Illustrations by Naday

Introduction: Ms. Garmendia's interest in art began at an early age and her talent became evident quickly. She won many local and statewide awards, including the Prestigious Scholastic Art Award (founded in 1923), which is the longest-running assessment and recognition program for the visual arts among students grades 7-12 in the U.S. She pursued her career studying at various colleges and institutes, receiving full scholarships from Parsons School of Design in New York, the Vermont School of Design, and the Fort Lauderdale Art Institute. She earned her degree in fine arts from the University of Miami in 1982, where she also received a full scholarship and pursued her master's degree in fine arts at University of South Florida. For the past 12 years, Ms. Garmendia has been a working artist, illustrator, and teacher, engaging children and adults in the experience of art. As a teaching artist, she has taught privately, in afterschool art programs, and at the Miami Art Museum. She was an artist-in-residence at the Miami Children's Museum for 2 consecutive terms and an artist-in residency at Art Center/South Florida since 2009. More recently, she has illustrated for the Miami International Book Fair and the National Democratic Party Convention Credentials.