Siamo tutti bislacco.

“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

Arlecchini

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."

Artist Statement

I am endlessly curious and drawn to the subtle, the strange, and the often overlooked. My work is rooted in a fascination with the everyday: the quiet magic of glowing objects, hidden corners, furry creatures, the behavior of light, and the delicate line between what is real and imagined. I’m captivated by the interplay of the present with memories of the past and projections of the future by the fleeting nature of experience and the wonder embedded in the mundane. There is an undeniable strangeness in the world, yet we often retreat from it. We wear social masks, protecting ourselves from vulnerability, judgment, or failure. Why are we so afraid of being seen as uncertain or imperfect? Perhaps it’s the fear of losing status, of not being in control, of being the student rather than the master. But I believe we are always both learning and teaching, leading and following, and that this duality is part of what makes us human. My work explores these themes through a process-driven approach that values imperfection, spontaneity, and emotional honesty. I’m especially interested in the creative potential of failure of pushing against logic and convention in pursuit of something more raw and sincere. The recurring figure of the clown or fool serves as a personal symbol of this vulnerability: stumbling through, making messes, and unintentionally uncovering truths. Through layered textures, expressive color, and loosely woven narratives, I aim to create space for reflection, catharsis, and even humor. My goal is not to offer answers, but to invite viewers into a moment of presence where the polished surface gives way to something more human, more true.

Statement

I am intrigued with everything, in awe of all, and amazed by endless subtleties and strangeness in this world perceived and imagined. The simple and mundane wonders, things that glow, furry critters, hidden things in nooks or under rocks, the reality and illusions of the present time, the past and future, the journeys of life, ancient smells, the behavior of light. Everyday things are full of profound wonder and even the bizarre - a circus of "quirk, strangeness, and charm". We often fear what is strange and cloak ourselves in some 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. But what if humiliation is the doorway to Peace and Truth?

On a smaller level, maybe it's that we 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. And besides, getting things that way is just silly.

I hope to explore the what and why of these fears in an 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.

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