America’s Got Talent artists David Garibaldi and Joe Castillo hit the stage on Wednesday night ahead of the finale where only one finalist will walk away with the $1 million prize and a show in Las Vegas.
In a final America’s Got Talent field that includes an Earth Harp player, a comedian, dog trainers, and a children’s dance group, David Garibaldi and his CMYK crew and sand crafter Joe Castillo are the only remaining painter-type fine artists in competition.
All season long, David Garabaldi and CMYK gave fans dazzling artistic imagery that included such famous icons as Mick Jagger, Beethoven, the Statue of Liberty, Elvis, and most recently Albert Einstein. Joe Castillo, on the other hand, moved to the top of the AGT pack with beautiful sand art imagery that told various creative stories, including the arc of the AGT judges.
With a winner about to be named on America’s Got Talent, how does David Garibaldi feel about his fellow competitors and his chances against sand artist Joe Castillo?
“I think we all have different styles of art,” Garabaldi told The Deadbolt ahead of Thursday’s finale. “We have totally different styles of art. I respect Joe and how he presents his ideas as an artist. It’s really hard because we both do art, but America has to decide what they like. It’s in the eye of the beholder. I highly respect what he does and how he does it.”
Interestingly, 64-year old Joe Castillo has had a long history with art dating back to his early childhood in Mexico before eventually discovering a passion for storytelling through sand and light illumination.
So how does Joe feel about being in the finals with David? As Castillo told The Deadbolt, it’s all about mutual respect.
“I have followed David’s work for some time,” Castillo admitted, “and I’ve always loved it. I actually started out doing something similar years ago. I did notice a tweet came across my feed the other day that said, ‘Is this going to be the sand/paint showdown?’ I got a kick out of that. The truth is, David and I have become friends in a short period of time. The challenges that both of us have gone through and faced have really bonded us.”
But with such a talented field of unique artists in the finale, just making it to the final six has been an achievement. For Joe Castillo, however, it doesn’t matter who wins in the end.
“The six of us have felt a tremendous sense of camaraderie. I have not felt any sort of tension between any of us. I think the consensus is that now that we’ve reached this point, everyone’s a winner.”
The season finale of America’s Got Talent airs Thursday, September 13 at 8/7c.