Month: February 2021

3502. Dean Lane skate park (391)

Aah! Pura Decadencia – pure decadence, that’s what I’m saying. It is so refreshing to have this ‘new’ artist about town, in a short time she has already made a great impact and found some walls that I haven’t even found. She is also unafraid to paint on high profile walls like this one. Great to see.

Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021

Pura Decadencia likes painting mouths and also vampire teeth feature highly in her work. This piece is figuratively and almost literally on fire and conjures up an image of a saucy kind of hell where fun is to be had. Really enjoying her work and hope that as the weather improves we’ll get to see a whole load more of her about the place.

3501. M32 roundabout J3 (283)

There are two excellent calligraphy writers in Bristol who stand out and who throw paint at walls on a fairly regular basis. One of them is Todoaciem and the other Stivs – this is a fine piece from the latter.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

I like the way that Stivs has slotted this piece of writing into a rather slim piece of wall, where the embankment rises up to the main roundabout road. The writing that spells out STIVS y nicely constructed, and as well as the regular and disciplined lines, he has also incorporated some embellishment and drips which always adds kudos to a piece. Nicely sited, beautifully painted, great work from Stivs.

Dread

.

Returning to school

such a miserable thing

even via Zoom

.

by Scooj

3500. Purdown HAA Battery (18)

Up at Purdown there are several walls painted by Zace, it certainly seems like he enjoys practising his craft on the square concrete walls. Among the customary alien faces is this outstanding manga style profile portrait.

Zace, Purdown, Bristol, February 2021
Zace, Purdown, Bristol, February 2021

This is an eye-catching piece and one that I like a lot. There is a simplicity of composition about the whole piece, but it comes together nicely, and I’d love to see more like this coming out of the rather productive Zace stable. Shame about the mud splatters on the face.

3499. M32 Roundabout J3 (282)

Yet another debut artist for Natural Adventures in 2021 – they just keep coming. Lee Roy has been writing for a while, but a recent spate of pieces in Bristol has drawn him to my attention and his unique style is worthy of representation on this blog as part of the vast spectrum of talent in the city.

Lee Roy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Lee Roy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

His work is loud and overt and easy to read. This is a bold statement – Lee Roy was here. His letters are framed within a bounded black background and are in an interesting font that is rather forgiving of irregularity. The fills are intricate and fun which grow on you the more you look at them. Lee Roy describes himself as a ‘lazy writer’ which I think is a little bit too modest and self deprecatory. Look out for more coming soon.

POTC

.

Movie marathon

begins afresh with ‘Pirates…’

lockdown survival

.

by Scooj

3498. Dean Lane skate park (390)

Unheralded and therefore unexpected, was this sumptuous recent piece from Inkie in Dean Lane. On his own Instagram feed Inkie describes this piece as a ‘Wildstyle painting in Boogie Down Bristol for new @sam_krats & @mc_craig_g NYC track ‘Culture’ coming soon’. So that gives us a little clue to what the writing says – CULTURE.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021

Inkie paints quite a few of these music-linked pieces, and I am never quite sure if they are commissions or simply promoting music for his friends. In a way I don’t really care what his motivation is, more the high quality of his outstanding artwork – years of hard graft and huge talent make this stuff look quite easy, the sign of a master at work.

3497. Dean Lane skate park (389)

Being in the right place at the right time is a big part of photographing street/graffiti art. Mostly you get to see a finished piece as a fait accompli, admire/critique it, photograph it and then be on your merry way. Sometimes though you get lucky and catch the artist(s) at work and I did just that as Ryder and T-Rex were just finishing off this curved wall piece at Dean Lane.

Ryder, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Ryder, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021

Both were in great form and thrilled to be able to paint together while their little one was having a sleep. Opportunities to paint together have been few and far between in recent months, so this was a treat. Ryder has painted a wibbly green piece with reference to James Bond, with the words ‘007 shaken not stirred’.

T-Rex, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
T-Rex, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021

I spent quite a while chatting (socially-distanced of course) with T-Rex, which was fun, as I have only spoken briefly with her before. Here she painted an outstanding example of her trademark dinosaur in pink – she must be able to do these in her sleep. She let me into a little secret, that she struggles to write the letter ‘J’ and that Ryder helped her with the ‘J’ in Jack – we had been talking about the J in Scooj, which prompted the confession. Best of all I got to see the little one when she woke up. A happy family outing.

Unnoticed

.

Unnoticed by me

snowdrop carpet past it’s best

my head in the clouds

.

by Scooj

3496. St Werburghs tunnel (224)

Elvs is another very consistent artist whose work continues to brighten up our Bristol walls. With this recent piece he includes a fabulous character which some might recognise from the TV cartoon series Top Cat, I think it is Brain or Fancy.

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021

The writing is vertically striated with three colours, pink, purple and yellow and spells out ELVS as you’d expect. The whole piece is framed nicely on a blue patterned background bounded with a yellow border. A fine piece from Elvs.