Robert Garcia was born in Kerrville, Texas in 1947, but his family eventually relocated to Toledo, OH. He studied art at the University of Toledo , graduating with a BA in Education in 1970, followed by graduate studies at Ohio State University in Columbus that concluded with an MFA in 1975. Garcia has been teaching art in the Toledo Public School System continuously from 1975 to 2003. During this time, he has participated in many competitions, public art projects, and exhibitions, mostly on a more regional scale.