San Francisco Music Blog

Anthony Lister and Greg "Craola" Simkins
Fifty 24 SF
February 5, 2009
Review and Photos by Joshua "Creep" G.
Elsewhere: See the rest of the show pics here on Flickr
I can't remember the last time I did anything remotely worth talking about on a Thursday night. So what better way to change it up than to go and check out the work of Anthony Lister and Greg "Craola" Simkins at the Fifty24 SF Gallery? I thought the weather was going to be atrocious, but it turned out to be a surprisingly nice evening.

I tried to make it to the gallery before the reception started, hoping to get some shots of the artwork before the crowds descended, but as I walked up to the gallery and saw the line of patrons waiting I knew it was going to be packed. The shows were split with Anthony Lister on the upper level and Craola in the downstairs portion of the gallery, so I planned on jumping over to the one that less people went to at first to get my fix.

The door to the Lister exhibit opened first so I made sure I snagged a bunch of shots while the opportunity was there. One of the things that I liked about Lister's show was the variety of works and materials that he used. So not only did you have works on canvas or wood, but also some pieces that adorned doors and blank areas of the wall, and even some sculptural pieces. The one area that stuck out the most to me, and many others as well, was the back wall. Four large canvas paintings spread across the back wall pulling you in that direction the moment you entered the room. The colors used and the energetic way that Lister applied the paint was a highlight for me.

On the way out, I was given the opportunity to visit Lister's studio around the corner. I was able to talk to him about his inspiration for the show and see some of the sketches that inpsired some of the pieces in the studio space, as well as those that were in the exhibit. I liked the fact that he was easy to talk to and was very passionate about his work.

After talking with Lister for a while we headed back to see the Craola works, all the while hoping that the crowd had not gained strength in the short time that we were gone. The doors were now open and there was a hefty line inside, all filled with patrons waiting to get a sketch or signature from Craola.

The gallery is kind of narrow so being able to snag some pictures while there is a line of people taking up the middle area is quite a task, so It seemed best just to wait a bit a hope that the crowd would calm down. Surprisingly, the crowd did thin after a while. So I stole some shots and worked my way to the back in hopes of talking to Craola for a bit, and even getting a small sketch for myself.

It had been quite a while since I had seen any type of painting or drawing from Craola, and while looking at them as closely as I could I was hit once again with the realization of how amazing his artwork is. These new works looked better than I had imagined. When you're standing back, it takes your brain a few minutes to comprehend that what you are looking at is paint, on canvas or panel, not an image that was created by anything other than an exceptionally skilled artist. Once you get in close to check out all the subtle details and expressions that each painting is filled with, you can see the tiny brush strokes and markings and your eyes stutter a bit as you try to pull the information in.

As with the Lister show upstairs, the Craola show had a good variety of artwork. There was acrylic on canvas, on wood or panel as well as framed ink drawings and the collaged drawings that initially got me hooked on his work. The piece shown above had to be around 3 feet high, it was the biggest in the show, the smallest being around 4" x 6". There was also a print that was available, based on "The Lost Thought" painting the print was giclee on canvas, 16" x 20" signed and numbered in an edition of 30. I believe that the print was pre-stretched so you didn't have to worry about that part at all. If the print didn't sell out at the show it will be making its way onto the Upper Playground website any day now.

The crowd died down and I was able to talk to Craola about his inspiration for the show. As the videos on the Upper Playground show, he said that each painting was kind of like grabbing a snapshot of a movie. So the viewer gets to see that one climactic moment in a fantasy story filled with imagery is able to capture your own imagination and take for quite a ride. We also talked about how his graffiti art, in comparison to the art courses that he took, was able to really advance his skills with the materials and push his art further than the class could ever hope to. The colors in in paintings are stunning, and if graffiti is what helped that along then more professors need to look in that direction.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the show was how easy it was to talk to the artists. Craola was a blast to talk to and you can see with each fan he interacts with he enjoys talking to every one and is happy to sketch for anyone that asks. It's not like his art needs anything more to it to make one an instant fan, but Craola's attitude will surely reel you in even quicker. There is really no escape. Once you see a painting up close and get infected with the world that he has created, you are now a fan, and what better fantasy world to be a part of, than where the storyteller makes you glad you were there.

Critic's Notebook

Personal Bias: Already a fan of Craola's work, and was eager to see the art of Anthony Lister in person.

Random Detail: Craola's son Isaac has the coolest monkey backpack you will ever see.

By the Way: If you want the Craola print from the show, Watch UpperPlayground.com