Greg 'Craola' Simkins

Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins drew a large crowd for last night’s opening of his ‘The Pearl Thief’ solo @ Gallery 1988 Los Angeles.  Many sat or stood gazing at the  massive show titled centerpiece (96″ x 72″)  for minutes on end, absorbing the unfolding story (spread across time) and appreciating the work that went into this piece which took roughly 6 months to complete.

The show centers around the Pearl Thief, a diminutive, stealthy character who is not to be taken lightly.  He steals the dreams and thoughts of all manner of creatures – represented visually by spheres or ‘pearls’ often seen in a transparent capsule within their heads.  Minion or mastermind?  The answer lies in the detailed brushstrokes.  This latest work expands Simkins’ long-running narrative in perhaps the most focused chapter yet.

Gallery 1988 and Craola added a fun and innovative wrinkle to the opening with an interactive game.  Each painting had a number below it which corresponded with a letter position in the piece’s title.  The challenge was to unscramble the letters to reveal the location of a band of pearls.  While many groups worked furiously taking notes along the way, the talented and savvy crew from 42 Entertainment lead by Johnny ‘KMNDZ’ Rodriguez and Mike Borys solved the puzzle and claimed the rich booty — an original 5×5″ Craola painting.

The Pearl Thief runs through November 22nd  Consult the official preview page for artwork availability.

Gallery 1988
7020 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323.937.7088

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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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