.
It took me a while
pictures from phone to PC
great discovery
.
by Scooj
Month: August 2021
3842. Dean Lane skate park (421)
Brace yourself for a flurry of Sake pieces. Sake is an old-school artist who has been painting since the 1980s in Bristol, but I haven’t ever posted any of his work. I don’t know why – maybe it is because I have never met him before, that is until last week, when I caught up with him twice in St Werburghs tunnel. I told him that I would look through my archives and see if I had any older stuff of his that I could share. He was very pleased to hear this, and is keen to stop for a drink soon to talk about street art – I just need to find some time.
This piece is on the curved wall at Dean Lane and is a repair to a similar piece he painted on this exact wall a few weeks ago and which got badly tagged. I think I have pictures of that original. Alongside his letters ‘SAKE’ is a Vaughn Bodē lizard, which is a favourite character for graffiti artists along with Cheech Wizard. I think this is a theme that I’ll need to investigate further before writing too much about it now, but will return to in future. A very nice wall painted by a decent, if slightly intense, artist.
3841. Greenbank (13)
Although it isn’t something that should be too much remarked upon or even overthought, there is a really large contingent of female street artists in Bristol, which probably goes against the stereotype of being the province of young male delinquents (a stereotype that is so misinformed I might add). One of the regular ladies wot paint is Billy, whose colourful murals never disappoint.
This one on the long wall at Greenbank is particularly beautiful and calming. The message is simple and positive, ‘a nice flower in the park’ and the bold shapes and design a pleasant antidote to wildstyle writing or photorealism. This naive style of street art is equally valid and often very powerful in its simplicity and voice. Lovely work from Billy, once again.
3840. Upfest 2021 75×75 (28)
There is real craft and ability in the work of Emily Joy Rich, and her training and work as a graphic designer certainly come to the fore when you see her work. Her letters are so clean, tidy and sharp and her designer’s eye uses the space beautifully. I have only seen a handful of her pieces and like each one of them, she seems to be, in a way, upholding the art and craft of the sign-writer.
‘You are not alone’ reminds me of the Close Encounters tag line ‘We are not alone’ but the two have very different connotations. The hashtag #youarenotaloneart, seems to be a ‘thing’ and checking it out on Instagram highlights some beautifully written murals from across the world. This one is a corker from Emily Joy Rich and I particularly like the two-tone grey shading on the word ‘Alone’, which gives it loads of perspective and lifts the word out from the wall. Highly accomplished work and another triumph for Upfest 75×75.
Skor85
A gallery of superb character pieces from Bristol artist Skor85
All photographs by Scooj
3839. Muriel Alleyway (6)
I have lost count of the total number of new artists I have written about this year, but it is dozens, and each and every one of them brings something new and exciting to the city of Bristol. This superb piece, looking great in the sunshine, is by Tanith Gould, who painted it alongside a piece in the same colour scheme by Yoliws a few weeks ago.
I don’t know much about Tanith Gould, but have done a little digging and have found out that she is a fine artist from Falmouth (a town close to my heart) who works in paint, film and photography… well she can now add murals to her list with this beautiful piece. Hands are always tricky to carry off in street art, and many artists really struggle with them, but Tanith Gould has pulled it off with aplomb here. There is a lot of symbolism going on in the piece with fungus and fish cupped in the palms of the hands. I don’t know what it all means, but there is surely a story to tell here. I hope that Tanith Gould makes a speedy return to the city to show off more of her great work.
3838. Upfest 2021 75×75 (27)
When the murals for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days event are coming thick and fast, it is easy perhaps to not pay attention properly or to become a little blazé because of the wealth of riches. A piece like this on any high-street would be greeted with amazement, but here in Bedminster (the centre of Upfest activities) it blends in, becoming part of the furniture. It is my job to single out such pieces and study them and share them. This large mural is by Sophie Rae above Flip, a vegan delicatessen and shop on North Street.
Sophie Rae is a Mural artist and print maker based in Bristol who likes to work with natural plant themes interwoven with contemporary shapes, colours and designs to bring a very 2020s look to her murals. The job she has done on this very large wall is quite exceptional and really captures the vibrant Bedminster scene. I will definitely be hunting down some of her other murals.
3837. St Werburghs tunnel (250)
Here we have another outstanding piece from that man Sepr painted as part of the funday Sunday paint jam in the tunnel a couple of weekends ago. There are so many memorable pieces from this event that it would take me a long while to get them all written up. I have selected a few, and the rest will have to wait for a while or longer.
Sepr has really smashed it with this amusing piece in which a king character is preparing to sit down on a throne, and a little mouse is either being a loyal subject and placing the chair under the king, or is being mischievous and removing said chair. I wonder if the golden character is a reference to Goldie who had made the journey to Bristol to join in with the paint jam. A fun piece.
Bug zapper
.
Tennis racquet style
swishing it this way and that
satisfying crack
.
by Scooj
3836. Brunel Way (118)
Maybe has made Brunel Way his spiritual home and several of the columns holding up the dual carriageway bear the delightful small pieces created by the relative newcomer. Although Maybe has branched out into a couple of other spots, the vast majority of his work is here.
Two more of his pieces are featured in this post. It seems a little unfair that I bunch them together, but he is so prolific that if I didn’t post two at a time, some might never get posted at all. This first one is a sensational colour burst of faces in a circular pattern and in rainbow sequence, although there is an extra blue/green colour included for good measure and symmetry.
The second piece combines the egg character he painted before with his planetscape that he has been developing to great effect over recent weeks. Curious and compelling. I recommend a trip to this spot which has become a bit of a gallery of Maybe’s work.
Natural adventures 