Brian is no stranger to Commune and has been to almost every Commune Wednesday event. You would probably recognize his contagious smile or maybe even his Commune tees scattered among beautiful people in the neighborhood, but if you haven’t, Brian is definitely a talent to be seen.   I met up with Brian to congratulate him and see what he has going on.

1.Where are you from? What made you move to San Diego?

I am from a small town in Virginia called Abingdon.  I was going to school in Virginia and needed a change of pace.  Skateboarding is a big part of my life and I knew California was the place to be for skateboarding.  All of the artists I was following at the time were artists and designers in California so it just made sense to be here.  I love California.

2. How would you describe your art and what inspires you?

I guess the term for my art would be mixed media.  Using different mediums like spray paint, acrylic, oil sticks, collage, pen and ink.  Most of the themes are about commercialism.  How we look at things in culture.  The images I create have multiple layers so from afar it might look like just one image, but when you get up close you see more of what is going on.  What inspires me is just the people around me the most.

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I can honestly count on one hand the number of friends I have who DON’T smoke. Most of them started when they were in high school so, now in their twenties, they’re coming up on a decade of tobacco dependence — not the sort of occasion that calls for an ice cream cake.

A few months back, while having a few beers at a pub in North County (we, of course, had to sit outside so they could smoke), I looked around the table and realized that not only were we all getting older but that my friends had been roped in by tobacco for nearly one-third of their lives. What was once edgy and cool and potentially led to a prom date in high school, was now causing my friends to be banished outside like dogs, where the only women that came our way were working on their 4th Cosmo, their 5th marriage and their 2nd pack.

Although I was never mesmerized by it, I think my friends all came to the realization that night that the glamor of the cigarette had worn off. Older, addicted and generally unhappy with the effects, they had all separately expressed their desire to quit to me on multiple occasions. So this night, I decided to address them as a group and call them out on their bullsh-t proclamations of wanting to stop.

All in all, it went well. They all agreed that they wanted to quit and they agreed to finally take action.

Fast forward about 3 months… (more…)

This Saturday (10/10)  944 will be celebrating it’s October Art and Culture Issue Release Party at Disconnected Salon in North Park.  The night will featured commissioned pieces by various local artists using 944 Magazine for their primary inspiration for all of the pieces.  The event is invite only and  based on a, now closed guest list, but if you’re feeling lucky contact MarieElena@944.com for further guestlist consideration. The evening will include DJ sets, appetizers, cocktails provided by Patron & Ultimat Vodka, and Free hair styling (STYLING FROM: 6-7pm Call 619-298-3830 for appointment).

THE NIGHT WILL INCLUDE PIECES BY:
Adrian Parra
Chris Wellhausen
Christy Zaragoza
Crystal Powell
Eric Wixon
Exist 1981
Jason Gould
Jennifer Miller
jfeather
Leslie Tiano
Martha Martin
Michael Carini
Mickey Ford
Monica Robles
Nicholas McPherson
Sam Frazier
Tocayo

You don’t want to miss this event, but if  you weren’t able to get on the guestlist in time, the after party will be at True North. You won’t catch me there though, I’ll be at El Dorado for  DJ Groundfloor and Erick Diaz or at Bluefoot for DJ J Peso. So support local and make it out tomorrow night!

Commune Wednesday has struck again! This month we hit up one of our favorite spots, the Whistlestop, in South Park.   The featured artist and trunk show was Exist 1981 whose detailed designs based on subconscious thoughts made us and fellow COMMUNE-ers “comfortably numb” as promised by the artist himself.  His hand-printed T’s, and uniquely die-cut stickers were a hit as well.  Check out Exist 1981’s T-shirt & poster design for Commune in our monthly mailer and in our online store.

Wearing his signature flannel DJ J Peso kept the party live with his amazing mix of 80’s R&B, 90’s hip-hop and more. The list of hits goes on and on, however a highlight was definitely Every little Step by Bobby Brown.

The Death Eaters took the stage with a vengeance and rocked the crowd with some new tunes and old favs finishing up their set with a cover of Berlin’s The Metro and some audience participation.

Congratulations to our raffle winners Marianne, Jasmine and Adrianna who all won their choice of a local artist designed Commune T.  Remember the next lucky winner could be you October 28^th at U31.

Congratulations to MESH for being voted by you as Commune’s Featured Local of the Month.

MESH is definitely a Commune favorite and I couldn’t wait to meet up with owner, Michael Delgado, to congratulate him on being voted Featured Local and to get the inside scoop on what MESH has got going on.

1.How would you describe MESH?

Mesh is a contemporary and street wear boutique located in North Park, catering to both men and women. The store also features both international and local brands as well as a diverse mix of urban art.

2. How long has MESH been open and how did you come up with the name?

Mesh has been open for a little over 3 years and the name comes from the idea that fashion, art, and music are all connected and feeding off of each other and we hope that the apparel and art represents that certain lifestyle.

3. Any upcoming MESH news/events that people should know about?

We have a HUGE sale coming up next month! 25-40% off the entire store for a whole month…and we’re located right next to the Costume Shop so you can get your Halloween costume and some new gear in one stop!

4. Why do you think it’s important to stand up against tobacco corporations?

Tobacco corporations represent the notion that the benefits of commercialism outweigh the value of human health and life. Smoking is ultimately an individual choice but it’s definitely not the smartest thing to do.

For the newest trends in street wear and contemporary clothing be sure to check out MESH at

2980 North Park Way

San Diego, Ca 92104

Or, online at www.shopmeshsd.com

If you would like to be part of Commune Wednesdays and stand up for a smokefree scene, contact Jenny at jointhecommune@gmail.com.

This Saturday. October 3^rd from 1:00 PM- 5: 00PM, North Park will host its first-ever Taste of North Park.  More than 30 restaurants and 20 galleries and boutiques will participate in this tantalizing event. The event is the ideal blend of delicious cuisines prepared by top chefs around the neighborhood mixed with the perfect variety of microbrews and flavorful wines.  Tickets to the event are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Proceeds will benefit the North Park Mainstreet.  Don’t miss this opportunity to sample the best in local North Park dining.

Participants Include:

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