Sculpting Community Through Art and Giving: Donor Spotlight on Tim Garcia
Tim Garcia in his Upcountry studio
For Maui sculptor Tim Garcia, giving back begins with home. Maui is where he lives, where he creates, and where community has always mattered most. Having lost both his sister and his mother to cancer, Tim carries a deep commitment to supporting others who are facing the disease today. “It’s home,” he says, “and anything I can do to eradicate it, help the suffering, or give support to the community fighting it and to the survivors is truly important. It’s going to take a village.”
That spirit of kōkua has made Tim a friend of Pacific Cancer Foundation for many years. His support has come in many forms: donating his artwork, stepping up as emcee, raising his paddle, and even contributing unique experiences. At last year’s Aloha Kalikimaka Gala, Tim — together with his partners Kari McCarthy and Sheri McNerthney at Wailea Contemporary Gallery — donated a live auction item valued at over $3,000: an exclusive culinary and art evening inside the gallery. The experience paired a seven-course dinner by local chefs with wine pairings and Tim himself preparing two of the courses. For Tim, what matters most is not the size of the gift, but showing up for the community.
“Whether you’re someone who can write a $100,000 check, or you’re someone who volunteers at the event just to help guide people… if everybody has a paddle in the water, and we’re all rowing in the same direction, we’re going to get there quicker, and it’s going to be more harmonious moving forward as a community.”
That same spirit shows up in Tim’s life as an artist. For him, art is more than form or technique — it is a way of moving the mind and spirit. “Art, you know, it takes you to a different place…You can sit there and look at a painting, and it could be a landscape, it could be an abstract, and it takes your mind off what might be going on in your head at the moment.”
He experienced this firsthand during a recent stay at Maui Memorial Medical Center, where the hallways were lined with framed artwork by students from Waiheʻe Elementary. “It just made me smile and lifted my spirits to see these beautiful works by our youth here in the islands. And I know it instills a lot of pride into the keiki of Maui that their work is framed and on these walls and in these hospitals.”
That passion for the healing power of art has guided Tim’s creative path for more than two decades. Since 1999, he has been sculpting in marble, local wood, and bronze from his upcountry Maui studio. “In my work, I search for a harmonious balance of shape and form that is pleasing to the eye and pulls the viewer to touch. I’m constantly finding the natural beauty on Maui influencing my work from the mountains and valleys to the moon and sea.”
Seven-course dinner at Wailea Contemporary Art Gallery, in benefit of Pacific Cancer Foundation
Menu featuring local chefs with wine pairings and Tim himself preparing two of the courses
Tim’s sculptures can be found across Hawai‘i and beyond — at the Maui Winery in Ulupalakua, Four Seasons Wailea, the Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Hui No‘eau, and even in New Zealand. His art embodies the harmony of nature, capturing Maui’s essence through powerful, grounded forms. Each piece creates a sensory experience that draws the viewer in, inviting connection to both place and moment.
Just as important to him as his own practice is lifting others up. Tim teaches at Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center and takes pride in mentoring younger artists, encouraging them to keep going even when the path feels challenging. “Maui specifically has such a tight community of artists that are open and sharing, that always raise each other up,” he explains.
For Tim, sharing opportunities and guiding the next generation is as much a part of his art as the chisels and stone in his studio. Looking ahead, one of the projects he is most excited about is bringing more art into hospitals and care centers — not only for patients, but also for the nurses and staff who work tirelessly every day. He believes this kind of work allows people to discover local artists while also transforming the environment. “People get to know their works as well, and it beautifies this space and uplifts the spirits of patients and artists.”
For Tim Garcia, art and giving come from the same place — a belief in connection, healing, and community. Whether through a sculpture, a donated experience, a moment of mentorship, or raising his paddle at an event, he finds ways to move others forward. His message is simple but powerful: we all have something to contribute, and it matters most when we do it together.
As he puts it, when everybody has a paddle in the water, moving in the same direction, we reach our destination more quickly and with greater harmony. Through his life as an artist, teacher, and donor, Tim reminds us that honoring each person’s gifts is how we truly build one community.
You can visit Tim and explore his work at Wailea Contemporary Gallery in Wailea Village. Tim’s generosity reminds us that every gift makes a difference. Join him in supporting PCF’s free programs and services for Maui County families.