Skip to Content

Opens April 21st, 8-11p ~ Merry Karnowsky Gallery ~ 170 S. La Brea Avenue (in the ART 170 Building)

Any time Greg "Craola" Simkins has an exhibition, you must get ready to be amazed, amused, and blown away by this singular artist's vision and technique. Raised in L.A. but existing only on planet Craola, this show promises to be one you won't forget.

“As a child I used to play a game, which involved nothing more than lying on my back, staring at the sky. As the clouds formed and floated by, my imagination inserted characters into the story unfolding before my eyes. These clouds became the catalyst for what would become a lifelong compulsion to daydream and slip into other worlds merely by being outside.



While working out ideas for this exhibit, it became clear that clouds would be the foundation for each piece. By bringing them into the foreground and making them the framework for my ideas, I quickly discovered how “The Outside”—this world that I have created for myself—has consumed my subconscious. After years spent buried in books, learning about animals and oddities, heroes and villains, truth and fiction, "The Outside" has become an assortment of bizarre morphing creatures, winged observers, antique odds and ends, and tentacled heroes who have become my friends over the years. Simultaneously, “The Outside” has illuminated my secret desire of escaping this world with its politics, its trappings, and its stresses. These pieces serve as an intermission from the struggles of our world and bring back the heart of a kid, lying on his back, interpreting what he sees in the clouds, completely and utterly carefree.”

-Greg Simkins

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

L.A.’s First Cochinita Pibil is Legendary and Still Amazing, 52 Years Later

“Cochinita is my fountain of youth,” jokes Marc Burgos, the second-generation owner of this pioneering panaderia. At 50 years old, he is younger than his father’s pioneering Yucatán bakery, the first in L.A. to offer cochinita pibil tacos. 

November 7, 2024

The 24 Best Tacos Al Pastor, Adobada, and Árabes In Los Angeles

Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? Judging by the sheer amount of crispy-edged trompos dotted around every single corner of this beautiful city, we can certainly make that argument. Here is our vetted list that took us nearly two decades to compile. ¡Provecho!

November 7, 2024

Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra Director Seeks Donations to Avoid Losing Childhood Home in Leimert Park

After Session’s landlord “abruptly” served him with a 60 day notice earlier this month, “for no other reason than wanting to sell the property,” Session decided his best chance of staying in the house would be to buy it.

November 6, 2024

A Guide to Voter Guides in L.A. County

Remember, you have until 8 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5th) to vote. L.A. County has reasonably accessible voting infrastructure that allows you to return your ballot by mail, hundreds of ballot drop-boxes stationed around the county, as well as the ability to vote in-person at a vote center.

November 5, 2024

Nine L.A. Bars To Eat and Drink Your Blues Away While Watching the Election

These are the watering holes for anyone looking to hang on every minute of the election madness to come, leaning on the shoulders of similarly minded strangers or raging at people you don't agree with.

November 5, 2024
See all posts