Lucas Stoffel Author and Artist

Luke Stoffel

2 min read

Wanderlust at the Prince George Gallery by Pop Artist Lucas Stoffel

New York, NY

Artwork by Lucas Stoffel, fine art prints available on Etsy.

After being evacuated from Kathmandu, Lucas Stoffel, like most New Yorkers found himself isolated, unemployed and depressed last March. Having spent hundreds of hours playing Nintendo’s Animal Crossing and watching 40 seasons of Survivor on demand, Stoffel became frustrated waiting for the pandemic to end. After Taylor Swift released a studio album in the spring of 2020, Stoffel said enough and searched for ways to bring his creativity to life.

Wanderlust at the Prince George Gallery in New York by Pop Artist Lucas / Luke Stoffel

Fine art prints available on Etsy.

Broke, but no longer down, Stoffel searched through terabytes of research from his last 15 years of travel photography and then he picked up a brush and started to create over 20 paintings for a new collection. The new works are cultural and religious depictions covering most of South East Asia including: Myanmar, Nepal, Bali, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Taiwan.

This post pandemic show starts July 10th - 25th, 2021 at the Prince George Gallery 15 E 27th street in New York City.

In this newest exhibition, Stoffel finds himself exploring his wanderlust finding inspiration in his recent travels to Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, and Thailand and others. “Wanderlust” is a planned visualization of social commentary that explores the iconography of South East Asian culture through religious and ceremonial iconography. Stoffel spotlights the rich Citadel Dances performed in Hue, Vietnam; the buddhist traditions of Laos and Myanmar; as well as the parable dances of Sri Lankan folklore.

“The Gallery at Prince George is the ideal setting for this strong piece of social commentary,” says Stoffel. “The raw and open feel of the space is definitely reflected in the work.”

Pop Artist: Lucas Stoffel

I find my deepest inspiration in the profound beauty that emerges from human devotion to the unknown. The rituals, songs, and dances we've crafted around intangible entities like gods have always fascinated me. Through my art, I aim to explore and convey these cultural interpretations of spirituality.

My work is a fusion of hand painted contemporary aesthetics with the iconic screen-printed style of Pop Art pioneers like Lichtenstein and Warhol. I create visually captivating pieces with bold colors, dynamic compositions, and clean lines, often on large-scale canvases. Photography serves as the foundation for each piece, and I transform these images through digital manipulation and reinterpretation before bringing them to life with acrylic paints.

Central to my artistic mission is the promotion of inclusivity and the breaking down of barriers between diverse belief systems. By translating the complexities of multiple religions into accessible, relatable representations, I encourage viewers to reconsider their perspectives on spirituality. In this way, I strive to bridge cultural and religious divides, fostering understanding and unity.

My journey as an artist has led me to significant recognition, including the Starving Artist Award, and participation in the amFar Rocks Benefit for AIDS research, where my work was prominently featured. My art has been showcased at esteemed venues in New York City, including the Art Directors Club, The Prince George Gallery, GalleryBar, and New World Stages. Through my work, I hope to inspire beauty, unity, and a deeper recognition of the shared values that connect us all, regardless of our diverse beliefs.

Order Fine Art Prints on Etsy

Luke Stoffel

4 min read

Telegraph Herald: Wanderlust Finds Art

Dubuque native finds inspiration amid COVID-19 capturing his travels on canvas Originally posted in the Telegraph Herald May 21, 2021

Artwork by: Lucas Stoffel Written by: Megan Gloss

Lucas Stoffel has watched world events unfold before his eyes as a New Yorker of more than 20 years.

Relocating from his native Dubuque to the Big Apple in 2000, he was present for 9/11 and the start of the Great Recession in 2007, as well as the day-to-day moments of beauty and chaos that collide living in such a diverse city. But it’s what takes place outside of that city that has been captured by Stoffel’s camera lens in recent years.

“I studied graphic design and theater in college,” the 42-year-old said in a recent Zoom interview. “When I moved to New York, I worked designing for Broadway plays.”

Artwork by: Lucas Stoffel

Then, approximately five years ago, Stoffel’s sense of wanderlust kicked in. Working as creative director in graphic advertising with a roster of big-named clients to pay the bills, Stoffel also dedicated his time toward travel photography for three months out of the year.

Through that work, he has explored such destinations as China, Laos, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bali, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cuba and Hawaii. Just to name a few.

His images have resulted in various New York City exhibitions, in addition to being featured in the New York Times, Huffington Post and Vanity Fair, among other media outlets.

Stoffel launched a Kickstarter campaign in which a portion of the proceeds netted from the purchase of a book of his work would be donated toward a school in Southwest Asia, enabling that school to build a classroom.

However, as the severity of COVID-19’s spread became more apparent in the early weeks of 2020, Stoffel found his work and his travels take a detour. He began the year in Singapore, then though a series of canceled and rerouted flights through other countries, he made it back on New York soil — just as COVID-19 was tightening its grip.

Taoist Temple Dragon, Taiwan by Lucas / Luke Stoffel

Taoist Temple Dragon, Artwork by: Lucas Stoffel

“I had landed in the epicenter of the pandemic,” Stoffel said. “It was insane. I had to quarantine for two weeks. Friends brought me groceries. Everybody was out of toilet paper.”

From there, it only got worse. “After two weeks, things were pretty devastating,” Stoffel said. “The news was reporting that thousands of people were dying, and it was happening so quickly. I could see where they were taking dead bodies and storing them in a truck across the river. It was a great trauma — and worse, if not more terrifying, than 9/11.” By June, Stoffel was grappling with unemployment, isolation and the reality of his “new normal,” when an unlikely twist of fate occurred.

“Taylor Swift launched a new album, and I couldn’t believe someone was writing songs during a pandemic,” Stoffel said, with a laugh. “But it lit a fire under me. There were still people out there creating. I could spend the rest of the pandemic, which didn’t appear to be ending anytime soon, playing Nintendo games. Or, I could create and snap out of my sadness and my sacredness of the whole thing.”

Between July and August, Stoffel began using photographs he took from his recent travels prior to COVID-19 to inspire a series of vibrant and imaginative paintings.

The large-scale canvases tapping into his use of acrylics depict images of Buddha and Confucius, as well as Vietnamese warrior dances, Balinese dances and other themes that evoke a spiritual reflection.

Stoffel said the creative outlet has provided him with a sense of calm during the relentless uncertainty, as well as a return to inspiration.

“Every day I’d use it to calm myself, but it started to become the start of something creative for me as well,” he said. “It helped me to create again, and it shifted my perception of what the world was to what the world could be.”

Artwork by: Lucas Stoffel

While Stoffel always has counted painting as part of his creative arsenal, he usually credits photography with helping him arrive at a more realistic visualization of how he interprets the world.

However, Stoffel’s shift toward painting as his primary medium in the past year also brought his religious interests to the surface — something evident in his latest work.“My fascination with religion comes out of their collective sense similarities, even though there strives to be a difference of opinion within them,” Stoffel said.

“I grew up Catholic in Dubuque, so my core belief is to do good in the world. But I’ve always felt a strong pull toward Buddhism as a way of life. I think part of that comes from growing up in a smaller community like Dubuque, too, where you have this sense of innate goodness. In New York, it’s not always warm and welcoming. It can be a cold, hard environment.”

Stoffel’s use of color also is apparent. Although bright and bold, it also yields mystery.

“I don’t know where it comes from; it just comes,” Stoffel said. “My mom always said I was a rainbow kid. Everything I’ve created always has been in a rainbow of large, vivid colors.”

While Stoffel said he has no plans to sell the pieces at this time, the vast and varied collection might warrant a possible exhibition in the future.

“Now that I have so much work, I’ll probably have to do a show,” he said, with a laugh. “In the meantime, I have five more large canvases that just arrived today.”

The Wanderlust Art Series was on display at the Prince George Gallery in 2021.

Luke Stoffel

2 min read

The Unicorn Cookbook: Named Best Kids Book by Red Tricycle!

New York, NY

Available now on Amazon

Named Best Kids Book by Red Tricycle!

We made a cookbook! If you’ve been following our Instagram, you might have caught some behind-the-scenes shots of when we turned Cinderly HQ into a bakeshop/photo studio. Yum, yum! If you’re an ’80s kid who owns a unicorn onesie, the stories behind these recipes are gonna be like Pop Rocks for your soul.

Buy Now on Amazon!

These simple, well-decorated recipes are perfect for sleepovers, sorority events, birthday and pool parties, summer barbecues or a school bake sale. While this cookbook may seem kid-oriented, rest assured, we built it for the child inside all of us. We took Pinterest-perfect recipes, added an 80’s rainbow twist and made it easy for you to say “Nailed it!” Check out our Unicorn Cookbook!

Photography by Lucas Stoffel Available now on Amazon

Why make a easy bake unicorn food cookbook?

Well, after admiring all the unicorn food the internet has to offer, we thought, why not add our own recipes the unicorn parade? You see, I grew up baking with my little sister, in my mom’s cherry-colored kitchen, with a set of worn paper cards from my grandmother’s recipe box. My family grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River, and the tradition of sweets ran about as deep in us as that river is long. So it never escaped me that living my life to its fullest potential would also include running a Rainbow Cake Café. Part of realizing my personal daydream meant also finding a way to create and share my colorful world in a way that everyone could enjoy.

Pretzel Sticks by Pop Artist Lucas / Luke Stoffel

Photography by Lucas Stoffel Available now on Amazon

After visiting my cousin down in New Orleans, who had been a Sous Chef at Sucre in the French Quarter, I realized the true depths of my grandmother’s influence on all of our lives and I set forth on bringing some of my favorite childhood recipes of hers to life, wrought with the color and fervor of my own influence. By doing this, I hope she’s looking down from above thinking that all of her grandchildren have made her proud.

What’s in the cookbook?

The best part about our cookbook is that every recipe has an “easy bake” option that gives you a shortcut to dessert success! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just want to make something cute for a bake sale, we’ve got you covered. Highlights of the cookbook include No-Bake Mermaid Cheesecake, Peeps Pizza,Dirt Worm Pie and Poo Party Ganache. Of course, no unicorn cookbook would be complete without Unicorn Hot Chocolate!

We hope you enjoy our unicorn food cookbook renditions of these easy bake childhood favorites. From a school bake sale to a sleepover party, these desserts are meant to fill your bellies and sugar-spike your imagination!

Photography by Lucas Stoffel Available now on Amazon

Glass Slipper Glaze

When leaving a ball and cascading down the front steps, be sure to leave the prince an excellent cake topper, and grab a slice of this royal dessert for the carriage ride home.

Ingredients: Midnight Cake, Mirror Glaze, Belief In Yourself

Growing up in Iowa was the start of my Cinderella story. The magic created there inspired us to start Cinderly, so we could keep making magic everyday!