ToyCyte: Toy Culture Collected

Greg “Craola” Simkins’ Seeing Things solo show opened this week at FIFTY24SF, and if you can get down to the Lower Haight (currently demarcated by signage from the Upper Playground crew), you have to see this one. Greg continues the concepts explored in his It Wanders shows with this mashup of fantasy creatures, old masters and surreal still lifes.  Each painting has so much detail, texture and story, it is kind of unbelievable. There is really an abundance of imagery in every image, and I’m still thinking about them hours afterward. These are paintings you want to reach out and touch to see if the creatures are really furry or flocked. It’s not just the application of acrylics on canvas or panels; it’s Greg’s use of light that is really mind-blowing. Hopefully you can get a bit of that from the images here. Nearly all of the work ($500-$13,500) sold out the night Seeing Things opened.  The limited edition giclee canvas prints of The Lost Thought ($350) are so incredibly detailed, they looks like paintings. As of Friday afternoon, only a few remained. Very nice to see great art getting snatched up even in tough times. Click and enlarge!