Travel, Paint, Repeat...
For the past 25 years, New York City has been my anchor. But this Iowa-born Catholic school boy has always needed more. So when the cold January winds blow, I head out to immerse myself in photography, painting, and to seek the spiritual connection that binds us all together.
Today Luke Stoffel lives and works in one of the historic Coenties Slip lofts once inhabited by artists Robert Indiana and Ellsworth Kelly, continuing that legacy of New York experimentation and resilience.
My experiences traveling the world have been my greatest teachers, imparting lessons about life, compassion, and the joy of connecting. In my journeys, I've always aimed to give back. In Laos, I volunteered to teach English and worked to raise money for a small after-school program at Sunrise Classroom. In Myanmar, I met Tun Tun, a young artist who sold his paintings and offered local tours to make ends meet. Using my social media expertise, I created an Instagram account for him, @lovebagan, to attract fellow travelers. I deployed internet bots targeting millennials traveling Southeast Asia to boost his online presence. Thanks to this increased traffic, he was able to start his own small travel agency, and years later, I learned he had become a certified government tour guide—a transformation that significantly improved his family's life.
Travel and my creative spirit have become inseparable, especially after setting foot in over 40 countries. My guiding thought? If I'm traveling somewhere, I want to grow from the experience. I've dropped everything to spend a year in Hawaii learning to surf. It wasn't always smooth sailing, but between the waves, I found my way onto the pages of Hawaiian Airlines Magazine as a contributing photographer. I spent three months in Taiwan helping my sister set up her new home. The country's traditions captivated me so much that the time there inspired an NYC art exhibition I called "Made in Taiwan," focused on how the landscape weaves together the spirituality of Buddhism and Taoism. A few years later, I found myself looking for peace in the Philippines, diving deep—quite literally. I spent two months, faced my fears, and transformed from a newbie to an advanced scuba diver, diving the WWII shipwrecks of Palawan and writing a book about it.
These journeys have shaped me into a passionate traveler and artist, instilling a deep appreciation for the beauty and diversity the world has to offer.
Luke Stoffel: Growing up in Iowa
I grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, in a big family with five siblings. We all went to Catholic school, and my dad worked on the assembly line, building tractors at John Deere. Our lifestyle was pretty much straight out of "Leave it to Beaver." Except I was gay... and being gay in Iowa was no picnic. The hardships I endured growing up made me realize that leaving was probably the only road to happiness. Heading off to college made life a little easier. I spent four years studying graphic design and forming valuable, lifelong friendships on and offstage in the theatre department. And when those connections made the big leap to New York City, I followed them right out the door.
Starting out in the greatest city in the world, I found my footing with those Iowa State classmates off-Broadway with an underground hit show called "Urinetown." What was my role? Assistant House Manager. My duties spanned from serving beer to scrubbing toilets. It may not sound grand, but I was fortunate to have incredible bosses who saw my hard work and invested in me. When the show transitioned to Broadway, I was right there with it. For five years, I was the unsung backstage hero for the cast and crew. True, my "office" was a broom closet, but it was on Broadway after all. Between shows, I was also plotting my next adventure. I buckled down watching classic Disney movies in French. Since high school, I had dreamt of finding love on the streets of Paris. So as I worked with Mickey on mastering "le français," I packed my bags, said my goodbyes to "Urinetown," and jetted off to Paris. My mission for the ensuing six months? Immersing myself in the essence of French culture and language.
As it turned out, Paris had this magical effect on me—it awakened my inner artist. My passion for painting collided head-on with my love for travel photography. In 2005, I had my first art show, and by 2012, I won the Starving Artist Award for a series of paintings titled "iCon" that explored the dissonance of the world in juxtaposition with American consumerism.
How does all this translates into my Art?
I draw my deepest inspiration from the awe-inspiring beauty of this world, especially when it merges with our devotion to the unknown. In those rituals, songs, and dances where we as people have crafted god, I find color, joy, and deep fascination with our human spirit. Through my art, I'm on a journey to explore and convey these cultural interpretations of spirituality and bring all of our unique traditions to a wider audience.
My artistic style is a fusion, mixing hand-painted contemporary aesthetics with the iconic screen-printed vibes of Pop Art legends like Lichtenstein and Warhol. What you'll see in my work are visually arresting pieces, with vibrant colors, dynamic compositions, and clean lines, often on large canvases. It all starts with photography, which I use as my canvas, and then I take those images through a digital journey of transformation before bringing them to life with acrylic paints.
But at the core of my artistic mission: I want to break down the walls between diverse belief systems and promote inclusivity. The first time I went to Asia, I wasn't aware there was anything beyond Jesus and Mary, but Bangkok opened my eyes to a new world of buddhas and golden temples. This is why I translate the intricate narratives of various religions into accessible, relatable forms, hoping to prompt viewers to reconsider their perspectives on spirituality. In my own way, I'm trying to bridge cultural and religious divides, all in the name of understanding and unity.
My journey as an artist has been quite the ride, from the Starving Artist Award to taking part in the amfAR Rocks Benefit for AIDS research, where my work took center stage. You can catch my art at some cool spots in New York City, like the Art Directors Club, The Prince George Gallery, GalleryBar, and New World Stages. I'm on a mission to spark beauty, unity, and a deeper appreciation of the common threads that connect us all, no matter our diverse beliefs.
Follow me: @lucasstoffel on Instagram
