About

After graduating from Columbia University, Barnard College (summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa), with a double major in English and Art History as well as concentrations in Writing and Visual Arts, Garcia went on to work with the writers like Caryl Phillips (www.carylphillips.com) while working out her own, individual voice. Traveling the world from Japan to Ghana, Garcia has picked up a global vocabulary that informs her work – both written and visual. It is a mixed-media language that traverses the thematic scope of exile and diaspora, as well music, art, urban development and the growth of the American city.

Garcia is a freelance writer for The Miami Herald; MondoExplorer.com; and The Art Basel Magazine, along with numerous other journals, magazines, newspapers, and online media. In 2010, she was named 20 Under 40 in the arts by The Miami Herald for her work in Theatre, as the founding Artistic Director of Krane, Inc (also known as The Krane). In 2008, she was one of four Literature Finalists, worldwide, in the Rolex Mentor & Protege Arts Initiative. She has also won a scholarship to the NY State Summer Writers Institute; a Vermont Studio Center fellowship; received the Voices at the River Residency at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock, and earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of Miami (as a James Michner Fellow). Currently, she is enrolled in the PhD Literature/Creative Non-Fiction program at The University of California, Irvine, where she is a Schaeffer Fellow. She has taught at Johns Hopkins University’s CTY program; the University of Miami; Miami Dade Community College; and numerous other institutions. Her CV can be found below.

Garcia is also currently at work on various writing projects in theatre, fiction, and creative non-fiction.

Print CV
 
WRITER CV
 

WRITER CV
Vanessa Garcia
contact@vanessagarcia.org
Vanessagarcia.org
Thekrane.com
Cell: 305-450-9931

Education

Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts, 2001
Graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa
Double Major: English (concentration in Writing) and Art History (concentration in Visual Arts)
Studied Under:  Mary Gordon, Caryl Phillips, Peter Carey, Elizabeth Peyton, Archie Rand and others (references available upon request).

University of Miami, Fl.
MFA Creative Writing, 2009
Studied Under: A. Manette Ansay, Edwidge Danticat, and Jane Alison (references available upon request).

University of California, Irvine
MA, English, 2011
PhD, Literature with a focus in Creative Non-Fiction
Currently enrolled
Golden Key Honor Society Member
Expected graduation, 2014 

Representation

Literary Agent:
Jason Yarn, Paradigm Agency
360 Park Avenue South, 16th floor
New York, New York 10010

Freelance Writing

  • Copywriting -- Republica Ad Agency, Miami Fl. As well as other agencies. 2008- present. Copy includes work for Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Karisma Hotels & Resorts;Burger King; Pepsico; Adrienne Arsht and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, as well as The Children’s Trust, and AcuMedSpa,etc.
  • Freelance Journalism – Miami, Fl & NYC. 2004-present
    Articles featured in The Miami Herald; The Miami New Times; Florida Inside Out Magazine; Miami Art Guide; NYArts Magazine www.nyartsmagazine.com ; House King Magazine; The Southern Arts Journal; Irreverent Homemaker http://irreverenthomemaker.com; Cravings of South Florida; The Rumpus; The Lead Miami Beach www.theleadmiamibeach.com; Travel Writing for www.mondoexplorer.com; The Southern Humanities Review http://media.cla.auburn.edu/english/shr/index.cfm, etc
    Write about Art, literature, lifestyle, culture, travel, and other beats. Also write Websites for Design Companies like Gianfranco.us.
  • SparkNotes, New York, New York. 2001-2002. Wrote Study Guides for Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis; The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler; and The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan, among others.

Teaching

  • University of California, Irvine, TA Irvine, California. September 2011-present. Teach Introduction to Literary Journalism, and Evolution and Ethics of Literary Journalism.
  • First Pages Workshop, Instructor. Miami, Fl. Nov. 2009 - present. Teach one month Intensive workshops for  beginning and intermediate writers. Sponsored by AE District in Miami as well as by The Krane, Inc. More info here: http://thekrane.com/first-pages.html
  • Johns Hopkins CTY Program, TA. Lancaster, PA. Summer 2009. Assisted in teaching a course called Crafting the Essay for talented youth during a summer intensive sponsored and created by Johns Hopkins University.
  • University of Miami, TA. Miami, Fl. 2007-2009 Teach Eng. 209: Intro to Creative Writing.
  • Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Miami , Fl. 2006. Taught High School Art History and Middle School Visual Art.
  • Miami Dade Community College, Miami, Fl. 2005 Taught writing and composition at the downtown Wolfson Campus Writing Center.
  • Tutoring, Miami, Fl. 2004-present. Tutor students in Writing, Art, History, Humanities, English Literature, and other subjects. One and one, as well as in small groups.

Conferences/Panels

  • Crafting Art on Both Sides of the Hyphen: A Discussion on Latin-American Art, Miami, Fl. September 15, 2011. Curator and Moderator for panel discussion that included Carol Damian, Director of Frost Art Museum; Irina Leyva-Perez, Curator of PanAmerican ArtProjects; Luisa Lignarolo of Cernuda Arte; and artist, Gustavo Oviedo.
  • Diversity Conference 2011,  Capetown, South Africa. June 20-22, 2011. Virtual Participant/Presentation of Paper entitled: "The 'Miami-Cuban' (and other Hyphenated Americans in the World-System."
  • AASH National Conference [Associated Alumnae of the Sacred Heart], Miami, Fl. April, 7-10, 2011. Seminar Speaker.
  • Princeton Harvard Cuba Conference , Princeton, New Jersey. April, 2006. Invited to Princeton to participate and take part  as an artist/journalist/observer.
  • As Personal Assistant to Caryl Phillips (http://www.carylphillips.com), New York, New York & Delray Beach, Fl. 2001- 2004. Assisted with research, teaching, conference planning, etc. Worked particularly on research for his novel Dancing in The Dark about Black Vaudeville Star Bert Williams, which was short-listed for the Booker and won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for best book. Also helped to plan, as well as attended the following programs while working for Phillips:
    •  Literature of the Middle Passage, Ghana, Africa. Assisted in taking a college course to Accra and Elmina to study where the Middle Passage, and the literature that arose out of the forced African Diaspora, began.
    • Bellagio Writers and Scholars Conference 2003, Bellagio, Italy. Participant in conference entitled: The Caribbean in New York and Paris.

Published Fiction & Other Lit Journal Publication

  • Review of Sherman Alexie’s War Dances, Southern Humanities Review (Auburn University). Spring/Summer, 2010.
  • Sticks & Stones -- (Poetry) Shady Side Review, Fall 2009, 1st Issue (The Whirligig Installment). www.shadysidereview.com
  • Canopies – (Poetry) Damselfly Press, Oct 2008, Fifth Issue http://www.damselflypress.net/

Theatre

  • The Charms of the Gifted - A comedic short about the trials and tribulations of houseguests and what they leave behind (cultural clashes and otherwise).
    Staged Reading at the Tamarac Theatre for the Performing Arts for show entitled: On the Boards: Our Alternative Theatre Festival, Tamarac, Fl. August 19, 2011
  • Two Islands: Island Blogosphere & The Jewish Nun – Summer 2010. Show entitled Island Blosgosphere, part of Two Islands, is about a young ABC (American Born Cuban) and  her connection with bloggers inside Cuba who are risking their lives for human rights and freedom of speech on the island. Showed: Miami @ GAB Studios July 14 and 15; NYC @ 59e59 July 17 & 18. Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland,  at theSpaces@Surgeons HallAugust 6-14.
  • Model City - @ Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts – Miami Made Project, Miami, Fl. March 6 &7 2010. Invited as part of Miami Made Festival to present performance. Project called Model City for “Incubator” portion of the show.
  • The Krane – Based in Miami, Works Globally, 2007 – Present. Founder and Artsitic Director.  Company merges visual art and theatre; We create events, and productions around the US and abroad. www.thekrane.com. Have produced, with the Krane, a number of shows: Pink Zebras; Post-Secret, Miami; Shoes & a Show: Miami Vignettes; Monologus Lingus; Shake it Up; Two Islands; Who Could Have Predicted? and many more. Please see website for details. We take commissions, as well as initiate projects.For a list of pieces included in these shows, please contact Vanessa Garcia.
  • Parked – a Play about two architects constructing a Park – it is also a political parallel of Palestine and Israel. Production at Just the Funny Theatre, Miami Fl Dec. 27, 2009 The Chameleon Theatre, Amsterdam, Netherlands. May 2008. http://www.decameleon.nl/ In addition, it received a reading at The Rep, Little Rock, Arkansas. August 2007.
  • Cloudcuckooland – A play about the city of Miami with all of its complex layers. Production at Abanico Theatre, Miami, Fl. March 2008.
    Staged Reading at Books & Books, Miami, Fl. 2005.
  • Raw Impressions, New York, NY, 2002 & 2003. Worked as writer/director for two shows for them:
    • RIOT – Raw Impressions Out of the Box Theatre — My Piece entitled: “My Life as a Stairdweller and the Secrets of Aviation.”Produced at TIXE in Times Square, New York, New York, October 2003. Also worked another piece for them called “The Meaning of North.”

 Painting Exhibitions/Murals

  • Wine & Chocolate – Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. June 2011. Group show at New Light Gallery, Lauderdale by the Sea.
  • Divine Debris & Glorious Trash – Miami, Fl. June 2009. Group show sponsored by Arts at  St. Johns and The Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Show was dedicated to using recycled materials and “trash” in art.
  • Vivid, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. – Feb – March 2009. Group show at New Light Studio/Gallery (Lauderdale by the Sea).  A joint community project between professional artists and high school students to encourage artistic growth.
  • The Black Valentine Day Art Show, Miami, Fl. Feb. 13, 2009. Group show sponsored by KraveArt and Wallove.
  • Last Picture Show, Miami, Fl.  March – April 2008. Group show at Artformz in Design District of selected Miami artists.
  • Women and War, Miami Women’s Club, Miami, Fl. March 2008, Miami.  Group show on the subject of women and war for a conference called “Reflections on War,” sponsored by Arts at St. Johns.
  • EXPOSED! Miami, Fl, Art Basel, 2007. Juried Group Show at Artformz.
  • Smash & Grab -- Locust Projects Raffle, Miami, Fl. Nov 2006 - 2008. Sold “La Girafa,” “The Flowers Are More Interesting Underground” as well as a Series called “Journal Drawings,” and  "Birdland" from a series called  "Internet Access."
  • Off the Wall, Miami, Fl May 12, 2007. Wynwood One Night Happening @ 310 NW 26th street, curated by The Krane. Other artists included Aleksandar Kirilov, Rachel Hoffman, Yoshimitsu Takano, and Madame Gremalkin, along with Wize Foolz Muzik, Gatoe, and Nikki Garcia.
  • Fast – Miami, Fl. Wynwood. April 2007. Group Show @ 370 NW 24th street, curated by Jordon Massengale.
  • Intimate Bodies, Public Spaces, San Francisco, March 1-31st 2007. Group show at The Mina Dresden Gallery  http://minadresden.com
  • Intensely Superficial, Miami, Jan. – March 2007. Group Show at Artformz in the Design District
  • Pregon, Miami Dade Public Library Call and Response Series #1, Miami, Fl. Oct. – Dec. 2006 – invited to be a part of a series of work that responds to the library’s collection. Artists included: Ernesto Burgos, Teo Castellanos, Carlos de Villasante, Christian Duran, Beatriz Monteavaro, and Angela Valella.
  • Museum of Modern Art, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. March 2006 -- invited with Miami Gallery, Edge  Zones, to participate in an exhibit and series of performances at the Museum of Modern Art,  Santo Domingo. Project was entitled “Reassessing the Diaspora”
  • Imaging Ourselves. http://imow.org/ June 2006. Juried Exhibition, chosen as featured artist for online exhibition.
  • HGTV commission, Miami, Fl.  2006. Commissioned to paint a mural for “Mission Organize”. 
  • Tactics and Strategies, San Francisco, March 3 - April 1, 2006. Group Show at The Mission Cultural Center for Arts. Juried Exhibition.
  • Doodle, Soho, New York, New York. Sept 1-15, 2006. Group Show at The Broadway Gallery.
  • Restructured Reality, Miami, Fl. Feb-March 2006. Group show at edgezones in Wynwood.  http://www.edgezones.org
  • Secrets of Aviation, Coral Gables, Fl. Oct. 2005. Solo Show at The Gilded Hand.
  • THE DISTRICT, Miami, Fl. Sept. 8- Oct 13, 2005. Solo Show.
  • The Miami Paintings, Miami, Fl. Summer 2005. The Four Ambassadors Hotel Lobby. Solo show.
  • Beyond All That, Miami, Fl. Jan 8th – Feb 26, 2005. Edge Zones Gallery, World Arts Building. Group show about the relationship of art and social transformation.
  • Puntos de Vista, Queens, New York, May 6, 2004 .Queens Council on the Arts benefit and auction of work by contemporary New York Latino Artist.
  • Visual Mnemonics, Miami, Fl. April 17-June 14, 2004. Edge Zones Gallery, World Arts Building. Group show suggesting art as a device that triggers the power of memory.
  • Night of 1,000 Drawings, New York, New York, 2003.  Group show at Artist’s Space, Soho.
  • National Academy of Design, New York, New York, Aug- Sept. 2001. Group show.
  • Miller Theater, New York, New York. April –May 2001. Group show.
  • Leroy Neiman Center for Print Studies, Columbia University, New York, New York. April- May 2001. Group Show.
  • National Arts Club, New York, New York, 2000. Group show of Muralists. 

Honors and Awards

  • Playwright Development Program, Miami, Fl. 2011-2013. Chosen by Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs in Conjunction with Deering Estate at Cutler to produce a full length play under master playwrights, two-year program.
  • 100 Creatives, Miami, Fl, 2010. Chosen by The Miami New Times as one of Miami's "100 Creatives."
  • 20 Under 40 in the Arts, Miami, Fl.2010 Nominated by city; Chosen by The Miami Herald. I was chosen named for my work in the arts/theatre through my company The Krane (Krane,Inc).
  • Miami Dade Cultural Affairs Grant 2010, Third Quarter – Granted $2,700 and $4,000 for Krane,Inc
    Projects Two Islands (2010) and Who Could Have Predicted? (2011).
  • Schaeffer Fellowship in Creative Non-Fiction – awarded in 2010. Given for PhD studies and to write a book of Creative Non-fiction (Statements) at the Univeristy of California, Irvine.
  • Vermont Studio Center Writing Residency – April 2010. Received Fellowship to write at the center and work on a play called Island Blogosphere.
  • Phoebe Winter Fiction Contest – May 2009. Finalist for story entitled 33.
  • NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge, March 2009. Story entitled FedEx To Denmark placed in the Top Five. http://www.nycmidnight.com/
  • Nomination for Best New American Fiction Prize, May 2008. For short story Shells in Manhattan. Winners TBA. Nominated by Edwidge Danticat.
  • Graduate Fiction Prize, University of Miami, Fl. May 2008. For short story Shells in Manhattan. Judge: Chauncey Mabe, South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  • New York State Summer Writers Institute, Saratoga Srings, NY. July 2008. Full tuition scholarship to study with  Margot Livesey & Jim Shepard in the genre of Fiction.
  • The Rolex Mentor & Protégé Arts Initiative, 2008.  Finalist for literature protégé to work with Wole Soyinka. One of four finalists world-wide. Visited Soyinka in his home in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and in Lagos for one week.
  • Voices at the River Residency at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock, Arkansas. August. 6-19, 2007. Two week residency for play “Parked.” Public reading at the end of residency. www.therep.org
  • James Michner Fellow, University of Miami, Fl. 2007-2009. Full Fellowship/Tuition Scholarship for Graduate Studies/ MFA in Creative Writing from with grant for Teaching Assistantship during MFA
  • Grant from The City of Miami, Commissioner Johnny Winton,  Miami, Fl. 2002 to launch a project entitled Model City. Grant for $1,400.
  • Edward Austen Abbey Mural Workshop Scholarship, New York, NY. 2001. Scholarship to study the art of mural painting at the National Academy of Design, NYC.
  • Time Grant for Visual Arts, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY. 2001
  • The Doris E. Fleischman Writing Award, Barnard College, Columbia University, May 2000. For best piece of Writing fiction or non-fiction.
  • International Library of Photography Editor’s Choice Award, 1998
  • Miami International Bookfair Award in Writing, 1997. For new Voices.

In Collections of:

Marianne Devine -- Birdland (from series "Internet Access")
William Ross --- Model City
Ramon Balboa – Katrina; Heartbreak; Skirt Train (long drawing/installation)
Mary Danguillecourt – Trickle Down Economics is Bullshit
Melissa Krinzman, Miami – The Journal Drawings
Paul and Estelle Berg, Miami – The Flowers are More Interesting Underground
Stephen Gamson, Miami – The Flower Women
Law Offices of Inaqui Saizarbitoria, Miami – A Trip to the Moon
Olga Marie Saizarbitoria (Discovery  Channel), Miami – Virgin Mary Series
Digna French (lawyer), Miami – La Girafa
Caryl Phillips (writer), New York/London/Delray Beach -- Delray
Pioneer Commodities, Boca Raton – This is What I Know For Sure & Drawings
Doug Harris, Bisazza – Byzantium
…And Others

Art Books Featured In:

Wet2
Published 2006
(ISBN: 0-9778621-0-0)
Edgezones Press Miami; Edited by Charo Oquet and David Vardi

Supermix: Union of the Diverse Contemporary Art in Miami
Published November 2008
Edgezones Press Miami; Edited by Charo Oquet and David Vardi
http://web.me.com/charooquet/edgezonespress/Home.html

Guilds/Unions:

Dramatists Guild of America, Member 2011-Present
South Florida Theatre League, Member 2011- Present