# Greg Simkins

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**Greg "Craola" Simkins** (born February 28, 1975) is an American artist.

## Education and early life

Greg Simkins was born in [Torrance](/source/Torrance,_California), [California](/source/California), slightly south of [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles). His artistic ambitions bloomed at age three with drawings inspired by cartoons and books. Some of these works, such as *[The Chronicles of Narnia](/source/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia)* by [C.S. Lewis](/source/C.S._Lewis), *[The Phantom Tollbooth](/source/The_Phantom_Tollbooth)* by [Norton Juster](/source/Norton_Juster), and *[Watership Down](/source/Watership_Down)* by [Richard Adams](/source/Richard_Adams), still find reference in his art.[1] He grew up with a variety of animals, including a number of [rabbits](/source/Rabbits), which often appear in his paintings.[2]

Simkins earned his B.A. in Studio Art from [California State University, Long Beach](/source/California_State_University,_Long_Beach) in 1999.[3]

## Professional career

After graduating, Simkins went to work as an illustrator for several clothing firms before moving on to the video game industry, where he worked on games for [Treyarch](/source/Treyarch)/[Activision](/source/Activision) such as *[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2](/source/Tony_Hawk's_Pro_Skater_2)*, *[Spider-Man 2](/source/Spider-Man_2_(2004_video_game))*, and *[Ultimate Spider-Man](/source/Ultimate_Spider-Man_(video_game))*.[4] He made the leap to full-time artist in 2005.

## Style

At the age of 18, Simkins began doing [graffiti](/source/Graffiti) under the name "Craola". Graffiti drove his inspiration to create and gave him the confidence and experience to paint large scale works. It also taught him [color theory](/source/Color_theory) and [perspective](/source/Perspective_(visual)) while further developing his artistic skills, as later demonstrated in his masterful work with acrylics.[5]

He brings together unlikely camaraderies and conflicts through combining his love for the animal world and imagined landscapes within the confines of canvas, paper, and walls. It is common to see deer next to killer whales, puppies with crustacean, and birds paired with rodents in his playful, yet ominous-toned, [acrylic](/source/Acrylic_paint) compositions informed by smooth [graffiti](/source/Graffiti) gradients and balanced layouts that draw the eye through imaginative story-lines and little vignettes.[6]

## Exhibitions

Simkins' paintings have been included in various [narrative art](/source/Narrative_art) exhibitions including the group shows *[Suggestivism](/source/Suggestivism)* at Grand Central Art Center in [Santa Ana](/source/Santa_Ana,_California),[7] *Family Guy!* at the [Los Angeles Museum of TV & Radio](/source/Los_Angeles_Museum_of_TV_%26_Radio), *Street Cred* at the [Pasadena Museum of California Art](/source/Pasadena_Museum_of_California_Art), *[Visionary Art](/source/Visionary_Art)* at Mondo Bizarro Gallery in [Rome](/source/Rome), *Art from the New World* at the [Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery](/source/Bristol_City_Museum_and_Art_Gallery) in Bristol, England,[8] *Sons of Baby Tattooville* at the [Riverside Art Museum](/source/Riverside_Art_Museum),[9] and *MasterWorks: Defining A New Narrative* at the [Long Beach Museum of Art](/source/Long_Beach_Museum_of_Art).[10]

Simkins' solo shows include: *Good Knight,* *Stop Haunting Me,* and *Cloud Theory* at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles);[11] *Inside the Outside* at Joshua Liner Gallery in New York;[12] a two-person exhibit with [Lola](/source/Lola_(artist)) at Galerie d'Art Yves Laroche in [Montreal](/source/Montreal); *The Pearl Thief* at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight in Los Angeles; *Seeing Things* at FIFTY24/SF Gallery in [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco);[13] *It Wanders West* at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight;[14] *It Wanders East* at Joshua Liner Gallery;[14] *The Well* at m modern Gallery in [Palm Springs](/source/Palm_Springs), CA;[15] *I’m Scared* at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight; *Don’t Sleep* at FIFTY24/SF Gallery;[16] and *Ima Monsta* at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight.

Simkins had his curatorial debut with *INLE* at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight in 2011, a show in which he also participated. The exhibit included art inspired by the book *[Watership Down](/source/Watership_Down)* by over 100 artists.[17]

## Publications

### Publications by Simkins

- Simkins, Greg. (2011) *Drawn From the Well*. Presto Art. ISBN 978-0982404737.
- Simkins, Greg. (2013) *The Outside*. Presto Art. ISBN 978-0985063801.

### Publications with contributions by Simkins

- Ganz, Nicholas & Manco, Tristan. (2004) *Graffiti World: Street Art from Five Continents*. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. ISBN 978-0810949799.
- Gibson, Jon M. and Klosterman, Chuck (2006) *i am 8-bit: Art Inspired by Classic Videogames of the '80s*. Chronicle. ISBN 978-0811853194.
- Beinart, Jon. (2007) *Metamorphosis 2: 50 Contemporary Surreal, Fantastic, and Visionary Artists*. BeinART. ISBN 978-0980323115.
- Weber, Diana. (2009) *Juxtapoz Dark Arts*. Gingko. ISBN 978-1584233619.
- Owens, Annie. (2009) *Hi-fructose Collected Edition*. Last Gasp of San Francisco. ISBN 978-0867197136.
- Spoor, Nathan. (2011) *Suggestivism: A Comprehensive Survey of Contemporary Artists*. Gingko. ISBN 978-1584234470.
- Ziegler, Tina. (2010) *Hunt & Gather*. Mark Batty. ISBN 978-0981960036.
- Smith, Kevin & Gallery 1988. (2011) *Crazy 4 Cult: Cult Movie Art*. Titan. ISBN 978-0857681034.
- Eaton, Tristan, and McCormick, Carlo. (2011) *The 3D Art Book*. Prestel. ISBN 978-3791345499.

## References

1. ["Sunrise Artists Interview"](http://sunriseartists.com/2011/07/20/greg-craola-simkins-interview/). Sunrise Artists. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Inle Interview"](https://g1988.blogspot.com/2011/02/interview-with-greg-simkins-about-inle.html). Gallery 1988. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Simkins CV"](http://joshualinergallery.com/artists/greg_simkins/cv/). Joshua Liner Gallery. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Artist's Page"](http://joshualinergallery.com/artists/greg_simkins). Joshua Liner Gallery. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Fecal Face Interview"](http://www.fecalface.com/SF/index.php/features-mainmenu-102/877-greg-simkins-interview). Fecal Face. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Indigits Interview"](http://www.indigits.net/a8/greg-simkins/). Indigits. January 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

1. ["Suggestivism Exhibition in the OCWeekly"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110905124750/http://www.ocweekly.com/2011-02-10/culture/suggestivism-grand-central-art-center-santa-ana/). OCWeekly. 10 February 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.ocweekly.com/2011-02-10/culture/suggestivism-grand-central-art-center-santa-ana/) on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.

1. ["Art from the New World at Bristol Museum"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/things_to_do/newsid_8596000/8596615.stm). BBC. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["Baby Tattooville Exhibition at Riverside Art Museum"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120727020846/http://www.riversideartmuseum.org/exhibitions-archive/son-of-baby-tattooville). Riverside Art Museum. September 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.riversideartmuseum.org/exhibitions-archive/son-of-baby-tattooville/) on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["Masterworks: Defining A New Narrative"](http://lbma.org/2014/09/masterworks-defining-new-narrative-exhibition-open-long-beach-museum-art-october-23/). Long Beach Museum of Art. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2015.

1. ["Cloud Theory Solo Exhibition at Merry Karnowsky Gallery"](http://www.juxtapoz.com/Current/preview-greg-qcraolaq-simkins-qcloud-theoryq-merry-karnowsky-la). Juxtapoz. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["Inside the Outside at Joshua Liner Gallery"](http://www.artnet.com/galleries/exhibitions.asp?gid=425570766&cid=196866). Artnet. June 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. Pascual, Oscar (19 January 2009). ["Seeing Things at FIFTY24/SF Gallery"](http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2009/01/greg_craola_simkins_brings_see.php). *All Shook Down*. SFWeekly. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["It Wanders Exhibitions"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120727022245/http://beinart.org/art-news/2008/08/29/craola-it-wanders/). Beinart. 29 August 2008. Archived from [the original](http://beinart.org/art-news/2008/08/29/craola-it-wanders/) on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["The Well Exhibition at m Modern Gallery"](http://www.vinylpulse.com/2008/03/seen-greg-simki.html). Vinyl Pulse. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["Don't Sleep at FIFTY24/SF Gallery"](http://www.kqed.org/arts/visualarts/article.jsp?essid=14000). KQED. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

1. ["INLE Exhibition"](http://dailydujour.com/tag/joe-vaux-d-ross-scribe/). Daily Dujour. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2012.

## External links

- [Official website](http://gregsimkinsart.com)
- [Greg "Craola" Simkins at Beinart Gallery](https://beinart.org/collections/greg-craola-simkins) Available art & bio

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Greg Simkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Simkins) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Simkins?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.