Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Burcar.
Hi Robert, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in Helena, Montana. From an early age, I had a burning desire to be a great visual artist of some kind and often daydreamed of pursuing those dreams in California where opportunity appeared endless for creatives. I’m grateful that I had wonderful parents and friends that encouraged my quirky interests. My first stepping stone was attending college at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where I got my BFA in drawing and painting. Shortly after graduation in 2013, I moved to Monterey, CA where I landed a job working at a sculpture foundary for world-renowned sculpture artist Richard MacDonald. The only reason I accepted the job initially wasn’t because I was an amazing sculpture artist, I saw it as my meal ticket into California as well as a foundation for employment and additional experience as an artist.
After this job came to an end, I went through a period of uncertain direction where I couldn’t get much work that I enjoyed and was forced to wash dishes, bus tables and drive for Uber for years to keep a roof over my head. It wasn’t a bad thing looking back though because it really forced me to ask myself for perhaps the first time ever, exactly what in the hell I wanted. With a solid group of supporting friends around me, I really began to get serious about my own work which was drawing and painting. Eventually, things began to slowly pick up, I was offered a part-time job as an art instructor with no previous experience for an art studio in Monterey called Open Ground Studios. I’m very thankful to the director of the studio, Denese Sanders for taking a chance on me because I discovered that I loved teaching art as much as I did creating it. I also began learning the craft of selling my artwork which began to happen in rapid succession for the first time ever. At one point, I was teaching drawing and painting classes, bussing tables and selling my work in local festivals all at the same time.
Despite the many victories along the way but with limited job opportunities, I still couldn’t make ends meet. Monterey is a beautiful place but it’s a small, sleepy town. I was so sick and tired of being poor and spinning my wheels working unfulfilling jobs seven days a week. In the end, the excessive work left me completely exhausted, fearful, angry, depressed and for the first time in my life, suicidal. I realized after being full of negative emotion that something had to change because I simply wasn’t enjoying my life anymore. So I sought some help from a wonderful life coach and from there, I began to slowly take inspired action. From childhood, I was always very fascinated with the history and pop culture in the city of Los Angeles. It was a place that fascinated and frightened me. Apparently, the excitement outweighed the fear because in the summer of 2019, after only visiting Los Angeles once, I decided to move there to look for work. I had absolutely nothing left to lose at the time. I felt like I was on a sinking ship and no matter what I did, I felt like I kept sinking as long as I stayed in Monterey. It was time to jump off the ship.
So in early Nov of 2019, with just a little more than the shirt on my back, I said goodbye to my home, worried friends and drove to Los Angeles alone in my little red 2014 Mazda2. I had no place to live, no job lined up, little money and hardly knew a soul. All I had was hope and an intention to have a better life experience. I’m happy to say that almost the second I arrived in Los Angeles, my entire mindset began to change. I was so happy to be in a huge area that was so new to me and full of so much history that I was in awe of. The first motel I stayed in upon arriving was the Alta Cienega Motel in West Hollywood where Jim Morrison once lived. I couldn’t afford motels or air bnbs most of the time and so I slept in the back of my car most nights for six months in quiet, residential areas that appeared safe in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Even though it was inconvenient, it wasn’t so bad. I was happier than I’d been in ages. I knew it was temporary and did my best to make the most of it. I brushed my teeth and washed my long hair in Starbucks bathroom sinks or a nearby park. To earn money to eat and pay off lingering debt, I delivered food orders all over Los Angeles through Uber Eats which is how I learned my way around.
During the day, I would spend most of the time at public libraries looking for work as an art instructor and or artist. Thankfully, it didn’t takes me very long to start finding work. Within a month, I began getting freelance work as a painting instructor at various venues around Los Angeles. It was in late January right before the pandemic, when I got hired on as a part-time art instructor in west Los Angeles at the Raminfard School of Arts. Despite covid getting in the way all year, I’m glad to still be working there. I couldn’t have asked for a better job or boss. I love working there so much. I’m currently the studio manager now and teach classical drawing and painting skills. It’s also a flexible enough job where I can still paint, sell my own artwork and have a life. Even though my days of living out of my car are now over, I look back at them as fond adventures like camping. I currently live in a secure and cozy apartment complex in North Hollywood and plan on staying for a while. I’m incredibly happy here and I find as long as I treat LA good, she’s good to me right back. I enjoy the variety of people and places to explore. Each block gives me something completely new to absorb.
When I’m not working, I spend most of my time being a quarantined and content homebody. I’m currently working on a series of new drawings and paintings titled “Screen Chillers” a collection of paintings inspired by a selection of some of my favorite horror films. I also enjoy going for long walks, connecting with new people and meditating daily. I’m happy to say I’m very much at peace with where I’m at for the most part now. I have absolutely no regrets about coming to Los Angeles. In a way it helped save my life and I enjoy the unfolding process. If there is any contributing factors to my story or advice I would give, it’s all about our attitude. Feeling good and staying happy is my game, no matter what’s going on in real-time. I find the more I focus on the things that make me feel good, life keeps getting better. Focus on filling your head with as much resonating, feel good and inspiring content as possible, regardless of what others are telling us. Gratitude may be a cliche word but when sincere appreciation is expressed from the heart for ALL that comes into our radar, I’ve personally found it opens the door for more good to come in. Sitting around focusing on lack thereof, not so much.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, not at first, in fact there was a lot of pain before life got better; poverty, limited work, depression, fear, etc. I secretly lived out of my small car on the streets of LA for six months before life got better.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a multi-media painter. I create representational, illustrative work that’s inspired largely by my love of pop culture. I have a lot of random, quirky and obscure interests that I like to share with other like-minded individuals. I really love being in Los Angeles especially because there’s so many people out there who like and appreciate the same quirky things I’m into. I suppose my specialty is portraiture and capturing the likeness and essence of the character I’m painting and creating. I’m currently known for my new and first horror series titled “Screen Chillers” which is a collection of paintings inspired by a selection of some of my favorite horror films. It’s what I’m most proud of and excited about so far. It’s definitely my first major solo L.A based project. I try and keep each painting as original and unique as possible by creating original illustrative paintings, poses and moods that are not your typical tribute pieces that you see for the subject everyday.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Good question! My best advice is to be willing to be open and receptive to ANY opportunity that comes your way, even if it’s outside your comfort zone because you never know where it could lead. For example, I had a good friend in Monterey who was friends with a film director in LA who asked me if I’d be interested in filming as an extra in a horror series he was working on in West Hollywood last year. I agreed and I said yes even though I was a bit shy. So my friend called the director and hooked me up with a part as an extra. When I reported to the set, I then connected with another guy who gave me some resources on where to look for housing and it proved to be where I found where I now live. The dominos effect can certainly happen if you put yourself out there enough. Also, another important thing to keep in mind is ask questions if you want to know something, someone always knows someone who has the answer. Lastly, find the like-minded people who share the same interests as you and hang out at places that also interest you and build upon that.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: robertburcar.com
- Instagram: robertburcarfineart
