Garcia is an artist whose life has been influenced by art since a child. His art career was nurtured by strong women who introduced him to the beauty of everyday sights, as well as supported his great curiosity of art. Born on May 28, 1939, Garcia marveled at the tall buildings constructed in the forties found in Los Angeles City. Being exposed to the geometric forms created on these high-rises also influenced Garcia's artwork the past 55 years. His mother and grandmother raised Garcia in East Los Angeles with his sister.  His grandmother emphasized the importance of art by filling her home with visual arts, while his aunts and uncles painted and played music instruments.

He had guidance and support through his education starting back in his 6th grade class at Eastman Elementary School. Garcia's teacher, Mrs. Webster, encouraged her students to create art and often brought them to the Los Angeles Museum of Art at Exposition Park. Fine art paintings and sculptures in the museum soon became Garcia's focal point in his interest for art through his school years.

After high school graduation, Garcia attended Humboldt State University, until he needed to return home to Los Angeles to assist his family with expenses. His short time at Humboldt allowed him to know he wanted to return to college. While taking employment to help his family, Garcia also enrolled in evening classes at East Los Angeles Community College. He then transferred to Cal State Los Angeles to pursue a degree - minoring in Mathematics and Chemistry and majoring in Art. His fascination with geometric shapes within the skylines of LA as a child continued into his college studies. Garcia graduated in 1970 and continued his education by applying for graduate school at UCLA and Claremont Graduate School. Both schools provided a full tuition based on the exceptional work in his art portfolio. Garcia chose Claremont Graduate School and started his next journey in art. He completed his MFA degree in 1974.

As art education was provided thoroughly to young Garcia in grade school, he wanted to be that influential strength to students as well. He taught for 30 years, including time at Montclair High School as Art Department Chair, Etiwanda High, and Chaffee College. He concluded his teaching career at Turlock High School in the Central Valley.

Garcia took his knowledge and enjoyment of the arts and ran two galleries in Southern California. A gallery in Upland, CA, called Chrysalis, focusing on contemporary art and another gallery also called Chrysalis. in Claremont, CA, which featured early vintage California Plain air work. Through his Claremont years, Garcia met some profound artists, who became friends, such as Karl Benjamin, Jim Fuller, Roland Raise, Ted Kurzie and Michael Bruster.

As Garcia reflects on his 55+ years of art, he gives credit to his early years in Claremont that really developed his art life. Being a teacher at high schools and colleges, as well as owning galleries, Garcia was able to focus on being an artist, art collector, art educator, as well as an art restorer. He has great gratitude towards his wife Denise who encouraged him to open a gallery in Sonora when moving to Tuolumne County. Garcia was the owner of the Ventana Gallery for 15 years located in downtown Sonora. In December of 2016, he decided to retire to focus entirely on his own art. He did a great service to his community by showing art from a variety of artists from the 1800s to the present. Garcia was still an art educator to the community, tourists, artists, and gallery curators while at the Ventana. He commented, "One of the things I’ve found over the years is that although artists are devoted to their art, it is the community that keeps all the arts, including dance, theatre, and music alive."