The Man Behind Garibaldi Arts: An Exclusive Interview with David Garibaldi

Many people look at successful individuals like, Steve Jobs, Oprah, and Warren Buffet, as extraordinary. They view their accomplishments as unattainable, things that can’t be done by normal people. But the truth is, there really isn’t anything different from you or Oprah. You both have dreams, inspirations, and goals. You both have the same number of chromosomes and the financial background you’re born with, may even put you at a greater advantage. The only two things that really set these people apart are their drive and ability to execute. Those aren’t special talents. Everyone is capable of drive and execution, as long as you know what to strive for and execute. In order to know that, you must first know yourself. If you don’t know what makes you tick, what you like or dislike, what you’re good at, what you’re passionate about, how could you possibly know what it is you want to attain? This obvious yet deep realization is what resonates from my interview with artist, David Garibaldi.

I would say to people, “realize your passion outside of Art.” For me, it was music and dancing, It was helping people. So, I used Art as a vehicle to do those things. – David Garibaldi 

David’s love for Art and Music has become not only his passion, but also his work! He started out as a kid who didn’t finish high school and was working dead-end jobs to survive. Now, he is a successful self-employed artist who creates beautiful and inspiring work in front of sold-out crowds and big names like, Snoop Dogg, Carlos Santana, Tommy Lee, and members of the the NBA. But before David got to where he is, he first had to discover what makes him tick. He always loved Art but, it wasn’t until after he hit rock-bottom that he realized its potential to be a vehicle for financial stability. Art brought clarity, drive, and motivation back into his life. He not only uses it as a way to make money, but also as a means to express his other passions (dancing and music) and to help those in need. David found his drive and now continues to execute his plans and vision. His clarity in life is what makes him so ambitious, driven, yet still grounded. He does not get lost in materialistic distractions but, instead remains very focused in his work, charities, and family. Join me in exploring David’s self-evolution.

Tell me about your childhood. Where are you from and where did you grow up?

DG: I was born in LA and I moved with my family to Sacramento for my dad’s business when I was 4 years old. My family is actually down in LA now, but I ended up staying here and starting my career here. Growing up, I had a middle class upbringing in the suburbs of Sacramento. I was always drawing, creating and my parents always knew that I had a strong sense of creativity, which they always encouraged. I grew up with my 2 older siblings so, growing up with them was always fun.

What was your dad’s business?

DG: He worked for Blue Diamond Almonds as a national salesman.

Was your family as into the Arts as you were?

DG: They weren’t. My parents were both entrepreneurs. My dad eventually started his own business and my mom was a hairdresser so, she’s creative 24/7. I grew up with 2 parents who were extremely motivated with entrepreneurial minds. Whereas, I was more into the Arts.

What kind of artwork did you do as a kid?

DG: I would always draw from cartoons, anything Disney. And eventually I began looking at encyclopedias and drawing pictures that I saw there, like animal skeletons. It became a way for me to learn. So, I learned while drawing and creating at the same time. Eventually, I moved onto comic books and anything else that young boys, my age, would be into.

How did that turn into your love for graffiti? When your first introduced to it?

DG: I got into graffiti during middle school. In 6th grade, I really started getting into hip-hop. My older sister would bring home CD’s of Tupac, Notorious BIG and at the same time, I kept making new friends who were into hip-hop, as well. So, I was into Art, I was into hip-hop and my friends suggested that I do graffiti because of that. It sounded like a great idea! So while I was doing graffiti, I started developing a love for design. I started exploring letters, lines, and just more design elements. There was this artist named, Daim, and I loved his work because it was very architectural. I wasn’t really into tagging, I was into beautiful art pieces.

What did your parents say?

DG: At first, they saw some pieces on my sketch book. Then my mom noticed that I’d be out late and I had clinking cans in my backpack. She started asking and I’d say, “no, no, Mom! I do this at my friend’s house.” But, we’d do it on walls, on trains. My parents weren’t too happy when they found out. My graffiti name was “Enzr” and I chose that name because it sounded like a character from Star Wars. I was really into Star Wars at the time.

Who were your favorite graffiti artists?

DG: In Sacramento there were artists like Emer, Beef, and I also like the FX Crew from NY. The internet at the time was exploding with graffiti photo uploads so, it allowed me to see the works of world-renown artists. The FX Crew are know for creating masterpiece murals, which were beyond just letters.

Were you experimenting with people’s faces while you were doing graffiti?

DG: Yea. Because I enjoyed drawing and I was getting into graffiti, I started exploring characters. I was the guy in my crew who did characters. I’d do large portraits in minutes.

Did graffiti or Art play a part in your decision to drop out of high school?

DG: I didn’t really drop out. I just didn’t graduate when I was supposed to. But, I think it was more of an example of me being unfocused. I was so focused on just creating and not realizing the importance of all the things I need to learn. So I would spend so much time out on the street doing graffiti, when I really should have been doing my homework. Eventually, that caught up to me. When I actually started taking Art classes and all my other subjects seriously, it was too late. I just let too much time go by.

Would that be something that you’d like to change if you can go back in time? 

DG: Oh, yes. People say, “don’t ever live to regret,” I regret that.

Even with your success right now?

DG: Of course, nothing compares to graduating from high school because I feel like I’m not part of that club. It’s something that I can’t relate to. But then again, it also served as motivation for me to get where I am today.

How was life after high school like? 

DG: Right after HS, I moved out as soon as possible. I was working everywhere from video stores, Abercromie & Fitch, just odd jobs trying to get by. I was still doing my Art but this was the time that I also got into dance. So, I’d work during the day and spend my evenings rehearsing and getting ready for shows. There’s a  group called, Boogie Monsters, founded by Kevin, Phil, and Joe of the Jabbawockeez. I was part of the founding members of Boogie Monsters, which still exists todays. That’s how I met those guys and connected early on in my life. So, I was working, drawing, and dancing.

So, you were involved in everything Art-related except for singing?

DG: Yup and you don’t want me to do that.

When did you discover your signature artistic style?

DG: When you dance, you physically express yourself. You live it on the ouside…the way you move, the way you dress, the way you talk, everything. That started coming across in my art work, which began to define my style. The figures I would draw at the time would look like how I was moving on stage as I was dancing. The faces they were making expressed the feelings that I felt while I was dancing. So, the whole period of dance really helped me define who I was. I was coming into my own and I was feeling more comfortable with myself.

Did you have plans of where you wanted to be while you were working, dancing, and creating Art? 

DG: I had no plans. It wasn’t until I was fired from my job as a phone banker that I thought of making a living with Art. So at that time, I lost my job, I didn’t graduate, my car got repossessed. I figured, why not? So, I started teaching myself how to paint in order to turn my drawings into paintings. I’d paint at jazz clubs. I’d set up my canvas and create what I saw.

So you paint according to how you feel with the music?

DG: Yes and I would always have a subject in mind.

Describe the role that the artist, Denny Dent, played in inspiring your artistic style?

DG: My friend actually suggested that I check out Denny Dent. We came across his Jimmy Hendrix painting that was chaotically splashed together. It was so crazy but still distinctive. I asked my friend how Denny did this and he told me that he performs and creates on stage. I actually never met Denny Dent. But, just from what I heard and saw, it was enough to spark an inspiration in me to try it. So, performing while creating was the natural next step. There were certainly other people who also followed in Denny Dent’s footsteps but, their work wasn’t relevant to our generation. It was always dead rockstars so, I wanted to showcase current hip-hop and pop icons. That was the void I wanted to fill.

Did you ever doubt yourself?

DG: Yes, I’d say the 1st three years were the hardest. I just started dating my wife when I began really pursuing Art. You know, trying to be in a relationship while starting my career, wasn’t the easiest when I started having pitfalls. Work would come but then work would stop so, I started asking myself if this was really what I wanted to do. Am I taking on soemething I wasnt meant for? When I was challenged with that, I’d answer, “yes.” This is what I want to do and I just kept pressing onward.

What was your motivation, what kept you going?

DG: There’s always that foundation of who you are. Art has always been my life’s dialogue. It was how I expressed myself. It was part of my identity and I didn’t want to be someone else. I came this far so, why would I want to stop? Another part of it was my support system. Having my wife, Joy, my family who always encouraged me-they were just really there for me. In 2005, I also rededicated my life to Christ and that was a very pivotal point in my life. He serves as a daily motivation. Everyday I face challenges that have nothing to do with Art that I wouldn’t want to deal with. But, he gives me reasons beyond myself to face them.

Talk about your career.

DG: For the past 7-8 years, I’ve built a great foundation-building the show and really creating a fanbase for what I do. I travel all over the world doing shows for universities, concerts, corporate events and we always had the same program format-four paintings with some motivational aspect to it. Now, we’re developing a longer, more elaborate show that’s 90 minutes long. It’s like a live music and color concert experience. The only thing I can compare it to is the Blue Man group. So, it’s a concert but it’s also theatrical. It’s comedic but you can still rock out at the same time. It consists of 8 paintings that I create on stage with varying sizes and styles. There’s also these characters that join me on stage called, the CMYK’s. As you know, CMYK is a 4 color printing process that allows you to create anything so, that’s what they represent. It’s impossible to create without them. We also incorporate the audience into the show by choosing one of them to be a muse on stage. At the end, I speak and share my journey to the audience because I want them to walk away feeling inspired. Finally, we rock out to one last painting. We’ve done only two of those shows because we want to perfect it before continuing onto LA and NYC. We did it Sacramento and Iowa and sold out both locations.

IEC: I really hope you do a performance in LA

DG: I do too. We’re doing a lot behind the scenes to make that happen.

Why did you decide to test it in Sacramento and Iowa?

DG: Actually, the Performing Arts Center in Iowa asked us to do a 90 minute show so, it was perfect timing to test it.  Sacramento just made geographical sense since I lived there and have a huge fan-base. But we are definitely working on increasing our profile, which will also help us raise more money for non-profits. We have a goal of $1 million for this year and we’re already at $800k.

Do you hand pick the non-profits you work with?

DG: Sometimes we contact them, sometimes they reach out to us. It definitely has to be a good mutual fit. Everything from the Special Olympics, the California Police Youth charity, which create programs for at-risk youth, the SPCA. just recently did something for GAFTA, a non-profit creative tech company, that’s dedicated to equipping people with tools so, they can change the world. I really like organizations that empower people to take on challenges.

Do you do hands on work with the community?

I don’t do it as much as I’d like to because I’m always travelling. But the hands-on projects I do with the community are more one-on-one. It’s through my personal time rather than a set community program. I visit classrooms and meet with people. But, I do hope to lead a program that helps students find their passion in and outside of school. The time spent in school is so limited compared to the time outside of school so, it’s very important to still provide guidance in that setting.

Do you ever come on stage feeling uninspired?

DG: No and many find it perplexing because a lot of artists wait for inspiration. People always ask, “how do you go onstage and just do it?” Honestly, I’m just always inspired by what’s around me. I’ve come too far to not have fun doing what I do.

You performed in front of all these big names like, Snoop Dogg, Carlos Santana, Tommy Lee, people from the NBA. Is there someone or a group that you haven’t performed in front of and you’d like to?

Yes, inspirational figures like Nelson Mandela. Icons like Oprah, people who have changed or inspired the world. I would love to paint their portraits because I think doing that is a great way to honor them. Obviously musical icons like, Jay-Z and Kanye. I’d also like to perform with and collaborate with groups like the Glitch Mob, who I’m a huge fan of and The Bangers. So, it ranges from Nelson Mandela to the Bangers.

What was the Disney Fine Art program that you did?

Disney Fine Art is a segment of Disney and they select different artists from around the world to recreate iconic Disney characters. They’ve only chosen 18 artists to do this so, I was fortunate enough to be a part of it. They told us to pick 6-7 characters and recreate them. So, I created my own versions and Disney published them. Now people can have my views and versions of Mickey, Tinker Bell ,Donald Duck, and Goofy. My favorite piece is the Mickey.

Are they still on sale?

Yes, they are still available but the Tinker Bell is sold out.

What’s your advice to people who want to pursue Art, or even just their dreams. 

I would say to people, “realize your passion outside of Art.” For me, it was music and dancing, It was helping people. So, I used Art as a vehicle to do those things. I tell artists to create what you’re passionate about. If you like horses, become an expert at horses. Study them, know where they come from, know the different breeds, how fast they run. Then create and express that knowledge through your Art and sell it. Eventually, you’ll come across people who are also as passionate about horses as you. You can set up equestrian centers or fundraisers that can help sick horses. I use horses as an example of something you’re passionate about outside of Art. Art becomes a tool for you to express that passion, sell it, and help the world.

But to anyone outside of Art who want to reach their dreams, I just want them to know that it’s real and it’s possible. Even someone like me who didn’t graduate, who didn’t come from a big city, was still able to make it happen.

Do you have any plans on expanding your brand, maybe into the retail market, like Shepard Fairey did for Obey?

DG: I’d love to do something like that but I think I’d have to put a team in place first. It really is another vehicle to get my Art and message out so, I’m totally open and love the idea.

IEC: Graphic t-shirts are just the most accessible form of Art. Also, your work resonates with people, its emotional, and that’s what graphic t-shirts are all about. As a previous buyer for Metropark, I was always on the hunt for graphic t-shirts that stirred people’s emotions because those were the graphics that would sell.

DG: I had a line at Metropark.

IEC: I know.

DG: Did you see it. I worked with Goodie Two Sleeves to create the line.

IEC: I totally remember your line there! Your artwork just evoked so much emotion.

DG: Yea, and the reason I said that I wanted to have a team in place is due to what we learned from Metropark. The t-shirts did very well so, there was a huge demand for output of art on a daily basis. That’s not the type of work we currently do. Our stuff isn’t done on a computer, it’s done on an actual canvas so, it takes some time. When we find a way to make it work, we would love to do another line with a retailer.

IEC: That would be great! You could even just release a special collection once a year or work with a mass retailer, like H&M, much like what couture fashion houses do.

DG: That’s actually a great idea! I’m going to think about that.

What do you ultimately want to give your family that will make you feel like an accomplished father & husband? 

DG: To give them time. I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learned with the lack of time that I have now. But also to give my son, a legacy that he can work with. I wish to get to a place where I have a great career that can set me up for more time to spend with him.

Do you want your son to follow in your foot steps?

DG: Oh yea. I don’t know if he’s into Art but he’s already sort of mimicking me. He’s 15 months now and in my studio, he’ll pick up a brush, go to the wall, turn around and scream. And yea, that’s about what I do. He’s funny. I’ll definitely encourage it but I want to expose him to sports, and other things and let him decide on his own. But, he will definitely be exposed to Art.

See more of David’s work 

Bring home David’s colorful masterpieces

Watch David in action!