Today we’d like to introduce you to Amadeo Bachar, a California-based artist and educator specializing in marine science illustration
Hi Amadeo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started early, rolling out huge sheets of newsprint on our deck and going crazy attempting to draw life-sized whales. I think all kids get into drawing at some point, so really what separated me was that I kept working on my art through grade school.
I was always interested in drawing things realistically, which eventually carried me to a degree in scientific illustration from UCSC. As I wandered through the freelance illustration world, I became really drawn to our family passion of fishing and diving.
This, coupled with a big project with the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, began to shift my art towards the marine environment. Recently, I’ve focused on California and the richness we see off our coastline. Today, I’ve integrated my scientific illustration style into presenting the marine themes focused on fish, and the culture of fishing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say it was fairly smooth, but as I transitioned from the illustration world into the art world, things have become a little more rocky. The move has forced me to take some risks, which I’m ultimately thankful for. I’ve found that in going off independently as an artist and trying to market as such takes a massive investment in one’s self. Financially, emotionally, and creatively— and for me that was tough. I had to trust that this was a good thing, and I’m just now seeing some of that investment come to fruition.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My Insta page reads “Multidimensional painter of fish and fishy places”. My goal is to represent fish in all the ways— as side view portraits, in full flow ecosystems with other fish, and also how our lives interact with them as anglers or divers. I love using charts in my compositions, because this begins to tell the story of a relationship to a fish to a location and that relationship to us. If there was anything that has begun to set me apart it would be this. The encapsulation of our relationships with different fish is represented through location and environment. This in turn, carries right into what I love about it. The conversation and connection I make with my collectors discussing moments they had on the water, looking, maybe catching certain fish.
Any big plans?
At the moment, my plans are to keep pushing along the same lines. I just went through a big change in shifting into the art world, and that shift is still not fully formed. If I do get a handle on this, I see jumping into online education for all levels being a world I’d like to explore.
Contact Info:
- Email: studio@abachar.com
- Website: www.abachar.com
- Instagram: @abachar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studioabachar/timeline
- Twitter: @abacharillus
- Other: tiktok @studioabachar
