Tyson Crosbie is on a mission. He wants to bring culture to downtown Phoenix.

The artist and photographer, who celebrated his 30 birthday this year, is having what he calls the best year of his life.

A resident since moving here with his wife for a job opportunity in July 2007, he refused to live anywhere but downtown. He admits he was a bit ignorant as to what exactly downtown was, but Crosbie ended up in a restored bungalow in the arts district that he's pretty happy with.

He'd like to see more development, more character and certainly less empty lots than currently make up too much of our urban core. While those empty lots are used at his favorite downtown events like First and Third Fridays, he knows it will happen eventually, it just needs a little prodding. "As an artist living practically on the doorstep of a burgeoning art scene was just the validation I needed for insisting on living downtown," Crosbie said.

Paisley Violin and Lux are tops on his list of coffee shops to work from and he's actively expanding his choices. Supporting local business is a goal of Crosbie's, as he and friends visit a different locally-owned establishment every Friday night. He and other creative types meet to swap stories, exchange ideas and share their lives with others of their ilk at an event dubbed Phoenix Friday Nights, a spin-off of Phoenix Friday Coffee, which started as two guys having coffee in the East Valley.

Check out Crosbie's work at tysoncrosbie.com.