We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Israel Bacchus a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Israel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Have you ever found a subject or activity that just pulled you in and gripped your attention? This was knife design for me…

A couple of years ago, my wife bought me my first pocket knife and I thought it was the coolest thing. I loved the fact that a pocket knife had the ability to balance creative and artistic design with absolute utility and function. The more I dove into the small microcosm of knife design / knife collecting, the more I realized that there was a pocket knife for everyone. I began to look for one that fit the style that I liked. I am a fan of Sci-Fi and angular design. When I could not find a design that really spoke to me, I decided to try my hand at 3D product design. I was motivated and excited to see if I could translate my ideas into a design that was useful.

One day, I downloaded a 3D design program called Fusion 360 and began to mess around with the functions. I sat down for what felt like 30 minutes and had the time of my life! But when I looked back at the clock, I had been designing for 12 hours straight. I was shocked! How could something so challenging grip my attention? I knew that whatever this was, I had to pursue it. I devoted all of my spare time to learning knife design.

Knowing what I know now, I do not think there was any way to speed up the learning process. Design has 2 components: technique and creativity. Technique can be learned rather quickly, but creativity and vision is intuitive and ever-changing. I think that you can develop creativity by being curious and exploring ideas that you would like to see more of in the world.

Israel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Israel and I am the founder of Arcane Design. I design pocket knives and tools that are inspired by science fiction and futurism.

Arcane Design was formed out of the desire to explore the unknown and discover its aesthetic. My fascination for the future and the unknown began when I was a kid. I fell in love with science fiction because it conveyed the aesthetic of my imagination. Although I enjoyed getting lost in the excitement of cosmic exploration, functionality was always in the back of my mind. I often wondered what the tools and gadgets of the future would look like. How would they function? How were they useful?

Several years later, I found the world (black hole) of knife making. It was inspiring to see makers put their soul and creativity into a functioning piece of work. Thus began the journey into knife design.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of Arcane Design is to create excitement about the future by producing future relics. I think that’s what makes Arcane Design unique. Each design is inspired by science fiction and horror; these genres are known for expanding the imagination and inspiring creativity. I want to create products that teleport my customers to an futuristic world that they want to be apart of.

A few years ago, I started asking myself, “Why do people (including adults) collect Star Wars lightsabers, toys, and other memorabilia? What is the fandom motivation to collect these physical items?” I came to realize that they love the Star Wars universe so much that they spend their hard-earned money to bring a small piece of that fictional world into reality. Storytelling and world-building are powerful tools; and I try to incorporate them into my designs. I want my designs to be a memento of futurism and a useful tool for the here-and-now.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I feel so blessed that my passion is also my profession. I understand that this is such a rare occurrence and I don’t ever want to take it for granted. It’s also a hopeful message for others who are interested in stepping out into new territory. I graduated college with a vocal performance major. 5 years ago, I didn’t even know that this industry existed. This tells me that our paths are not defined. You don’t have to be stuck where you are. The world is full of new passions; go out and discover yours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.arcanedesign.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcane_design_co/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arcanedesign.co/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzUMRDRCjqt9nXeKhalbKXQ