[7] Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, he spent much of his life in Warren Township, NJ, before becoming a resident of Bradenton, Florida, in February 2019.
[10] Garafola's artistic career took various forms, from serving as an Army Combat Photographer during the Korean War to working as a commercial illustrator in the advertising industry.
[14] His known works are the Prudential Insurance Company ("The Rock") logo art and the design for the New Jersey License Plate "Organ Donors Save Lives.
[17] Garafola's artistic contributions include the life-size portrait of Henry Morrison Flagler, an oil-on-canvas masterpiece measuring 54 x 40 inches.
Known to have used the library as a reception area for greeting guests and business associates, Flagler is portrayed in a setting rich in historical and personal significance while holding the first East Coast Railway million-dollar certificate sold to JP Morgan in 1909.
[8] His work was featured in publications such as Art Tour International, American Lifestyle, Munsell Color System, NJ Savvy Living Magazine, and others.