Meet Mike Garcia of Phoenix-Metro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Garcia

Hi Mike, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I took classical drawing and painting lessons with Matt Dickson at The Loft Studio in Tempe from 2015 to about 2018. Our focus was the human figure and portraiture, and I learned a lot about the fundamentals of figure drawing and how to draw and paint realistically. It’s not a lost art, nor is it purely down to talent: you just need tenacity, a love of the craft, and access to good educators and resources both online and in-person, much of which is free or inexpensive these days.

Around 2016 I started hosting uninstructed life drawing sessions in Phoenix, initially at Changing Hands and Thunderbird Arts Center, then a stint at Jobot, and now occasionally at the Loft. I also assisted the Phoenix Firebird team when they did life drawing Drink & Draws at Trans Am Cafe and the Lost Leaf. Besides that I teach figure painting and drawing throughout the Valley, including classes at Scottsdale Artists’ School, and I offer online mentorship to artists as well. I usually exhibit my artwork a few times a year in group shows, including Chaos Theory at Legend City Studios, and even have some pieces available through T.H. Brennen Fine Art, a gallery in Scottsdale on Main Street.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been a slow but smooth road, for the most part. It’s difficult creating work during lean months, which are more the rule than the exception. Models, canvases, paints, brushes, commuting, etc., all add up.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a representational artist, which simply means my subjects are real-world things–I specialize in the figure and portraiture. Lately I’ve gotten more into teaching. I teach adult art classes at various institutions in the Phoenix-Metro area, and these classes run anywhere from four to eight weeks. They’re not long enough to really see through a student’s development. But sometimes I have students come back for additional classes, and it’s gratifying to see them progress over time, to see their hard work pay off.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
It’s not directly related to the Covid-19 Crisis, but the lockdown period and the months leading up to the distribution of vaccines fostered a lot of opportunity for me to continue my growth as an artist. I was very cautious about socializing, and so I spent a lot of time alone in my studio studying and painting. Although I still strive to improve, I can look back and see a definite growth in skill in my work starting from that period.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mikegarciafineart.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikegarciafineart