Siamo tutti sciocchi...

“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’” - 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

Dare to be stupid!

Read Statement

Arlecchini

14"x18" - Acrylic on canvas - $800

Full Retard

14"x18" - Acrylic on canvas -

Enthusiast

30"x48" - Acrylic on panel -

St. Wormy the Beloved

30"x48" - Acrylic on panel - $1000

Be a maker.

4"x5" - Acrylic on canvas - $200

Extra Ordinary

Holy Mundane - 18"x24" - Acrylic on canvas panel - $500

Just be.

Holy Mundane - 18"x24" - Acrylic on canvas - $700

Holy lowly 1

12"x18" - Acrylic, latex and gold leaf on panel - $500

Holy lowly 2

12"x18" - Acrylic, latex and gold leaf on panel - $500

विदूषक - (Vidooshak) The fool in you

18"x24" - Acrylic on unstretched canvas -

Life is too short! 1

24"x36" - Acrylic on unstretched canvas - $500

Life is too short! 2

24"x36" - Acrylic on unstretched canvas - $500

Life is too short! 3

24"x24" - Acrylic on unstretched canvas - $400

Life is too short! 4

24"x24" - Acrylic on unstretched canvas - $400

जोकर 1 - (Doofus)

24"x24" - Acrylic on panel - $600

जोकर 2 - (Doofus)

24"x24" - Acrylic on panel - $600

Life is too short...

5'x8' in Zamrudpur, New Delhi, India

Little big man

18"x18" - Acrylic on canvas -

Lift off!

Collaborative mural with Josef Kristofoletti and Lorenzo Fonda - Space 12, Austin, TX

Tune beast

Painted camper - Space 12, Austin, TX

"L’amour de Dieu est folie!"

A mural I quickly did in Zamrudpur, a village within New Delhi (me in the background).

I later saw that the line of the drawing I've been playing with moved similar to written Hindi script, so I incorporated some Hindi into my mural design. At the top it reads: जीवन बहुत छोटा है Jīvana bahuta chōṭā hai (Life is too short). At the bottom: Zamrudpur ko pyaar do (Love and serve Zamrudpur).

(from youtube description) During the 2nd annual International Artist Residency, Arjun B.K. and Sam Albert from the Khushbu Project joined Francisco Enuf Garcia in a rap about Delhi as Richie Santostefano completed his art piece on "L'amour est folie."

Statement

I am intrigued with everything, in awe of all, and amazed by the endless intricacies and idiosyncrasies in this world perceived and imagined. The simple and mundane wonders, the things that glow, furry critters, the little hidden things in nooks and under rocks, the reality and illusions of the present time, the past and future, the journeys of life, ancient smells, the behavior of light. I often discover that everyday things are full of profound wonder and even bizarre - a circus of strangeness. We often fear what is strange and cloak ourselves in social pretense. I wonder why? Maybe it’s fear of failure? Maybe it’s imposter syndrome? But why? Some folks would rather die than be exposed and humiliated.

On a smaller level, we often hide behind a mask just so people will respect us or like us or not hurt us. Maybe we fear losing face because we are afraid of being the student, that someone may become our master. The truth, I think, is that we are all teachers and students. Shepherds and sheep.

I hope to explore the what and why of these fears in the actual process of creating artwork, as well as the joy and splendor of experiencing a cathartic release from it. I try to work out these subjects and questions through explorations of color, texture, characters, and process, within a loose narrative personified by the clown spirit - the buffoon that stumbles through trying to make something of the world but instead making messes. I want to embrace failures within my art-making process and move towards approaches that go against reason, either technically or aesthetically, allowing for some light to break through.

Statement

This series explores the familiar and mundane through a perception of time and space, history, and aspirations. Travel for me, especially in an automobile, is about as common an experience as you can get. It is tedious for most, but I find myself captured by the metaphor of having left a place and headed to another, while the present blurs by in my peripheral vision. The simple metaphor of our lives and the fleetingness of now. On long trips, especially when occurring in deserts and plains, compositions of light and landscape create a Drishti - a point of focus that allows for a transcendent experience and ultra-awareness of place and time, helping me to contemplate the realities of time. The past, present, and future converge, and the illusion recedes to reveal a sliver that exists between the past and future - the now.

For me, the artmaking process is similar to this experience. I'm aiming to find that sliver between idea and execution and remain there: I am not just seeking to achieve an end product but to find the raw, creative sense of wonder within the act of making.

My hope is for the viewer to find perspective, contemplation, and consolation in the mundane business of day-to-day life and to consider the moment in time in which one exists in relation to their past and future. I have a coinciding series of paintings that focus on the peripheral passing moments rather than the driver's perspective of the past and future. In most of these paintings, I use oil on acrylic or latex, or just acrylic. I enjoy painting on found objects as well as stretching my own canvas.

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