Pilar teaches on the Masters in Illustration programme, Undergraduate Textiles and Performance Costume programmes at Edinburgh College of Art where she completed her Masters. She also lectures in the Building Near Futures course (in Edinburgh Futures Institute). Prior to this she studied at ESIC in Madrid Advertising and PR and Marketing. She also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice from the University of Edinburgh.

Professional activities outside the University

• Mentoring Creative Edinburgh and Edinburgh Council (2021 to 2026)
• Board Member of Directors Creative Edinburgh (2022-2023)
• Volunteer National Galleries of Scotland, Education department (2018 to present)
• Freelance illustrator and graphic designer: leadership and management (2018 to present)

Exhibitions

Scottish Parliament, Italian Film Festival, Spanish Film Festival, Film House Cinema, Whitespace Edinburgh, 100 Days Project Scotland ECA, School of Languages UoE, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Central Library Edinburgh, Flamingosaurux Rex Edinburgh. (2016 to present)

Awards

• 2021 - Creativity Award, Creative Edinburgh Awards
• 2020 - Shortlisted Creativity and Social Award, Creative Edinburgh Awards
• 2020 - Special International Award, Artjobs. 

My research practice to date has focused on using illustration to engage communities, inside ECA and outside. I work with colleagues across ECA, the wider University community and private and third sector organisations outside ECA.  

Other research interests: womanhood and mental health.

Book published

24th January 2019, Calmalandia, Oberon, Anaya Publishing.

Articles in press

• 30th July 2022, Cheers to the festival!, Edinburgh Evening News.
• 13th January 2022, Edinburgh College of Art Tutor, Pilar Garcia de Leaniz, illustrates the capital´s business as part of her 100 days project, The Scotsman.
• 28 February 2022, Scotland’s Census 2022 launches with a call for households to complete their return and the unveiling of a large-scale artwork by Spanish artist Pilar Garcia de Leaniz, The Northern Times.
• 28 February 2022, Scotland’s ‘essential’ census launched, Independent.
  March 22, Census 2022: ‘Scotland Connected’ completes its tour in Edinburgh, The NEN – North Edinburgh News.
• 21st March 2022, Celebrating Scotland’s Census 20 March 2022, The Edinburgh Reporter.
• 18th March 2022, A picture of Scotland: Artwork unveiled in Dundee to mark 2022 census, The Courier Evening Telegram.
• 5th March 2022, 'Scotland Connected' artwork coming to Heart of Hawick, Border Telegraph.
• 15th January 2022, Meet the artist who is putting local business owners back in the picture, Edinburgh Evening News.
• 4th October 2020, Pilar, ArtJobs.
• 21st May 2019, Central Library helping to build future of Scottish businesses, Edinburgh Evening News.
• 7th March 2019, Calmalandia, un libro de Pilar García con “47 recetas para estar tranquila y encontrarte”, La Prensa diario Nicaragüa.
• 13 March 2019, Escritoras todoterreno, Semana Magazine.
• 14th February 2019, Educación 3.0.
• 23rd January 2019, Calmalandia, La Vanguardia.

Other outputs

• 21 March 23, Once upon a Biofuture: Tales for a new millennium, author Jessica Fox, Soreline Infinity Publisher.
• 11th October 2022, BBC TV.
• 13th August 2022, All Together Now, Edinburgh International Book Festival.
• 11th November 2021, EGG Christmas Directory.
• 1st October 2021, Good Morning Gorgie.
• 4th October 2020, The status of young women in Scotland 2019
• 15 October 2020, Book “Biopolis”, Edinburgh Future Institutes, Soreline Infinity Publisher.
  December 2020, Eya, Nuevos Ekkos Editorial
• 19th November 2020, Instagram y todos sus secretos, Anaya Multimedia y Photo Club
  2019-20 Explore, The Scottish Borders.
• 7th December 2019, Blue Heart.
• 29th October 2019, Hablemos de Vaginas, Oberon, Anaya Pubishing.
• 16th May 2019, The status of young women in Scotland 2018
• 26th April 2018, Instagram, y más!, Anaya Multimedia y Photo Club
• 2017, Instagram, ¡mucho más que fotos!, Anaya Multimedia y Photo Club