Ziania Narvaez-Garcia

I am a Philadelphia-based artist originally from South Texas. I earned my Bachelor of Arts from Allegheny College in 2015, double-majoring in International Studies and Studio Art. My artistic practice centers on the visual arts, particularly acrylic painting and community-engaged art-making. Growing up between cultures in a border region has deeply influenced both my creative work and my approach to teaching.

My personal work is inspired by emotion and memory. I use vibrant color and elements of nature as a visual language to explore themes of love, nostalgia, and connection, often grounded in reflections on family and cultural roots. In recent paintings of women, I use the anatomical heart as a recurring motif, experimenting with its placement as a head, shoulder, or hairstyle to symbolize emotional presence and strength. I also explore painting on nontraditional materials, repurposing discarded items such as seashells, canvas scraps, old clothing, and cardboard, then either weaving or sewing them together to create a painting surface. This practice reflects my belief that creative potential exists in what might otherwise be dismissed. Art-making allows me to process experiences, meditate, and release emotions that I sometimes struggle to articulate. My experience as an artist directly informs my teaching practice as I aim to nurture participants’ curiosity in using the visual arts to express themselves.