It all started with a James Dean quote and some house parties. I'd always wanted to start something like Vita Brevis when I was younger. I wanted an outlet for my art, and something I could use to unite people and portray the messages I wanted people to hear. I was never able to solidify the idea until I came across this quote from James Dean: "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."

That quote spoke to me and really embodied what I believed in. It was the middle of 2006 when another quote hit me equally strong: "Ars longa, vita brevis." (source unknown). This one translates to "art is long, life is short". What better name for my creation than Vita Brevis aka "life is short". It sums up everything I believe in, and is the confined version of the one message I want to share with the world. Life is short, my friends. we weren't guaranteed today, and we aren't guaranteed tomorrow. Therefore, in the rawest of terms, we must live each day like it's our last. I believe this with all my heart, and after losing some close friends and almost losing a few others, I am very passionate about sharing this way of life with everyone I can. This is no gimmick, it's no scam for me to take your money. It's something I want you all to ponder, and if you like my designs, wear my shirts and spread the message to your people as well.

My friends and family were the encouragement and much of the inspiration for me to pursue this idea of my own line. I had my doubts since there are so many other independent lines out there these days, and I lacked confidence in my own abilities at the time. But everyone stood beside me and constantly reminded me that they shared the same beliefs. After some thought, I reached in my pocket and went to the local screen printing shop with my first shirt idea. A few weeks later, I released the "Dean" shirt. A simple design with Vita Brevis on the front and James Dean's eternal quote on the back. I'm proud to say that first batch of two dozen shirts lasted about a week. People loved what VB stood for, and I realized I had something to work with. After hundreds of shirts and decals, I guess it's safe to say my idea has turned into something that people can rally behind.

Over the last few years, our VB crew has widened from the original cabin party crowd and Cellarman's crew into a nationwide network of riders, musicians, artists, and real people who vow to live every day to the fullest. Vita Brevis is here for good, so live it, love it, and enjoy the adventure. We are more than clothes, we are more than stickers. We are a crew united by similar beliefs in the preciousness that is our lives. We live, we love, we laugh, we push. We don't back down, we never quit. We step up for what we believe in, and lift our fellows up when they fall. Thank you everyone for your support. It is with much admiration and love that I welcome you to the world of Vita Brevis!