysahar/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artworkbysahar/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@artworkbysahar
