**Bags and Friends**
27" x 18"
Acrylic on canvas, framed
Greg "CRAOLA" Simkins, 2017
**INQUIRE**

Years ago I created a character called "The Pearl Thief". He was a pointed mask and cloak wearing fiend who did the evil bidding of Jacob, "The Night Knight" in our world and in "The Outside".

Over the years, The Pearl Thief took on a persona and I discovered that Peter was his name. Like in many of my paintings, stories began bouncing through may head. I developed a fondness for a particular fox and created a back story for him, which involves a group of rascals who call themselves "Briars". They harass evil overlords and what not (much like Robin Hood and Little John) and left their mark of the Briars everywhere they went.

Well, Bags is Peter's best friend in all the mischief-making. He is a rabbit-like creature who wears masks made up of old bags to cover his scars given to him by a large wolf. A wolf that Peter in turn beats in a match known as "Peter and the Wolves". I believe that it will be Bags who introduces Ralf to the ways of "The Outside" once he returns. Bags is always on the search for his lost friend Peter, and has no idea that it is him who now works for the evil "Night Knight" in the tower. - Greg "CRAOLA" Simkins

"Bags and Friends" will be on display for the Crime on Canvas group exhibition at the Western Hotel (Downtown Las Vegas) as part of the Life is Beautiful Music Festival the weekend of September 22nd - 24th, 2017.