ABOUT
Terese Garcia is a non representational, experimental Artist. Her family roots are Los Angeles County and she was born in Hollywood. Her spiritual threads are in the now, nature, activism and meditation. She resides on the Monterey Peninsula where she is privileged to be surrounded by its oceanic sanctuary.
After receiving her BA from UCSB, she went on to study at Otis Parsons School of Art and design. Her work is in collections, nationally and she's had exhibitions in California and New York. She also writes poetry where her work has been published. She has been an art advocate, educator and volunteer on the Peninsula with organizations such as California State University Monterey Bay, the City of Salinas First Night Art Walk, Open Ground Studios, HOPE Services for the Disabled and Ventana Inn Gallery.
It is the process of making each piece that is her focus. It is here that lies the greatness.
Epilogue to the Art of Terese Garcia
Like the wind filling everything with inspiration, there is a history of where I make and have made my work for the last 11 years that I will share.
In 2014, I began a journey of finding solace, space, and a creative community to continue making my art. It was one day in a month I can’t remember when I met Denese Sanders in her art collective for artists called Open Ground Studios (OGS). She continues to be the founder, powerful community builder, and giver of art opportunities. Agnes Martin once expressed how important your environment is to your art. For her, it was the beauty of Taos, New Mexico.
For me, it has been OGS. The spirit of the artists that are there is the internal version of the beauty I feel when I’m underneath a redwood tree, sitting on its roots, spread out in 360 degrees that wind down to the river that continues down to the ocean, sun, and compassion of life’s imagination.
Its physical location is in Seaside, CA; its spiritual location is kindness, laughter, quietude, togetherness, and undying creativity.
EDUCATION
1982-1986 University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
BA- POLITICAL SCIENCE
1988-1990 Otis Parsons School of Art and Design, Los Angeles, Ca
Fine Art Department- Figure Drawing and Sculpture
2001-03 International Institute of Medical Qi Gong, Pacific Grove, Ca
Medical Qi Gong Practitioner Certificate
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2004 Mar.-April ‘ABSTRACT WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS by Garcia’
Sofanya’s Art Gallery, Big Sur, Ca
2005 Feb.-April ‘NEW ABSTRACTIONS’
Local Colors, Big Sur, Ca
2006 Oct.-Dec. ‘A GATHERING OF FORMS’
SALUD-Whole Foods Community Center, Monterey, Ca
2012 June-July ‘PRESENT-PRESENCE’
Pacific Grove Art Center, Pacific Grove, Ca
2013 Feb.-April ‘FLUIDITY’
Alvarado Gallery, Monterrey Conference Center of Monterey. Ca
Presented by: THE CITY OF MONTEREY ARTS COUNCIL
2015 Jan.-Feb. ‘CONTINUUM’
White Buffalo Gallery, Sacramento, Ca
2018 May-June ‘HOME”
Paolo Mejia and Jack London Square Realty, Oakland, Ca
2019 May-July ‘BEYOND CONVENTIONS’
Open Ground Studios, Seaside, Ca
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2006 ‘ABSTRACT PAINTINGS, Terese Garcia & Rima West’
Miriam’s Cafe, Monterey, Ca
‘MINIATURES EXHIBITION’
Monterey Museum of Art, Ca
2007 ‘WE ARE FAMILY’
Avery Gallery, Seaside City Hall, Ca
‘POST CARD SERIES’
Lisa Cocino Gallery, Pacific Grove, Ca
‘MINIATURES EXHIBITION’
Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, Ca
2010 ‘SYLVAN DESIGN ART EXHIBITION’
Sylvan Design and Gallery, Sand City, Ca
‘ABSTRACT ART, Redstone and Garcia’
Sweet Elena’s Cafe & Gallery, Sand City, Ca
2011 ‘ARTISTS EXHIBITION’
Eve Galleria, Syracuse, NY
2013 ‘DISCOVERIES’
Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts, Los Angeles, Ca
2015 ‘WOMENS HISTORY MONTH ART EXHIBITION’
Sweet Elena’s Cafe & Gallery, Sand City, Ca
‘VARIATIONS ON ABSTRACTION’
Transmission Gallery, Oakland, Ca
(Featured artists from around the world. Curated by: Robert Jean Ray.)
2016 ‘INTERSECTION’
Radius Gallery, Santa Cruz, Ca
(Paintings by Terese Garcia. Sculpture by Peter Hiers. Curated by Ann
Hazels.)
2017 ‘OPEN GROUND STUDIOS MEMBERS EXHIBITION’
Open Ground Studios, Seaside, Ca
2018 ‘GOOD AND MAD Pop Up EXHIBITION’
Open Ground Studios, Seaside, Ca
2019 ‘MINIATURES EXHIBITION’
Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, Ca
2024. ‘OPEN GROUND’, MEG EXHIBITION
Sunset Center, Carmel, Ca
2024 ‘OPEN GROUND- Artist Variety Showcase: WRITTEN & SPOKEN WORDS’,
MEG EXHIBUTION
Sunset Center, Carmel, Ca
ART AFFILIATIONS
2009-2011 Del Campo Gallery, Big Sur, Ca
Artist Member and Exhibited Artist
2011 Central Coast Art Association, Monterey, Ca
Guest Speaker, Artist-Talk Presentation on the VERMONT STUDIO CENTER
Artist-Residency
2014-2016 San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, Ca
Artist Member
2014-ongoing Open Ground Studios, Seaside, Ca
Artist Member
2022-ongoing Pacific Grove Art Center, Pacific Grove, Ca
Support Membership
ART AWARDS
2010 Artist in Residence
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Artist Grant Recipient
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
2016 Artist’s Paintings featured in the play: “A DELICATE BALANCE”
by EDWARD ALBEE.
Presented by: Van Antwerp Theatre Company, Santa Cruz, Ca
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
2026 -ongoing Art Scout Online Gallery
2017-ongoing ART A LA FOLIE
Online Contemporary Gallery
2018-2023 THE EDGE GALLERY
Carmel Valley, Ca
2019-2020 THE PAINTING CENTER
New York, NY
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
1995 GATEWAY CENTER ARISTS EXHIBITION
Oldemeyer Center, Seaside, Ca
Curated and Organized by TERESE GARCIA
2022 CLE EXHIBITION; Art & Experience
CLE Center, Monterey, Ca
Curated and Organized by TERESE GARCIA