Alumna leads NEA mural project on campus

San Antonio-based visual artist Adriana Garcia earned a Multimedia Specialist Certificate from Northwest Vista College in 2001.

Her path to Vista came after she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.

During her senior year at CMU, Adriana said she discovered interest in graphic design and video production.

Returning to her native San Antonio, after earning a B.F.A. and graduating with honors, she heard about NVC, a then new and small community college, which offered classes in multimedia.

In recalling how faculty at NVC impacted her as a person and working artist, she said, “Not only were they accommodating, but talented and fun. I felt like they wanted to help me succeed.”

Many of Garcia’s artwork, give prominence to the history of the San Antonio area through visual representation showing the faces and past experiences of both indigenous people and Latinos.

Her own personal story is deep-rooted in the history of Northwest Vista College. In 1999, she designed the official poster to celebrate the grand opening of the college.

Her imprint on NVC now includes serving as project lead for a student and volunteer-driven mural that is part of the Mexican-American Studies Art Project, made possible through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Centered on visually narrating the limited access to education many people of color historically and presently experience, particularly in San Antonio, she said a main theme in the piece is unity, namely family support.

“Every face in the piece is that of an actual student,” she said. “It’s about educational equality and integrity.”

The mural will be displayed on the Northwest Vista College campus as a beacon of reflection and inspiration.

When asked what advice she has for current and future students, Garcia said, “There are a lot of spokes to a wheel; remember to diversify yourself and learn as many skillsets as you can.”

Adriana’s work as a muralist is also on display at San Pedro Creek Culture Park. Her piece De Todos Caminos Somos Todos Uno (From All Roads, We Are All One), was recently named by ‘Americans for the Arts’ as one of the top 50 projects in the U.S.

adrianamjgarcia.com