Meet Robert Burcar | Visual Artist and Art Instructor

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

Hi Robert, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I think consistently putting the time in to work on my craft for the past 20 years no matter what’s going on has been key. I didn’t learn to draw and paint well overnight, it’s taken me years of showing up whether I wanted to or not. I’m now glad I did push myself because it’s paid off enormously professionally.

I also believe studying, understanding and applying self discipline helps with self development. I’ve learned taking small, consistent steps towards goals are far more effective than attempting to move a mountain all at once haha.

I think a willingness and openness to regularly study and apply what needs to be learned in order to succeed is important. Habits of being responsible, reliable, tidy, and organized have helped improve my work ethic grately through the years.

I’ve learned the hard way many times that burn out is no joke and self care is very important. I need plenty of sleep, good food, yoga and hydration in order to focus and perform my best.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I would consider myself a figurative artist. I can draw almost anything but I enjoy drawing people the most, I typically go for figures in environments or a traditional portrait. I refer to myself as a multi-media artist because I like more than one medium equally. I love painting larger works in oils for the rich colors and textures. Professional oil paint feels like soft butter and I love that I can almost sculpt with it like clay.

I typically use watercolors for my smaller, more complex illustrations that have more detail. There’s something so soothing and relaxing when it comes to using watercolor. Watercolor is more portable, I can use it at a table without setting up my huge easel plus I can use it anywhere.

For the past five years, I’ve been been creating illustrative paintings inspired by my favorite classic horror films and pop culture. When I first arrived in LA in the winter of 2019, I immediately smelled the popularity of the horror genre in LA. I myself always loved horror films and was insanely inspired to join the fun. I always strive to design the most organic, unique composition I can conceive at the time. I never just “copy” a copywrited reference photo,

I try to do my own thing always with the subject as I see fit. I usually choose loud, saturated colors based on my personal mood of the film. My main intention is to extract the core character and essence of the film based on how the film makes me feel both psychologically and emotionally.

I’ve been making one horror inspired painting after another for the past five years. Overall, I’m very pleased with my body of work so far and I absolutely love the work I make. It brings me a great deal of joy knowing many people appreciate my contributions to the horror community. I’ve made so many terrific freinds, have closed so many art sales and I’m always looking foward, eager for more.

I’m super excited to now be a part of the horror convention scene with upcoming shows at “Son of Monsterpalooza” in Burbank and “CreepIE Con Aftermath” in Ontario. I’ll be a vendor at both cons exhibiting my art this coming September and October of 2025.

I think my main challenge in my personal art is always juggling multiple jobs then burning out. I think I’ve become a complete workaholic but I enjoy what I do more than ever. I have multiple jobs that pay the bills, I’m a local private art instructor with my own regular private clientele, I have non horror commission work I’m currently working on and deliver packages for Amazon Flex when I need to.

I love being my own boss but yes, it’s a forever challenge, like for most longing for more balance with this and that while learning to manage time and life anxiety. I have my peaks and valleys always but I like experimenting and learning to apply time management strategies from the experts who inspire me.

My greatest remedy for challenges is deliberately taking the time out to please myself before others. I enjoy going for long walks, sleeping, weekly yoga practice and meditation.

I’ve got to where I’ve got today by refusing to give up, taking inspired actions and putting in the time required to learn. I wouldn’t say what I do is easy but years of practice and experience has made many areas of my life easier to navigate. I think what determines results is our attitude.

I’m a firm believer that if we consistently and chronically concentrate on our lack of resources is when we go downhill. I find that focusing on our wins, no matter how small or big, is what opens the door for more wins to come. If I’ve learned anything, self righteously just facing and talking about our perceived reality of troubles without pondering solutions is only going to get us anywhere pleasant by default.

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?
Assuming my freind was a nerdy, likeminded person with mutual interests, here’s a list of just some of my favorite things in LA.

In WEHO, I enjoy the relaxing, laid back vibe of Schmittys Bar, Beaches Bar and The Revolver Video Bar. I love dining at the WEHO Bistro. WEHO pride during the summer is also a blast!

I’m a beach bum and love spending the day at Venice and Santa Monica Beach during the summer. I swim, eat concession stand junk food and boogie board alot while I’m there.

I love Groundworks Coffee on Rose Ave with my freind Aaron in Venice!

In Burbank, I spend alot of time on Magnolia and Hollywood Way where there’s a strip of awesome nostalgia, media and horror lover shops such as The Mystic Museum, Halloweentown, Blast From The Past, Atomic Records and lets not forget Portos Bakery!

Sometimes I’m a mall rat and go to The Burbank Town Center to get an Orange Julius and people watch. I often catch a movie around the corner at the AMC16.

Universal Studios is always a great time! I I like going on long walks through Universal Citywalk with my freinds from time to time. There’s lots of restaraunts and other fun movie shops to check out.

One of my favorite ma and pa art stores for great art supplies is just a five minute walk from my house, “Carter Sexton”

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of all, I want to thank my family for introducing me to the core of my main interests. Whether it was the classic childrens tales they read to me or films and musical groups they introduced me to. All of these art forms helped shape my imagination and encouraged me to be a forever daydreamer. No matter how far fetched my dreams or ideas were, I always had at least one person in my family telling me how proud they were of me.

Life was far from perfect growing up but I’m now especially grateful for the initial support I did have growing up. Many of my freinds and collegues didn’t have the amount of early, nurturing support I did.

I would like to acknowledge my greatest teachers, especially from elementary school and the “Academy of Art University” for mentoring, inspiring and training me how to create visual art. On the buisness side, the two organizations that have helped me thrive the most as a professional artist are “The Abundant Artist” and “The Artist Incubator.” I’ve been studying their resource material for ten years and they’ve proven to be highly effective in my professional success.

Finally, my family of likeminded freinds, especially in the LA horror community who inspire me daily.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheArtofRobertBurcar

Instagram: @artbyrobertburcar

Image Credits
2024 Portrait (Light Blue Shirt) – Photographed by Manny Zaldivar