Meet Makari Roehrkasse | Artist & Bartender

We had the good fortune of connecting with Makari Roehrkasse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Makari, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up in Fort Collins, CO as the second youngest child of 5. My family was very religious and I was homeschooled until high school, causing me to feel very shy and out of place early in life. One thing I always felt very strongly for was my love for horses and I was always searching for opportunities to be around them. In middle school I joined 4H and traded cleaning stalls for riding lessons at a local barn. I walked dogs, babysat, and worked at Chuck-E-Cheese when I was 16 to be able to pay for a horse of my own. My life revolved around horses, and my passion for art was born from this when I started drawing horses. I started college at the University of Wyoming with a major in Equine Studies and a minor in drawing. Over the course of my freshman year, I realized that my drawing classes were the highlight of my week and it became clear that this was the path I wanted to pursue, moving horses to the back burner. In 2017 I transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design with a major in illustration. While in Savannah, I grew tremendously as an artist and also learned to bartend, which I continued throughout school to pay for my expenses. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I painted my first mural, and everything became a lot more clear as far as the direction I wanted to go as an artist. One thing that stands out to me in my upbringing is that I really learned to work hard from a young age for the things I wanted. My love for horses and drawing horses grew into painting large scale works of plants, animals, and many other aspects of the natural world that I really appreciate.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It wasn’t until I was pursuing an Equine Science degree at UW that I truly discovered my passion for drawing and painting. The time I spent drawing felt like getting lost in a new and beautiful world, and I knew I had to pursue this desire and love for creating. Art has always been very emotional for me, and I put a lot of emotion into every piece I create. Being shy a lot of my life, painting has been a way for me to have a clear voice and to put a piece of myself into the world. When I first decided to go to art school I didn’t have any clear career goals other than continuing to stay true to what I love and hoping the right path would find me. I was able to expand my knowledge, techniques, and style with the help of excellent professors and mentors over my years at school, and even more so after graduation. I had mostly been doing random commission work and still felt confused about what direction to take my art until I received my first mural job in the summer of 2021. This fell upon me right as I was getting ready to move back to Colorado, a mural for Three Taverns Brewery at World of Beer in Savannah. I loved being able to bring a small idea to such a big scale, and enjoyed the energy of painting in a public space. Public art like murals that anyone can enjoy and be impacted by really appeals to me. Since then I have painted many other murals, and I am always searching for more opportunities. My artistic style is dreamy and whimsical, and I always put my own twist on whatever I paint with lots of wavy shapes and lines and colors that bring it all to life. One of my biggest struggles with starting my business has been the fear of rejection with new clients and opportunities. The more I work to build my business, the more I am learning to put myself out there over and over again to find the right projects, and to not let the “no’s” discourage me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Leadville, Colorado, the highest incorporated city in the country that was once two votes away from being the capital. Being close to Denver, I enjoy going there to visit friends, see live music, and experience different foods, but Leadville has truly become a special place and home to me in the past year and a half I have been here. I manage a historic bar, Pastime Saloon, so that would be the first place I would want to show a friend. It was founded in 1878, and has gone through a lot of changes since then but it still has a historic charm. We have a great cocktail menu, cozy and colorful lighting, and many local DJs and bands that play there. My favorite coffee shop is Zero Day Coffee, and Quincy’s is a great local steakhouse with carpeted floors and a limited menu that gives you the true Leadville experience. I would take a friend shopping at Iris Moon Emporium for local art and witchy items, and then go thrifting at Leadville Exchange. The Antique Mall has two floors filled with classic western and niche antiques that are absolutely worth checking out. There’s no shortage of things to do outside in and around Leadville and that’s one of the best things about living here. During the summertime, I would take a friend camping near Turquoise Lake, and in the Winter we would go skiing or snowboarding at Cooper Mountain.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Stacy Bustamante – a woman I have known since I was 8 years old and who has always been my greatest supporter and mentor. Stacy has always encouraged me to follow my passions, even when they seemed impossible. When I first wanted to attend SCAD, I was extremely discouraged by how expensive it was. My parents discouraged me from taking on so much in student loans for a career that was, in their minds, impractical. However, Stacy helped me believe I could do it and gave me the push and encouragement I needed. I owe so much to her, because her believing in me helped me to believe in myself. Thank you Stacy.

Website: https://makariann.com

Instagram: @makariann

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makari-roehrkasse-351804185

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/Makari-Roehrkasse/100022043767901/

Image Credits
The three photos of me painting the piano were taken by Brent B (Poptimistic Media)