As legend would have it, these three guyz were part of a larger group of artists called “The Concrete Foundation of the Fine Arts” located somewhere in San rafael in a building they referred to as the “Peanut Gallery.” It was there that David and Pat did some poster art which depicted a dragon with a paint brush for a tail at the bottom of the second poster. Shortly afterwards, the artists of the CFFA went their own ways. Pat and David began building their friendship and collaboration of art and underground comic books. They moved to Fairfax and took over the whole upstairs of the building where the “Sleeping Lady” cafe was. During this time Pat and Dave with a little help from Kelley, Painted the “Artista” rainbow dragon squeezed from a paint tube.This was the birth of Artista, and it was Kelley’s idea to turn it into a gang called “the Artsita Gang,” complete with gang jackets. But first Kelley had to clear it with the Hell’s Angels Prez Sonny Barger. Sonny gave us the thumbs up but told us not to put a California Rocker under the dragon. Not a problem!

Thus the gang was born! Eventually numbering over 800 members world wide.

About the same time as the birth of Artista, Pat and Dave started the “California Homegrowers Assosication.” Their location in Fairfax became the official heacquarters of both CHA and Artista. Kelley found a company in Los Angeles who would make our jackets, and they ordered eight. When they arrived, the first eight members of Artista put their colors on and had their picture taken up against the wall (depicture here, on our home page.)

Our first mission was to induct members then organize parties to git the gang together.

This all started in 1980, and continued on until about 1988.