I’ve been a fan of Greg “CRAOLA” Simkins for years now. Right before my eyes, I’ve witnessed this artistic juggernaut blossom from a graffiti seedling to one of the most heavy hitting players in the art world. Along the way, Greg’s been nothing but kind and easy going, always taking the time to shoot the breeze at a show, reply to my emails, refer me for design gigs and/or show me love at the wall we’re painting. He even put one of my pieces in a Spiderman video game back when he worked as an gaming animator. Needless to say, I’ve got a lot of love for this guy. With that being said, Greg recently launched the “I’m Scared” clothing line, named after his website/company and it’s nothing short of impressive. Let’s be real though, Greg’s never been one to half ass it, dude puts it down for real. Check out his gear, show your love and support and hop on the style wagon before the world does. This thing’s gonna blow up!

Check out his clothing line and website here: www.shop.imscared.com

Please join me this Saturday night for a one night show at the Boomerang Gallery in Petaluma. I contributed a new piece for this one and I’m excited to be showing it with so many other talented artists. See you Saturday!

Boomerang Gallery is pleased to begin the new art year with a groupshow,”Secondhand Love”. Once again a roster of extremely diverse artists, will show their interpretations of love using thrift store art as a starting point. All of the artists are very excited by the theme and we hope that you will be surprised and delighted as well!

Please join us for an artist’s reception on Saturday February 13th from 6 to 9 PM. This show runs for one night only! All art purchases may be picked up at the end of the reception.

Boomerang Gallery/Heebejeebe is located at 46 Kentucky Street in Petaluma.

For further information or questions call: (707)773-3222

Heard about this from a friend on Sunday morning. Some kid, high on acid, jumped off the roof of the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma because “he thought he could fly”. Having spent a little time on top of the theater, I can verify that this guy is lucky to be alive. That’s a long way to the ground. Wild!!

Police probe drug-related fall from roof

By DAN JOHNSON, ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
Published: Monday, February 1, 2010 at 9:32 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 1, 2010 at 9:32 a.m.

Several questions remain unanswered in an incident involving a naked, 19-year-old man who broke his back and suffered other, minor injuries after falling 25 feet off the roof of the Phoenix Theater on Sunday morning.

“He had been at a dance at the theater on Saturday night, but no one noticed that he was under the influence, and we don’t know how he got back in the building after it ended,” said manager Tom Gaffey.

The man, who was identified by Gaffey simply as Jesse, a regular patron, told police that someone surreptitiously gave him a food item containing LSD, causing him to feel that he could fly. He said that he had eaten food inside and outside the theater, which on Saturday night was holding a memorial dance for a Petaluma teen who died in a skateboarding accident last year.

Jesse, whose last name was not known by Gaffey and not released by police, fell off the roof of the theater, at 201 Washington St., and onto a lower roof of the building at around 5:45 a.m. Police officers arrived at the scene, and found that he was naked and injured. He was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, said Lt. Tim Lyons of the Petaluma Police Department.

The circumstances leading up to the fall remain hazy.

“I cleared out the theater when I left at about 3 a.m., but the committee that put the dance on still were there,” Gaffey said.

He is unclear how Jesse got the acid, but said, “Jesse might have gone downtown and bumped into some groups of travelers.”

At some point between 3 a.m. and 5:45 a.m., Jesse returned to the building.

“I don’t know how Jesse got back in, but he might have come in through a side entrance that the people cleaning up were using,” Gaffey said.

The roof can be accessed only from inside the theater. At one point, a custodian heard a noise on the roof, and staff members went up to check.

“They tried to talk him down,” Gaffey said, adding that he did not want to say any more about the situation.

Jesse subsequently fell, and later said that he became delusional and thought he could fly.

“We’re pretty much in shock,” Gaffey said. “Jesse’s usually a good soul — not one of my troublemakers. He sings a lot here. And he’s pretty much a regular guy downtown.”

Police investigators are continuing to probe the incident.

(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)

Direct Link the article

My newest print just dropped at PulpTree.com. This 16″ X 24″ piece is the largest reproduction I’ve ever done. Printed on a high quality, fine art 250gsm paper, each one comes with an stamp of authentication. This print is limited to 50 worldwide, I wouldn’t wait too long. Special thanks to Kevbo @ PulpTree.

It was brought to my attention recently that one of my drawings from the “bottom feeder series” was up on a great art website called PulpTree. The site is free to join and members vote on works that have been posted. It would mean a great deal to me if you voted for my drawing!!! After you vote, e-mail me your address and I’ll send you a sweet little surprise in the mail. All e-mails can be sent to ricky@rickywatts.com

Click HERE to vote on the piece.

Thanks for helping the cause!

Just wanted to remind you that the 20% OFF sale currently happening at RickyWatts.com will be ending in one week. This will be the last opportunity to save BIG for a while so if you were interested in picking up an original piece, a print or a super limited art show exclusive, now is the time!!

Thanks everyone who helped make this sale a huge success! The direct link to the store is right HERE.

Kristen called this morning. Her usual cheerful voice warmed my ear through the phone like it always does. “Ricky, I have bad news,” she said. Thinking she was going to tell me she had bumped into something and needed some touch ups done, I wasn’t prepared when she told me the news.

“The bus burnt to the ground this morning.” I paused for what seemed like an hour as hundreds of thoughts raced through my head. “Surely you’re joking,” I replied. Sad but true, she was not.

Over the last four months, I’ve been transforming the entire exterior of my friend Kristen’s 35-foot, former school bus into the ultimate, hippy-party bus using a few cans of spray paint and a creative imagination. I had put so many hours into this project, it was 90% complete, I was so close to being done.

I had to see it with my own eyes before I was ready to believe it. I hoped in the car and made the five-minute drive over to the secluded property with too many dogs and abandoned vehicles where the bus was laid up. When I arrived, I felt my eyes tear up. It was worse than I had imagined, it was completely destroyed. There was nothing left other than a hollow skeleton of a frame and what was left of my paintings. The mood was somber and quiet. Kristen wasn’t around, I was told she was lying down, too depressed to get up or even say hi.

As I took photos of what was left of the bus, my heart was heavy, but my mind ran wild with ideas for the next bus. As sad as that moment was, all I could think about was the start of a new beginning. You see, for me, everything I painted is still in my head, as vivid as the day it was sprayed.

My heart goes out to Kristen who lost much more than just a paint job. She lost one of her most prized posessions, The Galactic Wizard. Her road warrior that took her on so many amazing adventures with so many wonderful people. Yes, another bus will some day take its place, but there will only be one Galactic Wizard.

Rest in Peace, G-Wiz. You will be missed.