Out of the Ashes: Resiliency Through Art

Joshua Simpson lost years upon years of photography work when his home went up in flames. Negatives, prints and equipment were lost, but those things are not what he thinks about the most. 

“The thing I think about a lot is I had my grandfather’s and grandmother’s Bibles, like their Bibles they had for the last twenty years of their lives,” said Simpson. “These aged, thumbed bibles, those were really precious. It was a big deal for my family; they really wanted me to have them.” 

In the wake of the Eaton and Palisades fires, many searched for a way to rebuild what they had lost. For artists in the area, the fire was particularly devastating. Along with losing their homes, many of these artists lost their studios containing their life’s works, whether it be film, sculptures, or paintings. Two gallery owners, Craig Krull and Douglas Marshall, saw this devastation and looked to help these artists rise from the ashes like a phoenix. 

The gallery was in Santa Monica, several miles from the burn zone, but the impact of the fires could be felt strongly. While the mood in the building was somber, you could also feel the hope and resilience of the artists. Several artists sat at the front of the gallery, chatting and planning future collaborations or ventures. Art is something that is inside of us all: you can burn a person’s works, but you can’t put out the creative fire that exists inside them. 

“In the ongoing aftermath of one of the worst disasters in the history of Los Angeles, we seek to directly benefit artists affected by the fires with an exhibition of their works, for which they will receive all of the proceeds,” said Krull and Marshall on the Out of the Ashes website. 

The gallery was hosted in the Bergamot Station Arts Center, an industrial building with high ceilings and blank white walls that were covered in all types of art: paintings, sketches, prints, and photography dotted the gallery. Sculptures sat on white pedestals that dotted the concrete floor space. The space was devoid of anything but art, so that guests could truly focus on and soak in the works. 

Out of the Ashes ran from Feb. 19 to March 1, 2025, and it featured works from 40 artists who were affected by the fires. Among those artists was Simpson, a photographer who lost his Altadena home in the Eaton Fire. He has been a photographer for the past 30 years, and he credits his six-year-old son Elijah with helping him stay inspired. 

“He’s like my little collaborator; we’re like partners in crime,” said Simpson. “I take pictures of him, he takes pictures of me. Just pass the camera back and forth, it’s great.” 

Simpson was one of many people who lost their homes in the fires, but he remained in brighter spirits and was hopeful that the community would recover. 

“You have two towns burn down, that’s just so unprecedented,” said Simpson. “There’s no way to handle that. It’s just such a difficult, challenging situation. I think everyone is doing their what they can. There’s going to be a lot of problems and resources are going to be spread thin. I think the community is doing everything it can to lift each other up.” 

Works from different artists that were impacted sat in the gallery, each accompanied by a small write-up. These blurbs, while short, were chilling and impactful. 

“Much may be replaceable while regarding my lost work,” wrote artist Milo Reice. “I’ve still my hands! What I cannot replace is what haunts me the most of each day was the loss of Bella and Felix, our beloved cats; not home when the fires hit, I was unable to protect them, and I feel damned as a result.” 

One very powerful work in the gallery was Frank by Brad Eberhard. The piece was made from a fire-damaged stoneware jug with a charred hammerhead that was found in the ashes. 

“The surfaces were altered by the fire from 5-90%, depending on the piece,” said Eberhard. “A few even look better. Rehabilitating the lost but now found works has been a balm to a grave situation.” 

In a time of increasing polarization, Out of the Ashes shows the importance of community. Krull and Marshall saw devastation and rather than just offer kind words or prayers, they were moved to action. They created a space for artists to share their stories and vent, as well as a way for them to sell their works and start rebuilding both their careers and homes.

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This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into the 2025 California wildfires. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program at UW-Milwaukee. Other stories from the project are available here.

This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club.