Lea este artículo en español aquí.
A 14-year-old Hollister artist is turning creativity into recognition, capturing attention across the country with his work.
Eli Garcia, a 14-year-old local artist and student with autism, is competing in the quarterfinal stage of the America’s Most Artistic Kid competition, where contestants advance through rounds of public voting. After placing fifth in his group during the quarterfinal round, Garcia earned the opportunity to submit a piece for the competition’s “Critics Pick” selection, allowing him to remain in contention as the competition continues.
For Garcia, art is more than just a hobby. It has become a space where he can focus, process emotions and express himself.
“It’s usually pretty calming,” Garcia said. “You kind of have to concentrate on what you’re doing, because if you’re not, you can’t really do it right.”
According to his mother, Veronica Vasquez, Garcia began exploring art at a young age, but his connection to creativity started even earlier. As a child, she said he often approached things differently, finding his own way to interact with the world around him.
His introduction to structured art came through a summer program at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose, where he took his first formal art class. That experience sparked a deeper interest in creating and led to further development.
From there, Garcia began working with Gilroy-based artist Sheryl Cathers, who mentored him for several years and helped him develop his skills across multiple techniques. Through that guidance, he expanded his abilities beyond drawing and into painting, sculpture and other forms of art.
What started as simple drawings evolved into something much more. Over time, Garcia developed a wide range of artistic skills, from painting and sketching to sculpture, sewing and costume design, showcasing a versatility uncommon for his age.
“I enjoy doing art,” Garcia said, “because I have a fun time doing it and I want people to see my creativity.”
Vasquez said Garcia’s artwork was initially seen as more of a hobby. That began to change when his work was submitted to a local art competition connected to the Pacific Grove Art Center, where one of his pieces was selected for display.
That moment marked a turning point, helping validate his work and opening the door to more opportunities to share his art publicly.
“It made me feel confident,” Garcia said.
He said his inspiration comes from his surroundings, taking in other artists’ styles and ideas that come to mind in the moment.
His process often reflects how he experiences the world around him, including channeling emotion directly into his work.
Garcia said he was upset while working on a painting and wasn’t sure it would turn out the way he wanted.
“I was mad at that time,” he said. “But I ended up making something really nice out of it.”
Vasquez said she encouraged him to complete a painting for a gallery opportunity, even though he didn’t feel confident at the time. She said he became frustrated while working on the piece and handed it to her, saying, “Here’s your dumb painting.”
Despite his reaction, the painting turned out to be one of his strongest works and was later selected for display at the Pacific Grove Art Center.
According to Vasquez, the piece showed how his ability to work through emotions can translate directly into his art.
Now competing on a national stage, Garcia said he didn’t expect to go this far, given the scale of the competition.
“I didn’t expect to get past that many people,” he said. “There were thousands.”
As Autism Awareness Month is recognized, Garcia said he hopes his experience can inspire others, especially young people who may feel limited or unsure of their abilities.
“I want people to see that even if you have autism, ADHD, or anything like that, you’re still able to do it,” he said. “You just have to do it differently.”
He said he hopes people who see his work understand that everyone has their own way of doing things, and that being different can still lead to success.
“You just have to find your own way to do it,” Garcia added.
Looking ahead, Garcia has big goals, including pursuing art, design and possibly fashion in the future. “I would like to go into design and maybe fashion,” he said.
For now, he remains focused on continuing to create and grow as an artist, one piece at a time.
Community members interested in supporting Garcia and exploring more of his work can visit his online store at www.danceminds.net.
Garcia has also illustrated books written by his mother, which can be viewed here. Additional information about his contributions is included on the page.
A sample of Eli Garcia’s artwork. Photo courtesy of Veronica Vasquez. 
More artwork by Eli Garcia. Phoyo courtesy of Veronica Vasquez. 
Artwork by Eli Garcia. Photo courtesy of Veronica Vasquez. 
Eli Garcia dressed in a costume he created. Photo courtesy of Veronica Vasquez. Credit: Veronica Vasquez/Eli Garcia
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.