David Garibaldi

Artists transform an empty canvas into a work of art through their skill, experience, inspiration, and senses. David Garibaldi’s life, itself, reveals such a transformation.

The culture and color of graffiti art served as an early inspiration for Garibaldi. He initially combined rhythm and hue, music and color, while listening to hip hop icons like Run DMC, Snoop Dogg, and others while painting graffiti on “large and somewhat illegal canvases” in South Sacramento with his middle school friends.

A high school animation teacher inspired him to take his passion for graffiti and turn it into a more positive and creative direction. Garibaldi never forgets this encouragement and more importantly the value of someone believing in him. As he matured, so did his skills. Garibaldi’s art had always combined his passion for rhythm and hue. However, when he viewed performance painter Denny Dent’s portrait of Jimi Hendrix, he found that his passion for paint and music could be an inspirational experience for others. He discovered music-driven art, and in some ways, it discovered him, revealing a portrait of passion and purpose. That inspiration has continued as he developed his personal faith.

Garibaldi’s synergy of music and art is what makes him unique as a painter and a performer. The performances he unwittingly practiced as a graffiti rebel in his garage are now on a public stage. As a performance painter, Garibaldi creates images through his body movement and brushes while communicating via music to an amazed audience. “I create images in an entertaining way and my hope is to inspire the audience to use their passion to benefit and inspire others,” said Garibaldi. “That is music and color. That is rhythm and hue.” He has also performed for notable figures and groups such as Carlos Santana, Snoop Dogg, and Blue Man Group, enhancing his reputation in diverse circles.

“Living with passion and purpose” drives Garibaldi to take what he does as an artist and make a positive impact as a philanthropist. At 29, Garibaldi had already raised over $1 million for nonprofits across the country through his art. He works closely with charities such as Special Olympics, Echoes of Hope, Sacramento Children’s Home, and World Vision. His dedicated philanthropic efforts have significantly impacted various communities, emphasizing his commitment to giving back through every performance.