Screen Printed Shirts at Designer Con Nov. 5th

DesignerCon is approaching fast on NOVEMBER 5th at the Pasadena Convention Center in California from 10am-5pm. Bring your own light colored shirts to get "one of kind" Designer Con screen prints from artists: Deph, Greg "Craola" Simkins, MAD & Jesse Hernandez for $5 each. Collect ALL 4 prints for $20. What a steal!!! If you forget your shirts from home, we will have blanks with screen print for $10 each. Keep your eyes peeled, we will be releasing a sneak peak of the prints, soon...

NEW PRINT AVAILABLE: "8-Bit Is Dead"

8-Bit Is Dead

a new print by

Greg 'Craola' Simkins

Limited Edition of 100

Giclee on Somerset Velvet

Fine Art Paper

14 x 11 in.

Hand signed & numbered

$60

BUY NOW

(Only available at Gallery 1988: Venice)

Gallery 1988: Venice

214 Pier Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90405

(424) 238-5988

CRAOLA/GUNNAR TATTOO OPPORTUNITY

So I just got a call from one of my best friends in the world Gunnar. Now as most of you know, Gunnar is a sick artist and a phenomenal Tattoo artist which are interchangeable titles to be sure.Well this email is for those of you in Southern California and especially those of you who have been wanting to get a Craola style tattoo. Gunnar is going to be doing a Guest spot at Art Junkies tattoo shop in Hesperia California this weekend! He will also be teaching a seminar while out here. Well Gunnar thought it might be a good opportunity for those of you who have been wanting a piece from my catalog of paintings and haven't had the right artists or opportunity for it. He has tattooed plenty of my pieces beautifully and has a style that has gained him much respect in the tattoo industry. Please feel free to grab anything off of my site to get tattooed by Gunnar. Act fast as this slot will get filled quickly.
Contact him here: artofgunnar@gmail.com to get your opportunity at this appointment.

"Cute & Creepy" opens TONIGHT at 7pm

I am honored to exhibit some of my works in the Cute & Creepy exhibit curated by Carrie Anne Baade at the Museum of Fine Arts that opens TONIGHT at 7pm. Participating artists include Kris Kuksi, Elizabeth McGrath, Marion Peck, Greg "Craola" Simkins, Chris Mars, Laurie Lipton, Christian Rex van Minnen, Ray Caesar, Martin Wittfooth and MORE...

Craola Video Page 2

Hope X Craola from The Beast Brothers on Vimeo.

http://youtu.be/G4AfCBcV8B4

LAST DAY to bid

Today is the LAST DAY to bid on eBay for BUSTED, an online charity art auction in which 100% of the proceeds will go directly to women fighting breast cancer to help them pay for treatment. I've contributed an Artist Proof of The Welcoming Party. More info here.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Quick & Painful" Prints Sets

Quick & Painful

Print Sets

The "Quick and Painful" Series of Giclee Prints are 11" x 14" and printed on beautiful 300 gram cold press watercolor paper with archival pigment inks. These prints are exclusively available at The Hope Shop and are very limited.

This set of 6 prints comes with an official certificate embossed with the Hope Gallery Seal of Authenticity. Prints are packaged in a crystal clear fitted bag with firm white backing. Shipped flat.

Greg "Craola" Simkins

Set of 6 Giclee Prints

$120
BUY NOW

"Cute & Creepy": Oct. 14th - Nov. 20th, 2011

I am honored to exhibit some of my works in the Cute & Creepy exhibit curated by Carrie Anne Baade at the Museum of Fine Arts starting October 14th. Participating artists include Kris Kuksi, Elizabeth McGrath, Marion Peck, Greg "Craola" Simkins, Chris Mars, Laurie Lipton, Christian Rex van Minnen, Ray Caesar, Martin Wittfooth and MORE...

Cute & Creepy features grotesque inspired artworks from the Pop Surreal or New Contemporary art scenes currently making its way to more prominent places in today's society. With the recent and publicly-celebrated exhibitions of Tim Burton at MOMA and Edward Gorey at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, now is the time to revel in the genre of the macabre.

Nancy Hightower, author of the catalog essay writes: "(The grotesque) is an operation, a process that occurs when one is caught in between a moment of humor and horror, or horror and beauty-held in perfect suspension so that neither overrides the other. We are left in a moment of paralysis, unsure of what to think, unable to look away."

TONIGHT! "Quick & Painful", Chicago, IL

7-11pm
Rotofugi Gallery in Chicago, IL

Nick Alvarez 77TATTOO

In this two part interview I will be talking to two of the South Bay of Los Angeles' best tattoo artists. Mike Suarez and Nick Alvarez. Growing up in the same town, I have heard their names and witnessed their works many times. Finding out that they had opened their own private studio in Torrance was a great surprise so I would like to introduce you to the artists behind 77TATTOO .

I met Nick Alvarez in San Diego at Guru Tattoo of all places. It is funny because we grew up in the same neighborhood with the same friends. Me being on the older end of things, faded out of the social scene to pursue work and family has a lot to do with the late intro, but I am glad to have met this talented and respectable artist. Here is more about NIck in his own words:

I'm Nick Alvarez.. born and raised in the South Bay (Torrance).. I've always been a beach kid, it's hard for me to leave the ocean. I've lived in a few different places in the last 10 years..

Love to travel. I was in the Navy at one point, stationed in Japan.. That's where I first started getting into tattooing. I was getting tattooed, it was kind of a military thing.. and since I lived in Japan I was taking advantage of getting work done there by this guy Edo, about an hour out of Tokyo. I love Japanese and Chinese art work.. I've been attracted to the style since I was a kid.. and the longer I was in Japan, the more I liked Japanese tattoo work.

So, before I knew it I was tattooing out of the barracks and hanging out at Edo's Tattoo Shop out in town on whatever free time I had. He wanted to help me out.. So I just watched him tattoo a lot..

Then he had me drawing designs and scratching them into card board with needles on running machines. He ordered supplies for me and told me to draw every day.. He told me to practice by tattooing a lot of fucking legs! Once I was back home in LA, I met Mike Suarez who had been tattooing all of my friends. I couldn't wait to meet him.. His tattoos where on another level. He was a big influence on me and helped me out as well.. He kind of took me under his wing.. He really showed me what GOOD tattooing is. I went to Union Electric Tattoo to get a real apprenticeship from Big 5, since I had never worked out of a professional shop. He hired me on the spot as a Tattooer and taught me whatever little things I hadn't learned.

My passion for Tattooing grew.. before I knew it I was tattooing full time and getting tattooed in my free time.. my life became Tattooing and I couldn't get enough. Eventually I made my way to Guru Tattoo in San Diego. I fucking love those guys. They opened my eyes.. I couldn't be more inspired. Such great artists and so humble..


I still make my way to SD to work with the guys at Guru from time to time. I can't get enough of that place, I try to work 2 or 3 days there every month or two. We were like a family there. After 3 years full time at Guru, I had to make my way back to LA.

We wanted to get my wife Cissy's apprenticeship started with Mike Suarez.. Mike and I also have been talking about opening a small appointment only shop together for the past couple years.. Strictly bad ass tattoos!


Now the three of us are together.. I'm inspired everyday, by both Mike and Cissy. I have opened myself up to trying new things, different styles of tattooing.. Mike blows my mind, he does it all.. any style.. but the thing is, he does it really fucking good. Cissy finished her apprenticeship this week and I can't believe she's pulling off tattoos as well as she is. I wasn't that good for my first few years.. and her paintings are unreal.. I'm still not that good. So I'm not lacking any inspiration, thats for sure. I love working next to the two of them.. 77 Tattoo in Torrance..


Thanks Nick. Nick is a great guy on top of being a top notch tattooer, so if you are in the greater Los Angeles area or better yet the beach cities of the South Bay, book an appointment HERE to get some great custom work scheduled. Or just email him Here: Nick: NICK77TATTOO@ymail.com .
You wont regret it.
in our next 77TATTOO spotlight, Mike Suarez......
peace,
Gregola

Ron English Print Show!

Pain, Love, and Destiny

My buddy Monte Pittman's new album "Pain, Love, and Destiny" drops today. I had the honor of doing the album cover for him and stoked on this amazing album he put together. Purchase Here and enjoy!

Quick & Painful: October 8th – Chicago, IL

7-11pm
Rotofugi Gallery in Chicago, IL

Online bidding starts TODAY

Bidding begins TODAY on eBay at noon for BUSTED, an online charity art auction in which 100% of the proceeds will go directly to women fighting breast cancer to help them pay for treatment. I've contributed an Artist Proof of The Welcoming Party. All bids start at $25. More info here.