Rico Besserdich is a widely published German artist, lecturer, photography instructor, writer, adjudicator and professional underwater photographer living in Turkey. His work has appeared in over 300 magazine and book publications around the world and has been translated into nine different languages. A CMAS/IAC Instructor Trainer with 5,000+ logged dives, he gives presentations at various photography-related events, universities and dive shows in Europe and has displayed his work in several fine art photography exhibitions.

Drawing on profound experiences underwater, as well as shark and reef conservation work in Belize, Hawaii, Puget Sound, Bahamas and Australia, American artist and James Madison University professor Lisa Tubach creates exuberant, dynamic and compelling paintings inspired by underwater forms, creatures and ecosystems, as well as the perils facing the ocean’s fragile reefs. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist to learn more about her perspectives, creative process and artwork, which has been exhibited in the United States, Peru, Suriname, France, Scotland, Japan and Australia.

Intrigued by the pairing of art and science, American artist Judith Gebhard Smith creates stirring, atmospheric and haunting pastel drawings and encaustic paintings of marine life and underwater scenes inspired by her experiences diving exotic locations around the world where she has met diverse and curious creatures of the underwater realm. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist to learn more about her artwork, creative process and perspectives on the planet’s fragile oceans and reefs.

Russian artist Olga Nikitina is an underwater painter with a degree in interior design and a dive instructor at the Egyptian Red Sea who creates brilliant and beautiful impressionistic paintings capturing the sublime light and textures of coral reefs and the dynamic energy of marine life. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist to learn more about her creative process and perspectives on art and life underwater.

In this issue, we celebrate Dutch digital artist and dive professional Dray van Beeck, who passed away suddenly on 19 April 2021. Together with his wife, Karin, he managed the Bali Diving Academy Pemuteran in Indonesia. A fine artist, avid diver and underwater photographer, Dray created surreal and fantastical scenes in digital artworks composed using his own underwater images. A few months ago, X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist and we share with you now the artist’s own words about his creative process and insights on digital art and the underwater realm he loved.

American artist Kristin Moger, who is based in Pennsylvania, creates beautiful, precise and intricately patterned black-and-white drawings of marine life, bringing to life the animals’ dynamic and sublime personalities on paper. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist to learn more about her creative process and perspectives on art, nature and conservation.

Portuguese textile artist Vanessa Barragão creates beautiful, exquisite artworks inspired by the textures, shapes and forms of corals and invertebrate life found on ocean reefs. Employing handmade ancestral crafts, she uses only sustainably sourced upcycled materials. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist to learn more about her creative process and perspectives on sustainability in the textiles we use as well as eco-conscious consumption in our daily lives, as she aims to raise awareness of how these affect the planet’s fragile ecosystems.