24: Gennaro Garcia
Gennaro Garcia started sketching in kindergarten and hasn't been able to stop. He grew up in his family's restaurants in Mexico and says he remembers drawing the senoras while they cooked. He followed the family business and opened his own restaurant when he was 23 years old. After five years, he decided he wanted to open one in the United States.
Garcia's move to Arizona wasn't as smooth as planned. He was homeless in Yuma for a few weeks before he found a local restaurant, offered to decorate it and eventually became the manager. While in Yuma, he met a girl at a party and they decided to move to Phoenix together (Garcia admits, it may have been more "him following the girl to Phoenix"). He started painting and worked as a muralist and faux finisher. He married the girl.
Garcia currently has his own studio and has had more than 30 exhibits in the last four years including seven solo shows. "Did I mention I married the girl?" he asks.
Read more about Garcia's work after the jump ...
1. List five things on your Inspiration Wall (real or imagined).
- The colors from my Mexico
- Mujeres in general
- The creativity of Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish artist form the 17 century
- Cathedrals arte from around the world
- The girl I mentioned before.
2. What was your last big project?
My last solo show at Calvin Charles at Scottsdale. Being the second Latino to have a solo show in this gallery after Fernando Botero was nerve wrecking.
3. What's your next big project?
My next big project consists of three parts:
- My solo show in Los Angeles at Chimmaya Gallery on Sept. 26
- Painting the first mural for Calle16 Mural project
- And my two-man show with Master Artist George Yepes.
4. Why do you do what you do?
Because the voices in my head keep chingando about it, and the only way to shut them up its creating arte.
5. What's something you want Phoenix to know about you?
I'm still planning on opening that restaurant.
(And, if you're game, what's something you really don't want Phoenix to know about you?)
That I watched an episode of Jersey Shore last night. Why God? Why??
The Creatives, so far:
99. Brian Boner
98. Carol Panaro-Smith
97. Jane Reddin
96. Adam Dumper
95. Mayme Kratz
94. Daniel Tantalean
93. Yuri Artibise
92. Lisa Starry
91. Paul Hoeprich
90. Betsy Schneider
89. Mary Shindell
88: Gabriel Utasi
87: Tiffany Egbert
86. Angela Cazel Jahn
85. Dayvid LeMmon
84. Beatrice Moore
83. Michelle J. Martinez
82. Carrie Bloomston
81. Paul Porter
80. Rachel Bess
79. Karolina Sussland
78. Aaron Abbott
77. Mary Lucking
76. Erin Sotak
75. Greg Esser
74. Matthew Mosher
73. Mark Klett
72. Tony Carrillo
71. Paul Morris
70. Joe Pagac
69. Alison King
68. JJ Horner
67. Kim Porter
66. Marco Rosichelli
65. Heather Hales
64. Amy Lamp
63. Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker
62. Lindy Drew
61. Robbie Pfeffer
60. Neil Borowicz
59. Lynn Fisher
58. Tanner Woodford
57. David Tinapple
56. Casebeer
55. Tom Leveen
54. Patti Parsons
53. Tedd McDonah
52. Mike Maas
51. Chris Todd
50. Monica Aissa Martinez
49. Stefan Shepherd
48. Jenny Poon
47. Matt Moore
46. Andrea Hanley
45. Julie Hampton
44. Ted Decker
43. Saskia Jorda
42. Michael Bergfalk
41. Scott Baxter
40. Carrie Marill
39. Kobina Banning
38. Suzanne Falk
37. Jon Haddock
36. Kade Twist
35. Cindy Dach
34. John Wagner
33. Roy Wasson Valle
32. Sue Chenoweth
31. Patricia Colleen Murphy
30. David Quan
29. Lesli Yazzie
28. Nathan Feller
27. Cassandra Coblentz
26. Matt Dickson
25. Tara Logsdon
