Celebrity-loved artist David Garibaldi paints to the music

Immersed in the sounds and sights of a dynamic art performance, UCF students witnessed a rainbow of paint skyrocketing into the air enlivened by a splish, a splash and a splatter from the fingertips and paint brushes of one of Kanye West’s, Rihanna’s and P.Diddy’s favorite graffiti-turned-performance painters: David Garibaldi.

Last Monday, CAB Speakers and Fine Arts presented a free UCF student art gallery section of the UCF Student Union Pegasus Ballroom complete with a stage for painter and speaker Garibaldi to paint portraits of celebrities. 

With rhythm, color, culture and energy, Garibaldi ignited his performance painting show he calls “Rhythm and Hue” with his story about getting chased by the cops for graffiti to the stage he utilizes to combine his passion for music, color, rhythm and hue in his artwork.

“I create images in an entraining way, and my hope is to inspire the audience to use their passion to benefit and inspire others,” Garibaldi said. “That is music and color. That is rhythm and hue.”

Discovering music-driven-art, Garibaldi moved from graffiti to canvas and pulled from the cultural influence of jazz and its smooth sounds. He was strongly inspired by the work of Denny Dent and now imitates an imprinted painted hand-print finishing touch on all of his portraits.

Garibaldi has opened and appeared with entertainment acts like the Blue Man Group, Carlos Santana and Snoop Dogg. He has performed throughout the nation for a variety of events including sporting events and the Bamboozle Music Festival.

His talent has also been utilized to benefit charities such as Special Olympics, Echoes of Hope, Sacramento Children’s Home and World Vision, and inspire students through his motivational message.

As of last week, he has raised more than $900,000 for nonprofits and charities across the country through his art. By his 30th birthday in December, he plans reach a personal goal of $1 million through his art and performances.

“I won’t stop [once I reach $1 million],” Garibaldi said. “Knowing me, I’ll just set another goal and keep going.”

The highest price for one of his portraits sold for $35,000.

Living with passion and purpose drives Garibaldi every day to transcend what he does as an artist into a philanthropist.

Garibaldi brought life to the stage on Monday when his first splatter of Sherwin Williams paint flew as Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” played. Vibrant colors and fluid lines soaked in the madness of paint that was splattered on a once-empty black canvas.

Garibaldi danced and bounced to the music as it was remixed to Rihanna’s “What’s My Name?” and “Only Girl in the World” while LED lights changed colors infinitely at the speed of sound. Style and detail entered each stroke made by Garibaldi’s fingertips and Sash paint brushes. Without hesitation in his strokes, Garibaldi highlighted his portrait of Rihanna’s hair with red and bedazzled her ear with a diamond earring.

As the paint flew, Rachel Willis, a UCF freshman studying mechanical engineering and an artist who exhibited a piece at the art gallery, questioned Garibaldi’s methods.

“Painting faces that fast is really hard,” Willis said. “It’s ridiculous. I wonder if he practices getting the alignment of the face.”

Garibaldi said that it takes days to weeks to practice and master a portrait like Rihanna.

Following his first creation, Garibaldi created portraits of Lady Gaga, Knightro and Martin Luther King, Jr. with befitting songs.

During Garibaldi’s performance painting of Martin Luther King, Jr., he encouraged the audience to stand and sing to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.”

As a surprise finale, Garibaldi engaged the audience with a questionable canvas of paint splotches.