Alexandria, VA – It took David Garibaldi a matter of minutes to create his painting. In a blur of paint, swift movement, and music, the lauded performance painter transformed a blank canvas into an electrifying image of a luxury sports car live, on stage, and in front of hundreds of tuxedoed and gowned guests at the sixth annual High-Octane Ball, held on May 17 at Land Rover Alexandria.
The painting, featuring Garibaldi’s signature kinetic flair, was auctioned off minutes after the final brushstroke. It sold for $10,000, with proceeds benefiting ALIVE!, Community Lodgings, and the National Breast Center Foundation, three Alexandria-based nonprofits working to end poverty, and homelessness, and support breast cancer charity.
Garibaldi’s performance was the climax of a Bond-themed evening dubbed “Casino Royale,” a black-tie gala designed to rev up excitement for the Old Town Festival of Speed & Style, held the following day. Guests were ushered down a red carpet by a Joan Rivers impersonator, dined on local culinary specialties, and sipped handcrafted martinis under the gleam of showroom lights and collector cars.
For Garibaldi, 42, who was personally invited by event coordinator Giovanni Quintana, Sales Director at Land Rover Alexandria, the event was a natural fit. “I do a lot of philanthropic events, and I love cars. Best of both worlds,” Garibaldi said with a smile when asked why he chooses to paint cars.
Garibaldi is no ordinary painter. The Los Angeles-born artist has built a career out of live performance painting what he calls “Rhythm and Hue” fusing art, music, and movement in a way that defies the staid expectations of the gallery world. From halftime shows at NBA games to headlining alongside Andrea Bocelli, for whom he painted “a piece a night,” Garibaldi has married spectacle and substance seamlessly.
His body of work is as varied as his venues. He’s painted Jesus on “The 700 Club,” Mick Jagger at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the late Juice WRLD in front of thousands in Chicago. He even shared a stage with Carlos Santana, who signed the painting on the spot. But his collaboration with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, in which his artwork raised over $1 million, was one of the most noteworthy of his performances.
“When you find something you love, you just click into it,” Garibaldi said when asked whether he gets nervous up there on stage with so many watching and time constraints. “There’s no other feeling. You just feel like, I am supposed to be here. This is my connection with the world at this moment.”
From leaving high school to gaining immediate recognition as an international artist, Garibaldi urges young creatives to think beyond gallery walls. “There’s a world of people who are passionate about what you create, you just have to go find them. That’s where you find your true value.”
The value of his car painting at the High-Octane Ball wasn’t just in the brushstrokes. Purchased by the Yates family for $10,000, it was a contribution towards causes that touch the lives of thousands in the Alexandria area.
As the crowd applauded and the bidding concluded, it was clear that Garibaldi’s work transcended the canvas, becoming a symbol of generosity, creativity, and community.
In the words of Garibaldi’s favorite artist, the late speed painter Denny Dent: “Art is an explosion.” In Alexandria on a May night, that explosion raised both awareness and thousands of dollars for those who need it most.
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