Alfonso Caliendo was born in Torre Del Greco-Province of Naples Italy.  At 11 years old, Alfonso worked making Cameos as an apprentice. He immigrated to the United States in July of 1956 aboard the SS Andrea Doria on its last voyage. After the ship collided with the MS Stockholm on July 25, 1956, Alfonso was rescued and brought to New York City on the ship involved in the collision.

He lived in Brooklyn, NY with his family until 1962. He moved to Los Angeles, California for some time before returning back east to New Jersey where he currently resides.

Most of his life, Alfonso worked in the garment industry. He took some courses in paintings and drawings for a couple of years in the seventies. In 1990, he opened an Antiques shop while still working in the garment industry. He retired from his fulltime job in 2002 and continued working in his antique shop until 2011. Alfonso had a one man show at the Paterson Museum in New Jersey as well as a few other shows. With the desire to show his work, Alfonso decided to open his own art gallery, Caliendo Gallery, in 2013.