Month: June 2016

303. St Andrew’s Road

There are times when you think you know it all, or perhaps I shouldn’t judge…I’ll start again. There are times when I think I know it all (just ask my children), and I thought I pretty much knew where to find all the best places for graffiti and street art are. Writing this blog has shown me how utterly wrong I am. There I’ve said it.

Two dear friends of mine walked home with me a few weeks back, and were terribly polite by showing interest in my rather overbearing desire to tell them all about every piece of art we walked past. Who painted it, when they did it, what was there before, where you might find more of their work, who they collaborate with…and so on…oh my goodness they must have been very bored. They didn’t show it though, they are friends after all.

During our conversation, they asked whether I knew about the Alex Lucas bats piece by Montpelier Park. No I hadn’t. So they took me there straight away, and what a gift.

Alex Lucas, St Andrew's Road, Bristol, March 2016
Alex Lucas, St Andrew’s Road, Bristol, March 2016

This beautiful work by Lucas adorns a small council tool shed on the edge of the park. The bats are so typical of her superb illustrations and so full of character. To top it off she has added a quotation by Gilbert White one of the early and pioneering English naturalists in the eighteenth century and author of Natural History and Antiques of Selborne, a book given to me by my late step father when I was a boy.

Alex Lucas, St Andrew's Road, Bristol, March 2016
Alex Lucas, St Andrew’s Road, Bristol, March 2016

I like everything about this Lucas work. Where it is, the colours, the illustrations, the quotation, the fun of bats ‘playing’, the obvious love for nature, everything.

So I concede I really don’t know where all the street art in Bristol is, and I will be forever grateful to Jon and Jane for pointing this jewel out to me.

302. North Street, Hennesseys

I have talked before about how street art appears and disappears…it is the ephemeral nature of it that drives me to capture and record it so that it should not be entirely lost forever. There is another aspect to the appearance and disappearance of street art that manifests itself in the shape of shutter art.

One can stroll up and down a street countless times and never see half of the art on offer, unless you do it on a Sunday, late in the evening or when shops are closed for some other reason.

Copyright, North Street, Bristol, May 2016
Copyright, North Street, Bristol, May 2016

This beautiful Copyright piece is a case in point. I cannot think how many times I have walked up and down North Street, but only once have I seen this piece. Of course I photographed it immediately. Street art in most of its forms, is not just about the art itself, but also about place and time, which I guess is part of the fascination.

Copyright, North Street, Bristol, May 2016
Copyright, North Street, Bristol, May 2016

There are similarities between this piece and the collaboration recently featured between Copyright and E. Lee.

301. Lawfords Gate

Well, well, well. It is difficult to know what to say about this triptych other than, in Bristol street art terms, it is close to perfect. The collaborators are Deamze, Voyder and Soker, who I think quite often work together like this – I have an old post from Midland Street in which they collaborated with spectacular results.

This is big and eye-catching but I didn’t know it was here; it caught my eye as I was driving past on 11 June 2016. Sometimes you find a piece that just makes you happy. This was one of those finds.

Each part of the collaboration is beautifully worked, and all three artists are extremely accomplished. I will cease with the words and simply allow you to feast your eyes on the images below. Enjoy.

Deamze, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Deamze, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Deamze, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Deamze, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Voyder, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Voyder, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Voyder, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Voyder, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Soker, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Soker, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Soker, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016
Soker, Lawfords Gate, Bristol, June 2016

300. Armada Place (4)

This is a lovely light-hearted piece by 45RPM in Armada Place, just west of Stokes Croft. There is much to admire and observe in all of his works, which usually have a story unfolding around a wildstyle lettering of RPM.

45RPM, Armada Place, Bristol, May 2016
45RPM, Armada Place, Bristol, May 2016

In this particular piece, which I guess is called ‘tongue tied’, an anteater’s tongue morphs into a ball of wool which is then threaded into the RPM rather like a child’s toy. Some great imagery. I have only recently begun to appreciate properly some of his work, so expect a whole bunch more of it coming this way soon.

You might notice some lads in hoods at the edge of the picture. One is holding a spray can which he was using to spray BUZZ on and over pieces in the area. It happens.

299. Wilder Street (6)

There is a small garage at the Western end of Wilder Street which has loads of graffiti art and street art decorating the outer walls. I think this is a rather recent phenomenon as the Google street view maps from June 2014 shows the building with plain white walls only. I have tried to photograph this particular wall a few times, but always there are cars parked in front of it. Patience certainly pays off.

Mr Klue, Wilder Street, Bristol, June 2016
Mr Klue, Wilder Street, Bristol, June 2016

This piece is another wonderful abstract offering from Mr Klue, only this time he has woven into his characteristic swirls and patterns some car wheels. It is really effective and relevant to the site. I am guessing that this was a permitted work rather than a commission, but can’t be sure. It is a fine piece though.