Xaque Gruber, also pronounced as "Zack", has had a diverse and eventful life, with roots in Ohio where he was born and raised on a farm. He has since lived in various states including New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Florida, and California, each providing a unique backdrop for his artistic and professional pursuits.
As a fine arts enthusiast, Xaque's early love for art led him to study at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where he discovered his passion for teaching art to children. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing in 1991, he moved to Massachusetts to pursue a graduate degree in art education at Tufts University/School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In 1992, he earned his first graduate degree, focusing on art education with a concentration in K-5.
Throughout the 1990s, Xaque taught art to thousands of schoolchildren in New England, primarily in Douglas, Massachusetts, and during the summers, in Concord, Massachusetts at the Middlesex School. His dedication to his craft earned him a nomination for Massachusetts Art Teacher Of The Year in 1999.
In 2000, Xaque made a career shift, opting to pursue writing for TV and film. He was accepted into Boston University's College of Communications, where he earned his second graduate degree, an M.S. in Television Production. In 2002, he drove cross-country to Hollywood, California, to pursue his dream of writing for entertainment.
Upon arrival in Hollywood, Xaque met his idol, Sally Kirkland, at a gallery exhibition of her art, and was immediately hired as her personal assistant. Later, he worked as an on-set assistant for Henry Winkler and Michael Levitt on the final seasons of Hollywood Squares, eventually being promoted to writer and accumulating numerous credits in television.
Xaque's first primetime TV writing credit came with the 2006 CBS special "Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar," reuniting the cast of his favorite 1980s soap opera "Dynasty." His writing credits also include crafting questions for Ryan Seacrest on E! Live From The Red Carpet and various awards shows.
In addition to his writing endeavors, Xaque has also pursued his love for the state of Rhode Island, where he lived in the 1990s. He wrote and illustrated the published book "A Big Adventure In The Smallest State: A History of Rhode Island For All Ages" (Author House).
In 2013, Xaque began working as Senior Publicist for Andrew Freedman Public Relations, representing top film, television, and theatre talent. When not writing or painting, he models for commercials, represented by the Bobby Ball Agency.
In 2016, Xaque began working as a reporter and teaching art in Florida. He is a freelance journalist for The Press Journal newspaper and teaches art workshops at the Vero Beach Museum of Art in Vero Beach, Florida. He is currently developing film and television projects with producers in Los Angeles and Europe.
