Born in 1966 in the Philippines, Walfrido Garcia spent his youth surrounded by art and harbored a life-long dream of becoming a professional artist. His father, an art teacher, left the Philippines for the United States and Walfrido and his family followed him to California in 1972. In addition to teaching his paying students and creating beautiful paintings, Walfrido’s father gave his son painting lessons; more importantly, Walfrido says, he learned how to teach. By the time he was seventeen years old, Walfrido was teaching his own art class while studying art at Ohlone Community College and displaying his artwork at the Devaux Galleries in Carmel, California.

Walfrido continued his studies in graphic arts at San Jose State University, but in his final year he decided to commit himself to his art – he wanted to be a professional artist, but that would take undivided dedication. Walfrido set an ultimatum for himself: if he couldn’t make it as an artist within six years, he would return to school. With great determination and luck, Walfrido soon got his first break in Hawaii where he found a gallery that wanted to represent his work. Soon, he was selling paintings as quickly as he produced them.

Before long, Walfrido met the renowned nature and sea-life artist Wyland; when the latter decided to open his own chain of galleries, Walfrido was invited to join him and soon his work was hanging alongside that of world-famous artists such as Roy Tabora, James Coleman, and John Pitre. Quickly gathering international attention, he spent the next fifteen years exhibiting his art around the world. Currently, Walfrido spends most of his time in Hawaii and California, where he is constantly inspired by the spectacular seascapes which are the stunning subjects of most of his work.