Bluefins and Terns

The ocean is a a highly soothing environment for lovers of nature to gaze upon: the hypnotic rolling of swells, the action and inertia of breaking waves, the majesty of breaching whales and dolphins, and the sublime flight of sea birds as they glide mere feet from the oceans surface while hunting their aquatic prey. All one needs is a shoreline and a comfortable seat from which to soak it all in. 

But what about the perspectives that us landlubbers are generally not privy to? There’s a wold of activity happening just below the surface that, for the most part, goes unnoticed. In a recent work, by prolific ocean-based artist Amadeo Bachar, this unseen world is brought to life in a stunning image that delivers such a vision to viewers with uncanny realism.

“Bluefin and Terns” was inspired by a recent anomaly occurring within the Pacific Ocean that Bachar became determined to convey to the masses. In recent years, the majestic Blue Fin Tuna began making their presence known in places that they were historically absent from, much to the delight of many a fisherman. 

Bachar, who’s made a name for himself by bringing his photo realistic fish rendering to life, grew up as a fisherman, and had always heard myths concerning the presence of these mammoth tuna off the North American coast, yet had never come across any during his countless hours spent on the open sea as he hunted his prize.

When he began seeing and then hunting these fish for himself, Bachar knew that, in order to immortalize this phenomenon forever, he had to create a work that captured just what it was that he was witnessing. He wanted to get it just right, so he took his time, stalling the process until his skill reached the level where he could truly do it justice.

His 35” X 60” oil on wood panel painting took seven years to complete, and all that painstaking attention to detail really shines through due to this patient and thoughtful approach. I had a chance to catch up with Bachar to attain some insight into the creation of this masterful piece of artwork. Here’s what he had to say.

When he began seeing and then hunting these fish for himself, Bachar knew that, in order to immortalize this phenomenon forever, he had to create a work that captured just what it was that he was witnessing. He wanted to get it just right, so he took his time, stalling the process until his skill reached the level where he could truly do it justice.

His 35” X 60” oil on wood panel painting took seven years to complete, and all that painstaking attention to detail really shines through due to this patient and thoughtful approach. I had a chance to catch up with Bachar to attain some insight into the creation of this masterful piece of artwork. Here’s what he had to say.

Even though I sold this painting to a collector at the Pacific Coast Sportfishing show last year, it was originally painted with two friends, Matt and Wes, in mind. For close to 100 years or so large bluefin tuna were not seen in any regularity off the California coast. Of course you’d hear stories of guys diving Cortes Bank and see a school of 300 pound Bluefin swimming off into the distance, but those were just that, stories. There were also times where my dad and I would catch a small bluefin in the albacore schools out of Santa Cruz., but only little ones. But then, something happened, and as the ocean does, it showed us something that no one in the last couple generations have seen. 

It was April 2016 and my two buddies started catching 50-60 lb fish on surface irons moving up from Baja and by the next season they and many other fishermen and divers were boating 100-200 pound Pacific Bluefin tuna with regularity. People were chalking it up to El Niño and a fluke but it’s 2024 and that fishery is still going strong. Those bigger grade fish have even made their way as far as Bodega Bay with consistent shots at catching one within sight of the the west side of Santa Cruz. 

A foamer is a massive school of fish, in this case Bluefin tuna, breaking the surface chasing and eating bait. There is so much energy—tuna, baitfish, birds diving, and sometimes whales, that the water turns to foam. This is what anglers and divers were chasing. Looking for terns way off on the horizon they’d B line for it and, if the fish were up, you could see a basketball sized chunk of the ocean boiling with life. From there it’s slide the boat up, cast or jump in, and repeat. 

I always thought, from the surface it’s total chaos, I wonder what it looks like from above and below water? I’ve seen the above and I’ve seen the below, but now my goal was to combine them both and create a scene that showed the movement and energy of that scene. My intent was to create a scene that would resonate to Matt, Wes, and all divers and anglers that have experienced this. 

I think it was Gerry Lopez that said something about style. I paraphrase, but it went something along the lines of style being the in-the-moment expression of all your experiences leading up to that point. That’s my painting style. It morphs, absorbs, and adapts to the situation, audience, and purpose. This painting had to have energy not only in composition but in brush strokes, so I loosened my style and made faster, quicker, and deliberate strokes that conveyed energy in the mark itself. 

The feeling I was trying to evoke with this painting is one where you’re simultaneously seeing it happen but you’ve also missed it. Explaining how I apply paint is not that exciting and because I did this over such a huge time span, my paint over panel process changed over time. I basically do whatever works. Same applies for tunes. I started this painting in 2017 and finished it in March 2024, so I’ve rocked everything from Biggie to Zach Bryan pushing paint around this scene (laughs).

The biggest challenge was trying to maintain my initial vision over the seven year span it took me to paint this. My skill level got better, I had been diving or fishing for bluefin over this whole time so my experiences and references were vastly more rich and abundant. I found myself having to work really hard to stick to what I wanted to convey initially while integrating those things into the painting without changing it completely. This was a constant worry and I’m really happy it ended up where it did and I was able to find that balance. I was proud the only edit I made was a foreground fish that was just teetering in the wrong perspective. 

My two favorite parts of any painting and this one exemplifies this is the time alone in the studio, music blasting and paint being thrown around freely. The second favorite part is when that painting finds a home and I can see the excitement on that person’s face knowing they have the perfect spot and that they are choosing to have my art be part of every day

For more of Bachar’s oceanic art, visit his website at www.abachar.com

Also, follow him on Instagram @abachar