There is nothing like a bit of old school graffiti work to remind us where all of this started. This is a lovely collaboration from Veks and Turoe on the M32 cycle path on a wall that has a pretty slow turnover, so I would expect it to be hanging around for quite a while.
Veks, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021
On the left is a classic character by Veks, holding a cigarette in his clenched fist and wearing a variation on a flat cap. This is a classy character piece and amply demonstrates Veks’ experience and skill.
Veks and Turoe, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021
The writing is by Turoe and is finished off with nice deep 3D work on the letters. Both elements are nicely bordered with a lime green and white line, cleanly applied. I managed to get these pictures on about my fourth visit – this particular wall usually has a shadow cast across it during the day, which makes photography rather challenging.
Back in February 2020 I published a post for Thursday doors that featured the Charley Box in Montpelier. Kosc has gone one step further and produced this extraordinary piece on the side of the Charley Box depicting a miscreant who would have been caught while up to no good by the local nightwatchman and locked up in the little jail for the night to cool down.
Kosc, Picton Mews, Bristol, August 2021
Kosc has been producing some of the best portrait pieces in Bristol lately, with his greyscale faces and bright, vibrant backgrounds. In this piece, Kosc is playing with us duplicating the face of the character in a double exposure manner that we used to see a lot of in the days when we used little Kodak Instamatics to take pictures of our families or pets. He has also created a scene so totally relevant for the place and is helping to bring local history to life. An outstanding artwork.
I have a lot of attachment to this wonderful piece by Jelly, her second at this spot this year, because of the conversations we shared before she visited Bristol. There is something comforting and confidence-building when an artist makes contact with me to talk about meeting up during a painting visit. I must say that I was touched that Jelly made contact before her recent trip, and I only wish that I had been able to catch up with her while she was painting this piece, but unfortunately I had a full-on work day and wasn’t able to escape.
Jelly, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
Jelly has painted another of her beautiful portrait pieces, complete with her trademark exaggerated eyelashes on this high-turnover wall in Cumberland Basin. The piece, presumably entitled ‘open your eye’, is a portrait of a woman with a third eye, a common theme in street art, and suggests using perception beyond ordinary sight.
Jelly, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
The shading on the face and hand with red tints helps to provide a deep perspective, and the eyes and nose are particularly beautifully painted. I love the Henna tattoo on the back of the hand and fingers, and the jewellery too is a lovely detail that lifts the piece way above the ordinary.
Jelly, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
Another nice touch are the little white streaks of light on the woman’s hair that allude to the strands of hair so effectively. This is a lovely piece from a lovely artist who is thoughtful and inclusive. I do so hope that next time she is in Bristol I will be able to accompany her, at least for a little while, as she creates another of her fabulous portraits.
On a wall that is rather difficult to photograph, because of its proximity to an adjacent building, is this beautiful mural by Venessa Scott painted as part of Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days celebration. I hadn’t heard of Venessa Scott before I saw this piece, but it would appear that she is well known in the North of England for her creative arts and large murals.
Venessa Scott, Lime Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
This mural looks like a piece of colourful patterned material has been draped over the house, or at least that is what it looks like to me. Look a little closer and you can see that the patterns are in the form of human figures dancing and leaping. This is a truly energetic, creative and unique piece.
Vanessa Scott, Lime Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
This is one of those walls where you need the courage to ask the neighbours if you can go into their house to photograph the mural, and I just don’t have that courage – my English reserve kicking into the max. It is so good to see so many new walls appearing for Upfest this year, but it has to be said that quite a few of them are a bit awkward to view and photograph. I guess you just can’t have everything on a plate. It is so good to welcome Vanessa Scott to Bristol and I hope it is the first of many visits.
While the quality of this extraordinary portrait piece by Rosalita (who has changed her Instagram from Rosalita to Rozalita) is unquestionable, the woman’s face disturbs me a little. The exaggerated features have a clown-like quality, and clowns are scary at the best of times.
Rosalita, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2021
Rosalita has associations with a travelling lifestyle and the circus or performance arts seems to have a profound impact on her paintings, most of which encompass a carnival theme. There are so many good things about the artwork in this piece, but it is the impact it has on me as a viewer that I value the most. I find it completely compelling.
Many of you might not have heard of Polruan but might well have heard of its well-heeled partner, Fowey. These two small towns sit on either side of the Fowey Estuary on the south coast of Cornwall. Of the pair, Polruan appears to be more of a working harbour, with some docks and dock buildings at the bottom of a town built on a very steep hill. The more affluent Fowey is a favourite for celebrities and second-homers, and is very picturesque.
On the day I took these pictures, my son and I had been fishing from the Polruan Block House point. The block house was one of a pair, the other being on the other side of the estuary in Fowey. These block houses were built to defend the entrance to the estuary, with small calibre cannon and longbow archers stationed in each fort. Unfortunately, the French breeched the defences in 1457 (that’s a long time ago) so they were upgraded with a boom barrier, a thick chain suspended between the two forts. The chain could be raised with winches off the bottom of the seabed to prevent the entry upriver by unwelcome ships.
This chain was confiscated in 1478 by Edward IV, who had been offended by the behaviour of two Fowey locals, Treffry and Michelstow, and given to Dartmouth Castle where a similar defensive arrangement existed. So that was that.
The ruined fort has two entrances, but no longer any doors. The rest of the doors are from the narrow lanes in the upper part of the town. Enjoy the doors:
Polruan Block House door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 Polruan Block House ruin and door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 Polruan Block House window view, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 September Cottage door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 Porthole door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 Blue split door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021 Beautiful door and crab door knocker, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021
Well that’s it for another week. I hope to share some more Cornish doors next week.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s Thursday Doors post.
Natural adventures 