Artist Biography

Nina Garza grew up in Berlin, Germany, in a household buzzing with creativity. Her mom showed her all sorts of crafting tricks, her dad taught her how to handle tools and build stuff. Her grandparents were always encouraging her to color, draw, and paint. Surrounded by nature and animals, she found both peace and endless curiosity early on. “Nature and animals were always around me, they gave me a sense of wonder,” she says. Something that would stick with her through everything.

School just made her love art more. She took art classes seriously, even choosing it as her high school major. A memorable trip to Florence, Italy opened her eyes to the magic of old masterpieces and storytelling through art. Traveling across Europe, from Austria and the Czech Republic to Spain, Portugal, and Sweden, and later to Turkey and the U.S., gave her plenty of inspiration and fresh ideas.

Now living in Texas, Nina’s art reflects a mix of her global adventures and her love for the natural world. She’s been creating art forever, teaching kids to paint T-shirts or running silk scarf workshops. It wasn’t until 2020, when she and her husband made a studio at home, that she decided to take art seriously as a career. She laughs about it, now. “I spent a long time avoiding being a professional artist because I was scared it would kill the fun.” But once she dug in, she found she could share what she cared about most through her paintings: focusing on stories rather than just doing commissions.

At the core of Nina’s art is life’s connection, especially for wildlife and the environment. Animals are her favorite subjects. She creates colorful and expressive portraits that bring attention to endangered or little-known species. Taking part in “Inktober” in 2021 – 2023 was a game-changer. She turned the daily drawing prompts into a way to honor animals at risk. It resulted in researching their backgrounds and mixing in a message for the planet. “What if I could be a voice for these animals? What if people realized that there are more endangered animals than just giraffes and elephants, maybe even some in your own backyard?”

Her art sparks from all kinds of places: animal holidays, drawing prompts, tips from followers, or a quick glimpse at an interesting creature. She starts with research and a lot of heart. The results include “Plea from the Shadows,” her award-winning piece. It looks at the Aye-Aye, a little-known animal often thought of as spooky, and shows it in a new, gentle light. She also loves painting manatees and striped hyenas, where she blends detailed work with a looser style that keeps things fresh.

Nina’s art skills come from a mix of teachers, workshops with the Boesner art supply company, art meetups, tons of trial and error, and hours of YouTube tutorials and books. For her, it all boils down to one thing: “practice, practice, practice!”

Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2024, she was named Artist of the Year by the Lemur Conservation Foundation, and her art has been featured online in places like Bold Journey, Voyage Houston, Shoutout HTX, and the Lemur Conservation Foundation’s own site. Fans and collectors not only love the details and colors but also enjoy learning about animals they’d never heard of before.

When she’s not painting, Nina likes to travel, ride horses, and cook or bake. She also works as an office manager on a horse ranch, which only fuels her love for animals and the outdoors.

Looking ahead, Nina dreams of starting a nonprofit connected to a wildlife rescue. A place where art and conservation come together to teach, fundraise, and inspire. For her, art isn’t just about making pretty pictures: “I want to use my paintings to shine a light on endangered animals and get the community involved in making a difference. Every painting invites us to notice the beauty around us, and maybe help save it, too.”