Welcome to A Certain Alchemy
My name is Todd Ritondaro. I’m an artist, photographer, and traveler who’s spent the past few decades drawn to quiet beauty, meaningful conversation, and those mysterious unseen moments you can’t explain—but always feel.
This space is an ongoing exploration of what moves me: light, stillness, the creative process, and a certain alchemy that occurs when we surrender to the mystery of the present moment—whatever it may be—and allow something greater to come through.
When the light is just right, a mood is forming, a glance, a feeling. When the conversation is flowing and something opens—something you couldn’t have planned.
My work is rooted in natural light, atmosphere, a sense of story, and the quiet soul of a place—whether in a quiet café corner where the light falls just right, the red dust of the wild East African bush, or the raw, untamed beauty of the natural world that continues to shape me.
These are the rare, serendipitous moments that can’t be explained, but stay with you for days.
Some posts will be visual: photographs, drawings, and paintings from my archive and recent work.
Others will be more reflective: journal and sketchbook fragments, thoughts on creative rhythm, travel notes, and reflections from a lifelong exploration of inner work and esoteric mysticism.
Here, I’ll be sharing:
Explorations of inner work through film photography (in a series called Expose for the Shadows)
Glimpses into drawing, painting, and the rituals that shape them
Notes from my creative process and esoteric practices
Travel notes from wherever the road leads:
a favorite café, a rugged coastline, a camel safari through the Kenyan bush, or some uncharted inner terrain
From time to time, I’ll also share intimate podcast conversations with artists, poets, mystics, and others drawn to stillness, truth, and a deeper way of living
Free subscribers will receive selected posts, updates on my work, and full podcast episodes.
Paid subscribers will get deeper weekly essays, audio pieces, behind-the-scenes process shares, and access to a private space for connection and conversation.
Founding Member Tier
For those who feel especially aligned with my work and want support it in a deeper way, the Founding Member Tier includes everything in the paid subscription, along with an exclusive 16x20 print—available only to Founding Patrons.
There is no rigid plan for this space—and I think that’s a good thing.
Like any real adventure, it’s meant to unfold a little mysteriously: some spilled ink, one grainy photograph, one reflection, one story at a time.
This is for anyone drawn to presence, beauty, and for those who want to travel deeper—into the unseen, and the things we can’t quite explain.
Thank you for being here!
Gifting a subscription
If someone in your life might resonate with what I share here, you’re welcome to invite them with a gift subscription.
