The art of producing illusions is no mystery to junior Mauricio Bustamante, as he has been mastering magic since he was in seventh grade.

Bustamante was inspired to perform magic by many magicians such as David Blaine, Harry Houdini and Criss Angel. He started out with card tricks and worked his way up to street magic. This aspiring magician performed openly at school, and in public places, as ways to advertise. He advertises himself on the video site YouTube.

“I like the feeling you get when you see someone freaking out while you perform,” Bustamante said.

After Bustamante learned a new trick he showed it to family members to find the first reaction of the audience. The Magic Man’s family has been supporting his magic for over five years. Next in line are the friends he has at school. Julie Izquierdo and David Cristerna have been friends with Bustamante since middle school and have known of his magic for quite some time.

“I believe if he keeps learning at this rate, then he can go far,” Cristerna said.

His new trick Thread has gotten many astounded reactions since he started showing it around school.

“When I first saw him perform Thread I was freaking out,” Izquierdo said.

Thread fell under the category of “geek magic” which was any classic trick shown in the fourteenth to eighteenth century. Many of these late century tricks included sawing a woman in half, swallowing scarves, and top hat magic tricks.

Bustamante recently gave a “nerve-racking” performance on stage to help raise money for a Christmas Charity. This new experience required him to get close to the audience while being on the stage.

Working towards a career in magic, he sets his sights on The Magic Castle, an academy for magicians, located in Hollywood, California. It showcases their talents and helps them find jobs. As his knowledge of magic grows so does his audience. In the near future, look for Mauricio Bustamante in the news or a magazine under the alias The Magic Man.