Kim Garza Chbeir is an artist, curator, and art educator living and working in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo border, her work, primarily painting, is influenced by growing up on the border, personal experiences, and interdisciplinary research.  In 2005 she earned a bachelors of Fine Art in painting with a minor in Art History and in 2014 completed a Masters in Bicultural Bilingual Studies with a minor in Bicultural Studies with honors from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is an active member of the arts community in San Antonio, and over the past 15 years, Garza Chbeir promoted Visual Arts education for youth and served as an art teacher for SAISD, a caseworker for DFPS, and a case manager for the City of San Antonio juvenile court, implementing art programs and collaborative projects that gained national attention.

”I started to paint when I was very young, inspired by stories my grandmother patiently relayed about art history, archeology, literature, stories meant to calm down an otherwise hyper-active, talkative child with imaginary friends. Experiencing a major language and culture change at a young age impacted my forms of expression, lost between two languages, sometimes I choose neither, I found comfort in making art.  Self-taught in the early years through play, media experimentation, art books, out-of-town museum visits, and most vividly, Bob Ross painting series after school, I love to share that feeling with all of my students. My vocation is to produce art, curate art experiences, inspire others to make and support art and art in education."