Greg 'Craola' Simkins: Go Outside

Go Outside represents a culmination of the diverse influences that drive Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins in his tireless pursuit of Art. From whimsical places like Narnia and Wonderland, to graffiti on stone walls in back alleys, these influences come together in an intricate storm of kaleidoscopic colors and mythical landscapes.Despite their disparate styles, a reverence for graffiti aesthetics, fairytales, and formal painting all unify the work in Simkins’ newest exhibition. His painting surfaces are meticulously layered using various mediums including acrylic, spray paint, and watercolor, while introducing large scale hand embellished giclees on aluminum for the first time.Craola’s journey began as a child daydreaming and drawing, creating strange realms where anything was possible. It later turned into adventures writing on walls in the shadows of night, questioning what if those walls began to crumble? What would we encounter as we emerge on the other side? As Simkins’ breaches this question once again he encourages us, his audience, to break through and “Go Outside” where we can once again be inspired by curiosity and awe.