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I define my style as Vintage Pop. The bright colors, the mid-century vibe, it all reflects who I am as an artist today. However, I did not just wake up one day and say, “Hey, Vintage Pop sounds cool”. It was a combination of experiences, hard work, and an unexpected spark. 

After I moved to Sarasota, I received a call from a lady from my old Long Island neighborhood. She told me the Joe, who I had not seen since I was 14 years old, had an Italian restaurant in Sarasota that had live painters. I thought the idea of painting live was insane, but I was looking for some good Italian food so I booked a reservation. 

After catching up with Joe and truly loving Cafe BarBosso, I decided to entertain the idea of painting live. I showed Joe my work on a Saturday, started painting the next week, and kept painting for a year! Painting live is as wacky as I thought it would be. People come to eat and then you happen to be there painting. They may or may not be watching you, but they are definitely having a great conversation and enjoying their food. And through all of this, I kept painting - and Joe kept being brutally honest with me!

Somehow, among the chaos of people, painting, and garlic, my new style began to emerge. But it didn’t stop there. Now my photography, illustration, digital, and fashion experiences all came together and Vintage Pop was formed. Obviously, I will continue to grow and evolve as an artist, but Cafe BarBosso is a constant reminder that you never know what is going to spark your creativity! 

Chef Joe DiMaggio, Jr. of Cafe BarBosso.