Copro presented the Hi-Fructose 5th Anniversary group show to a packed house on Saturday evening (3.13).   Given Hi-Fructose’s position as one of the leading pop surrealism magazines, it’s not surprising that their anniversary shows are always eagerly anticipated and have over the years delivered.  Maybe it’s because the show is fresh in our minds, but this latest installment feels like one of the strongest yet.

Headlined by a bumper crop of excellent paintings from some of the scene’s top painters including Ron English, Craola, Audrey Kawasaki, Amy Sol, Martin Wittfooth as well as in-your-face sculptures by Colin Christian, Scott Musgrove, Harma Heikens, and Kris Kuksi,  standout pieces seemed to be the norm.  We’re also happy to report that the show seems to have sold quite well.

Speaking of sculptures, Scott Musgrove’s large  5-foot Prairie Boxer bronze sculpture is a highlight piece  made all that more impressive by the fact that it was sculpted by Scott himself.  The large/short pair of creatures have an undeniable life and presence.  So it’s a shame that very few show goers were able to appreciate the piece due to the poor viewing conditions.  There was no direct light on the piece and as a result it languished in relative darkness (the pictures after the jump were shot with  high iso or flash).  Disappointing.

Make no mistake though, Hi-Fructose’s 5th Anniversary exhibition is an excellent group show with very strong work.  If you missed it, definitely set some time aside to drop by Copro to check it out before it closes on April 3rd.  For artwork availability, please check the official show preview.

Copro Gallery
Bergamot Station
7525 Michigan Ave T5
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.829.2156

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Dailydujour had the pleasure of visiting Greg Simkins in his new studio tucked away in a quiet corner of the South Bay. As you can see above, Greg is putting the finishing touches on ‘The Pearl Thief’ his new solo opening next Tuesday November 3rd (7- 10 PM) @ Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. The solo features several paintings including his largest to date, ‘The Pearl Thief’, which measures  96” x 72” as well as drawings.

The new work continues the broad narrative which he has revealed painting by painting for the past few years.  The show’s namesake preys upon all sorts of unwitting creatures, taking away precious personal nuggets from each – the – ‘pearls’.  Cloaked and wearing many masks, the Pearl Thief plays a role either implicit or explicit in nearly every painting.

While he does not usually reveal the plots behind his paintings for fear of cheating the viewer of the thrill of interpretation, Simkins does make detailed notes on the back stories of his characters.  Each painting is a partial view into an ever evolving world populated by creatures with complex relationships with one another. The unfolding story which lends an air of familiarity and cohesiveness to the work also motivates Greg by keeping the focus on fantastic creativity.

While motivation comes in many forms, Simkins relishes  painting ‘big’ for the challenge as well as  the freedom to explore visuals with high levels of detail. Having just finished his biggest painting yet, he’s already looking to push the bar a few notches higher. He’s clearly up to the challenge and so is his gear.  What does one use to paint such large canvases?  His father provided the answer – a wall-mounted massive custom metal ‘easel’. It’s the biggest we’ve ever seen.

Enjoy this quick look at Greg’s studio.  We’ll be back with additional glimpses of his show later this week.  If you haven’t already marked Tuesday’s opening on your schedule, you will shortly.

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