TRUCKEE, Calif. – Amadour, a Latinx and queer artist originally from Sparks and raised in South Reno, has carved out a unique space in the world of fine art and music. With dual degrees in Studio Art and Art History from UCLA, Amadour studied under esteemed professors like Barbara Kruger and Lari Pittman, and their work has since garnered international recognition.

Their artistic journey began at the Nevada Museum of Art, where seeing a Titian painting sparked a passion for creativity. Today, their geometric abstractions exploring light, memory, and place have been featured at prestigious exhibitions, including the Armory Show in New York and galleries in Tokyo, Miami, and Mexico.

But Amadour is not just a visual artist. They recently released an EP, Western Movie Dream, inspired by their Nevada upbringing and are working on a new project with Orville Peck’s sound engineers. Their upcoming work—a collection of ballads accompanied by piano and orchestra—is being recorded in Norway, where the pine forests and bodies of water remind them of Lake Tahoe.

“Music and art have always been intertwined for me,” they said. “I want people to understand that the painting can be felt in the song, and the song is evident in the visual experience.”

Amadour’s music often draws on personal relationships and the landscapes of their youth. One song, “Western Movie Dream,” reflects on a first love with lyrics that capture the beauty of Lake Tahoe: “We laid down in a yellow paintbrush meadow, I felt your hand on mine as we gazed across the blue.” Another, “Angel Eyes,” was inspired by a moment of grief and beauty during a sunset walk on Tahoe’s Impossible Trail after their grandmother’s funeral.

Lake Tahoe has been a cornerstone of Amadour’s creative life. From playing piano at private parties in Truckee as a teenager to their first music competition at the historic Cal Neva Resort, the region shaped their artistic identity. “As soon as I get off the plane, I need to get to the water,” they said. “It’s the smell of granite and pine—it feels irresistibly like home.”

Despite their success, Amadour’s journey hasn’t been easy. Growing up queer in Reno in the early 2000s, they faced bullying and isolation. Coming from a Catholic, Latin first-generation immigrant family, there was little awareness or understanding of their experiences. “I don’t judge those people now,” they said. “They were just a product of the environment.”

Today, Amadour embraces the freedom of being able to express themselves openly. “It feels liberating to live in this day and age. I owe it to so many people who came before me for creating this space.”

Their art and music aim to create a similar safe space for others. “The point of my paintings and music is to allow people to feel whatever they need to feel. I hope they find healing or resonance in it,” they said. 

Amadour’s dream is to bridge the fine art and music communities, performing at iconic venues like Coachella while continuing to showcase their visual art. Inspired by indigenous art from Nevada, such as the works of basket weaver Dat So La Lee, they seek to honor their roots while pushing creative boundaries.

For Amadour, art and music are not separate but deeply connected. “I have to negotiate both to feel whole,” they said. “It’s about combining logic and emotion, right brain and left brain, to create something truly complete.”

With upcoming shows in Miami and Mexico and new music in the works, Amadour’s legacy is only just beginning.