It is always great to stumble across a new artist, and especially one with a really unique style. This is one of two new pieces from debutant Klub2020, who I believe is another tattoo artist turning his skills to wall art, along with others like Sepr, 3Dom and Chill.
Klub2020, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
This piece hidden away on the M32 roundabout reminds me a little of the Pink Floyd ‘Relics’ album cover. There are sort of human figures running towards a scroll emblazoned with the name Klub all over it. Full of detail and interest, I am a little puzzled by the method he has used to get this quite unique finish to the piece.
Most street artists have a background in art, illustration or design, and many have jobs related to their craft and skills. Some supplement their income with commissions and some (the really lucky ones) derive a comfortable income from their street art and spin-offs from it, for example, Banksy, Inkie and Nick Walker. Hazard, I think, falls into the category of supplementing her income, and you will find a lot of her work around the city, on commercial or private walls that have earned her a little money.
Hazard, Mina Road, Bristol, December 2021
This is one of Hazard’s mos recent commissions in Mina Road, and although not bold or brash, the plant piece oozes class. The mural is painted above the Haus of Hair hairdressers and looks to be a sumptuous collection of houseplant leaves (of the rainforest ilk), providing texture and depth to an otherwise ordinary wall. This is a beautiful commission and a great advert for Hazard’s work.
It feels to me like Slakarts is taking his art to a new level and his recent pieces have shown real dynamism and creativity. This recent piece from the M32 cycle path, works on his stylised character portrait, but presents it in an entirely new way.
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021
The piece is made up of two portraits facing one another in subdues grey colours, with some lighter highlights that express freedom and confidence in his work. Contrast this with one of his recent colourful pieces and you see an artist whose range is wide and skills are of the highest order. A lovely ephemeral piece.
I haven’t really left myself enough time to write very much about today’s wonderful piece by Smak. For some this might be a blessing… consider it an early Christmas present.
Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2021
I have neglected Smak for far too long, and haven’t posted anything by him for months. The reason is simple, there is so much great and new stuff being created out there that the competition for space o Natural Adventures is as high as it has ever been. This is classic Smak wildstyle graffiti writing. Subtle colours, great design and lovely tight artwork. Standards are still high in the Smak camp.
As mentioned by Dan in his recent Thursday Doors posts, it is traditional this week, to take a look back at the doors of last year and post our favourites, so here we go for my favourite doors of 2021. I hope you enjoy them (again). Note – all these doors were first posted in 2021, although some were photographed in previous years.
A rather fetching door and surround, Bristol, January 2021
Church door with (extra) large hinges, St Agnes, Bristol, May 2020
Double doors, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2020
Beware of the dog, makeshift door, Bristol, March 2021
Garage door to Electricity House, Christmas Street, Bristol, March 2021
Bristol South Baths, Entrance doors, Bristol, May 2019
Door at number 2, Blaise Hamlet, Bristol, May 2021
Door to the Hospital of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1254), Chichester, May 2021
Door with beautiful brickwork including a crest above it, Chichester, May 2021
Closed shop door, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021
Perfectly proportioned house and fine blue door, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021
Polruan Block House door, Polruan, Cornwall, August 2021
Blue hillside door, Liskeard, Cornwall, August 2021
A stunning door to the former home of the mother and aunt of the Brontë sisters, Penzance, Cornwall, August 2021
Captain Cutters House door, Penzance, Cornwall, August 2021
Vine cottage green door, Looe, Cornwall, October 2021
Double garage doors, Bristol, June 2021
So another year of Thursday doors comes to an end – with all the COVID-19 disruption it hasn’t been the easiest year to get out and photograph doors, but it has nonetheless been great fun. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year, and see you all in 2022.
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.
I am definitely struggling to keep up with the volume of work that Stivs is producing these days, and I still have some real corkers in my archive that are under serious threat of not making it onto Natural Adventures at all. I need a quiet period when I can dig out some of these nuggets and publish them.
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
This recent piece is one of two, side-by-side in one of Stivs’ favourite spots, and as he is inclined to do these days, he has gone ‘big’ with both. His calligraffiti style has gone quite Gothic on us with this piece, but the letters are clean and clear, spelling out STIVS, where the ‘S’s have reclined slightly. Yet another tight piece of graffiti writing from this tireless creative talent.
I would think it would be safe to say that Laic217’s status as a character artist in Bristol is at the highest level, and what is so gratifying about this has been watching his consistent progress over the years. His pieces are so self-assured, and have an ease about them, although the content is sometimes not quite so easy. This is one of at least three recent pieces by Laic217 in Bristol.
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
The subtle use of colour in the background is just enough to provide some contrast with the greyscale character, helping to lift it from the wall. The theme is a common one for Laic217, with a skeleton, clad in dark robe material, is busy spraying the wall with cloudy grey paint. The whole thing appears effortless, although that is only because the artist’s expertise has made it do. This is a great and typical example of Laic217’s work.
Painted alongside Rozalita and 3F fino on the Sally Army wall at Dean Lane skate park, this striking portrait is by Tao.create. I have only seen a handful of pieces by the artist and I have liked what I have seen so far, but this is the best yet and introduces her work to a larger and more engaged audience.
Tao.create, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2021
The bright portraits demands to be looked at and is big, bold and colourful. Some elements are better painted than others, the hair is very nicely done, and some of the features more developed than others (for example the nose has more work and detail than the mouth). I would like to think that Tao.create will continue to develop her obvious skills and follow in the footsteps of other Bristol portrait artists such as Pekoe and Hazard. Definitely one to look out for.
Natural adventures 