Edgar Diaz has always been called by the ocean and mountains, where he developed his love of fishing, mountain biking and snowboarding.
The first-generation American grew up in California. His dad is from Guatemala and his mom hails from Nicaragua. He grew up fishing the Kern River near Bakersfield and can remember catching his first rainbow trout as a boy on a camping trip with his dad. He’s been entranced ever since.
A successful social work career allowed him to nurture his creative spirit, and in 2000, he became a full-time artist. He made contemporary paper sculptures and used recycled aluminum cans to create cityscapes. His work was well-received, and he was soon traveling the country doing juried art festivals. Wherever he traveled, he always found time to fish.
In 2004, he and his wife and children moved from Southern California to Austin, Texas. His mom and dad soon followed, and so did his wife’s parents. The whole family firmly grounded in Texas, Edgar began exploring all the outdoor adventures that his new home state has to offer.
He also began exploring other outlets for his creativity and began fashioning leather bracelets adorned with antique items. His evolution from artist to designer was underway, and he began searching for a way to convey the feeling he gets when he’s outdoors. Sight Line Provisions was born in 2015 with the creation of his first outdoor-inspired bracelet. He realized the bracelet didn’t just represent his passion – it took him right back to some of his greatest memories on the water, and he knew he needed to share it with others.
“I started seeing Sight Line Provisions as an opportunity to create a brand with a purpose,” said Edgar. “The whole point of Sight Line Provisions is to really capture that feeling when you’re out there walking in the outdoors or you are on the water, or even if you are in your own backyard. Fully experiencing the things that are in your sight line, that feeling that you have in that moment.”
The concept took off, and Edgar’s creations can now be found in more than 95 retail outlets around the world. He’s gotten involved in conservation efforts around the world, partnering with a variety of organizations to raise funds and raise awareness of conservation issues.
“I try to encourage people to really understand what’s going on in their communities and their lands and their waterways. You don’t understand what you have until it’s gone. If I can inspire people to understand that we all need to get involved with what’s happening on our home waters, that’s a good thing.”
Edgar now has another platform to spread the word. As a Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation We Will Not Be Tamed ambassador, Edgar will join the chorus to call us to appreciate the wildness of Texas, the vastness of our Texas spirit and why we should be inspired to conserve it.
“At first, I didn’t think I was qualified, especially compared to some of the others who have signed on as ambassadors. But once I thought about it, I realized that this is an opportunity to level up. I’ve got a bit of a voice with my brand, and it really excites me to do something with it. If I can help convince people to help protect this beautiful state my family now calls home, that would really be meaningful.”