Greg Simkins 'Craola'

Born in California in 1975, Greg Simkins is an American artist known under the pseudonym "Craola". A graduate in studio art from California State University Long Beach, he developed an instantly recognizable style, blending realism, fantasy and pop culture. He began his career in graffiti in the 1990s before turning to easel painting. His work is part of Pop Surrealism (or Lowbrow Art), a movement born on the West Coast of the United States that blends popular iconography, illustration and fantasy. Craola draws his references from animation (Disney, Looney Tunes), children's literature (Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis), video games and folklore. He creates a personal mythology populated by anthropomorphic animals, hybrid creatures and baroque settings. Greg "Craola" Simkins has shown his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the U.S. and internationally, including at "KP Projects" gallery in Los Angeles in 2018 and Joshua Liner Gallery in New York in 2010.