Rocco Tartamella was born in Queens, NY, where he spent his early childhood with his closely-knit family. However, time changes everything. Soon illness struck and the family was forced to move. They ended up in South Florida where Rocco attended high school while working full-time. Though adversity was abundant, often working fifty-hour weeks at a restaurant while maintaining top grades at school, he graduated early. With classes like Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus, his aspirations were set. He wanted to pursue a career in architecture and took classes to support his dream, but circumstance would turn yet again pushing his path to college beyond his reach.

With his dreams of becoming an architect shattered he turned to what he knew best, work. He took a job as a baker where he was up way before dawn and worked well into the late mornings toiling under the weight of heavy metal trays and sweltering multi-rack ovens. Finally, it all caught up with him. A creative soul without a creative outlet wilts and withers until there are only two clear paths forward, die out or reignite. Instinct won out and Rocco sought a means of creative expression. After reading an article about sculpting he decided to give it a go. Sculpey in hand he kneaded clay like dough and soon he was creating busts and statues.

Time changes everything, and by the time intentions ran level with talent Rocco realized that he had enough pieces to assemble a portfolio of his work. He began to pursue a career as a sculptor with the same intensity as he put into any other task set before him. After learning of an opening at Art Asylum he applied knowing that the position was for an unpaid internship in New York. He got the position.

Rocco gathered up all of his worldly possessions, left Florida and moved to New York. It was tough going and with no money coming in it was becoming an impossible path to sustain. When you have nothing to lose, nothing is out of reach. He decided he would jump again. He quit his unpaid position and spent two months revamping his portfolio and targeted McFarlane Toys for employment. He began working with them soon after. He was with the company for a while before he eventually left and went to freelance. Today he does freelance work for multiple toy companies, collectibles and also does private commissions.