Meet Angela Bachman | Freelance Artist

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

Hi Angela, what do you attribute your success to?
One of the most important factors behind my success as an artist and for my brand, is happiness and peace in authentic expression. Our individualism is a gift and since I was a kid I have always felt personal self expression is an important dialogue not only with others but also the self. It is a form of personal knowledge and empowerment that I strive to fuel for myself and inspire in others as I truly do believe happiness comes with learning who you are, adapting and evolving, and knowing yourself enough to accept your inner and outer worlds.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art to me is an intuitive experience mixed with all the feelings of the human spectrum. I have done a lot of personal work projecting my personal perspective while illustrating a surreal mixture of whimsical and horror themed subject matters. I primarily work with oil paints, but for the past two years I have been combining my oil painting with my acrylic paint pour techniques for some truly unique pieces! I also have experience with airbrushed horror makeup and beauty makeup that I do in my spare time outside of my 2D artwork, fabricating my own photosets and content creating for my social platforms when I share a majority of my creative outlets. Getting where I am definitely wasn’t easy! I have always enjoyed making art since I was pretty young, never really outgrowing the doodling in my notebooks. I started selling my artwork in high school here and there with art prints, mosaic tables, and drawings. After high school, I left my small hometown to go to college for my B.F.A. in Painting, ready to pursue the only thing I could see myself doing for the rest of my life – my art! College was a very exhausting endeavor as a full time student with, at times, two jobs outside of my classes and vending my art at events and booths on weekends.
After graduating I relocated towards a barista job, where I had hopes that it was a stepping stone into an art community I could partake in and meet more artists outside of schooling. I did end up partaking in local popup art shows with my art between my job. It was a challenging transition in my life though. I fell very fatigued for long periods of time that were causing me to have difficulties staying awake during the day and left me feeling extremely weak and incapable of caring for myself efficiently. On top of struggles with my mental health and experiencing some of the worst points of my PTSD. I mention this because I believe in destigmatizing mental health as well as because it is a recurring influence in my art from which my art has most definitely assisted in overcoming the worst of it. I stopped painting entirely for nearly a full year due to struggling with fatigue symptoms leaving me very depressed on top of the stress of work and finding time and energy for creativity. I feel I still, even then, found ways to express myself despite my challenges with my health. This phase of my life shifted with a move and job change into bartending on the weekend and leaving the rest of my time for expressive outlets and freelance work on the weekdays. This gave the the much needed time and freedom to find ways to turn my art into a primary focus in my life and career choices. Leading to modeling, makeup, and so many other opportunities I never would have expected to experience.
I have learned so much along the way about not just myself but the dynamics of other people and how I as an individual relate to them and how I fit in their lives as not just a professional but also as just another person. My work has humbled me many times through the challenges and reminds me that this is much more than just a career for me, but a way of life/lifestyle. If there is enough will to do something, that will shall drive that passion for as long as you choose. We truly are our biggest support systems at times and the decisions we make are a direct reflection of self love, in my opinion. If I would have not picked my art above everything else I could have done with my life, I don’t think I would have had the best moments of happiness and peace that have come my way. This lifestyle is the cup I will pour into the rest of my life because it nurtures me every time I pick up a paint brush. This is the purest thing I can offer the world as an individual and I consider my art to be an extension of myself and my essence, and therefore a piece of the collective we are all a part of. It is a language, an act of love, therapy, and a necessity in my life I couldn’t imagine not tapping into. I hope as my brand and art grows, I can continue to meet new people and grow through everything I do.

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?
I would take a friend to a local cafe or two for coffee, since I am quite the coffee nerd after being a barista for 5 years! Perhaps some long hiking adventures with a camera in hand to stop and capture moments along the way. Sedona has been a favorite place to visit for the past 3 years now to tune out, connect with the bigger picture in life, and revisit myself in an intimate way that is different from what my art offers. I find traveling to be an empowering experience and the best way to get to know myself as well as others along the way! The people I have met while traveling have brought some many beautiful memories I look back on fondly and regularly. Traveling also allows me to feel challenged yet accomplished while enjoying the solitude that comes with just being outside and around nature. It gives me a moment to be present in the real world rather than in my imagination, while as the same time fueling inspiration. I also enjoy going out to dance! Though I haven’t in a while, I always enjoyed darkwave themed music to dance to in the nightlife environment. Some of the most exciting people to meet are those who are inspired and determined, in my opinion. I love talking to fellow creatives, exchanging knowledge and learning from one another.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think everyone who has crossed my path one way or another assisted in who I am as a person today. Whether they are in my life or not, the people I have had the opportunities to know have all lead me to where I am. There’s family, friends professors and teachers, and fellow artists I wish I could name all of to thanks but alas the list would be very long! To keep it short, I appreciate anyone and all who have supported my art. I try to remember where I’ve come from as well as when I wish to be as my future self, and am proud ff the relationships I’ve formed and maintained over the years as my career has grown, some being with people who knew me before I even believed in myself yet.

Website: www.greyengelartwork.bigcartel.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/greyengelartwork

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreyEngelArtwork

Other: www.patreon.com/GreyEngelArtwork

Image Credits
I own the rights to all the images presented.