Why Bar Basic?

It all started at this pizza joint in downtown San Diego where I met some of San Diego's best live artists.  Sean Dietrich, MoFo, True Delorenzo, and Daniel Jaimes to name a few. 

Thumbprint Gallery started the art scene at this bar in the mid-2000s. Yeah, there were other imitators.. but the boys of the "Dope Show" did it best. Each week the bar was converted into an urban art scene showcasing local artists, live painters, fashion shows, and the city's best DJs. DJ JoeMama, Bruce Illest, and Olibata spun my best mixes. I asked Paul and Johnny, the owners of Thumbprint Gallery, if I could setup my shit and paint... they said yes and the rest was history.

Banging sound system, a big ass fan, open-air restaurant, downtown vibes, best damn pizza in the city.. I was hooked and ended up painting at the bar for 10 years and over 50 events.

I grabbed a camera and started documenting my growth at the bar from 2012-2016. This site also includes photos from my current residency at Baily's in Old Town Temecula as well as sessions in my home studio.