Month: March 2022

4320. M32 roundabout J3 (396)

You can wait for ages, and then two pieces from Subtle come along in quick succession. This is the first of two recent, and really rather decent, works from Subtle. This one is on the M32 roundabout, and the other one, which I will write about in due course, is at Greenbank. Both feature Jerry from the carton series Tom and Jerry.

Subtle, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2022
Subtle, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2022

It rather looks like this piece is a ‘love letter’ in graffiti form (Jerry definitely looks bashfully in love), but it is always so difficult to read between the lines on such things. Subtle terms this a ‘quick one’ on his Instagram account, but that is just ridiculous, how can anything so beautifully proportioned and clean and crisp be a ‘quick one’ I ask you? Great to see new work from this great graffiti writer.

4319. The Paintworks (2)

Merny is an artist who portrays moments of everyday life in a way that turns the mundane and ordinary into the extraordinary. It reminds me of the Aardman electricity adverts, called Creature Comforts, from a few years ago, where sound recordings of rather boring conversations were brought to life by illustrating them with animals using stop-frame model animation (from the Wallace and Gromit team). Merny’s work is the static version of this creative approach.

Merny, Paintworks, Bristol, March 2022
Merny, Paintworks, Bristol, March 2022

This piece was created earlier this year, but having only recently found this spot, it is all new to me. ‘Relax Tony, I am elite reiki healer pls’ – this is so funny, and perfectly accompanied by two characters acting out the scene, incorporating the bullet labels that we see on Merny’s work. Another fabulous story piece in Merny’s inimitable style.

4318. Turbo Island

There is no question that this a fabulous piece, and Ryder clearly demonstrates that he is not only a ‘letters’ man, but is equally adept at creating characters.

I have a reservation about this piece though, not of its quality, but because I always struggle with street art being used to advertise commercial products, unless as a commission on a commissioned space. Somehow, it just doesn’t sit right with me and I know I am being super-picky, but the street art and Graffiti art community is one that is usually at the front of the queue to complain about consumerism and advertising. I expect this piece was painted for friends, and is at the acceptable end of the advertising spectrum, so I will get over myself and stop here.

Ryder, Turbo Island, Bristol, March 2022
Ryder, Turbo Island, Bristol, March 2022

This is an eye-catching piece at a spot that seems to lurch from high quality pieces to absolute dross and this certainly sits in the former category. The Cheshire cat with its huge grin is outstanding, and the blue and red colours work so well on the black and white of the piece. Love the roller painter Ryder above the piece. Nice work from one of the best.

Chronicler

.

Those that can, do, and

those that can’t, write about it

me in a nutshell

.

by Scooj

4317. Greenbank (30)

On the long wall at Greenbank, which really is very long indeed, is this magnificent collaborative effort from Conrico and Rozalita. The writing and portrait combo is bursting with life and colour, and is rather spectacular.

Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022
Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022

To the left, Conrico has gone for some pretty wicked writing set on a fanciful sea, woodland and mountainous landscape. The letters have an animated feel about them and look lively on the calm and tranquil backdrop.

Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022
Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022

To the right, Rozalita is continuing on her extraordinary journey of improvement and diversification. The girl with a yellow face, green hair and red beret is arguably one of her best portraits yet, and is a perfect example of how far she has come in a relatively short space of time. We are spoilt in Bristol to have Rozalita and her amazing portraits appearing all over the place.

Conrico and Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022
Conrico and Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022

Overall this is a lovely, cheerful collaboration. I look forward to so much more from both artists.

4316. M32 roundabout J3 (395)

With a little bit of Angry Face peeping in from the left, we have the second piece from Maybe Paints in support of Ukraine. I have to say that I am deeply moved by the spirit of the British people (not including our despicable government), in the outpouring of support for Ukraine, a country on the periphery of our collective consciousness only a few weeks ago. My local high street is festooned with Ukrainian blue and yellow flags from top to bottom, and I am proud of that.

Maybe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2022
Maybe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2022

This small and humble piece by Maybe Paints is typical of his face to face work and sometimes, with pieces like this, less is more. The tear tells us all we need to know. It is great to see Maybe working a little bit further away from his safe zone inner Brunel Way. Selfishly, I hope to see more of his work in North Bristol.

Thursday doors – 24 March 2022

Doors 178 – Some random Bristol back street doors

I managed to raid my door archive at the weekend and found these doors, all looking a little bit tatty and slightly neglected, but they are only back street doors after all. I have to say I am rather attracted to these kinds of doors as they are full of character. I hope you enjoy them:

Back street lock up doors, Bristol, February 2022
Back street lock up doors, Bristol, February 2022

Not properly thought out back street door, Easton, Bristol, January 2022
Not properly thought out back street door, Easton, Bristol, January 2022

Back street garage door, Bristol, May 2022
Back street garage door, Bristol, May 2022

Back street garage and side door, Bristol, May 2021
Back street garage and side door, Bristol, May 2021

Back street door, Bristol, March 2021
Back street door, Bristol, March 2021

In a moment of freedom last week, I also managed to photograph this rather interesting green door from a row of 1950s houses alongside a dual carriageway in Bristol. I was rather attracted to it and considered it worth sharing with you.

Green arched door, Filton, Bristol, March 2022
Green arched door, Filton, Bristol, March 2022

So that’s it for another week. I hope that I will soon be out photographing more doors and with a rather exciting mini-break planned for June I will be certain to bring something a little different to my usual offerings on Thursday doors.

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.

by Scooj

The poor get poorer

.

In a time of need

the Treasury hammer falls

on the most hard up

.

by Scooj

4315. Stokes Croft

Although I struggle to keep on top of the sheer volume of amazing street art and graffiti that appears in Bristol every day, I always make space on Natural Adventures for Pekoe. She is one of a handful of artists whose work I will try my hardest to post whenever I photograph it. Another example would be Laic217. There is something about Pekoe’s portraits that I find compelling and unique and feel the need to share.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2022
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2022

This piece has been here fort a little while, but I only recently got round to photographing it. Before this piece there was another of her pieces, but this one is a real beauty. Fabulous colours and a half body portrait, rather than just a head. The piece overlooks the summer seating area of a café and is immediately below the recently refreshed Stinkfish piece in Stokes Croft. Very nice work indeed.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018

4314. Dean Lane skate park (474)

This was something of a red-letter day for me, turning up at Dean Lane to find Mudra painting alongside Kosc and Flava136 (who has now changed his moniker to Saor). Unfortunately, Flava136’s piece had been painted over by the time I returned to get pictures of the completed works, but Mudra and Kosc’s were intact.

Mudra, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2022
Mudra, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2022

Mudra is an artist who, although he has only been painting in Bristol for a couple of years, has firmly established himself in the city and is definitely going from strength to strength. With each of his pieces, his confidence and dynamism grows, and I am thoroughly enjoying the ride.

Mudra, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2022
Mudra, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2022

This is a curious piece that, for once, doesn’t spell out Mudra, but instead incorporates the letters NTS, a crew name (I don’t yet know what it stands for). There is a typically stylised Mudra face with a giveaway coloured nose and for some utterly unknown reason a bird perching at a bird box. Great to see and great fun.