Meet Rye Von | Balloon Artist

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

Hi Rye, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I initially started dabbling in balloons back in 2017 my intention was to operate as a hobby. It was designed to give me something to do, a creative outlet to avoid life’s problems. During that time, I was working full time and displeased with the positions I held. In 2019 I decided I was ready to take the leap and legitimize as a business. I registered as an LLC and began officially marketing as company.

My thought process was to create something that reflected me. I wanted to build a place where I could be myself, produce my art using balloons as my medium and leave something to my children to inherit.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Art Haus Balloon Company is a luxury balloon business specializing in large scale over the top decor. My main specialty is realism which converts regular items into balloon structures such as balloon cars, people or food inspired displays. I love being able to spread joy with balloons.

My beginnings were humble. I started out with “Youtube University” and eventually branched out into conventions and conferences. I was able to surround myself with other balloon artists who fueled my passion for education of the industry. I began attending in person training sessions with some of the world’s top balloon artists which really set me apart from the competition. Once I understood the basic foundations, I began creating my own designs and recipes to make my decor unique for my brand.

Along the way I have learned that in order to be successful I had to believe in myself even when I couldn’t see the larger picture. There was a time when I was homeless and carless during this journey. It was not easy to bootstrap an entire business on my own. There were many times I honestly wanted to quit but I reminded myself why I started and what I was working towards to keep the full picture in mind.

The main thing I want the world to do is reshape the way they view balloon artistry. Times have evolved from balloons being tied to a string and weighted down; I am here to showcase that. The artwork I create requires a lot of time, skill and expertise.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spot to visit in Indianapolis is Newfields Art Museum. It features an indoor/outdoor hybrid with 100 acres of nature grounds and many exhibits from local artists. The best place for food is Chef Oya’s The Trap, one of the best seafood restaurants in Indianapolis with an amazing mission to reduce food scarcity in the city.

During the evening it’s a must to visit Downtown Indy and check out the businesses like South Bend Chocolate Company on Monument Circle for the best handmade hot chocolate in Indiana.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this shoutout to everyone that shopped with me when I was an infant in the balloon world. It is because of their support that I was able to truly hone my craft and fuel my passion.

Website: www.arthausballooncompany.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/arthausballooncompanyllc

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/ryevon

Facebook: www.facebook.com/arthausballooncompany

Image Credits
Natural Nerd Designs Digital Dutchess Photography