Month: April 2022

4393. Sparke Evans Park (40)

Just because this is the first appearance from Tes (Slim Pickings) for quite a long while, it doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been painting much recently. On the contrary, there are many of his pieces in my archives that I haven’t managed to post, such is the stiff competition at the moment. It is a crying shame that so many outstanding pieces may never see the light of day on Natural Adventures, but it just indicates the quantity of artists out there at the moment.

Slim Pickings (Tes), Sparke Evand Park, April 2022
Slim Pickings (Tes), Sparke Evand Park, April 2022

These are quite recent works by Tes and they show a playful reversal or mirror image of his usual mega-tag. Well if you’ve only got three letters, you have to find some way of switching it up a little, and this is just the ticket.

Slim Pickings (Tes), Sparke Evand Park, April 2022
Slim Pickings (Tes), Sparke Evand Park, April 2022

These pieces were painted alongside some No Frills crew friends during a paint jam, that included Bags, Turoe and Biers in early April. Both pieces are nicely executed, as one would expect, and demonstrate that even with quite a formulaic approach, Slim Pickings manages to bring variety to his work through colour selections and details.

4392. M32 roundabout J3 (406)

In one of his favourite stretches on one of his favourite walls, Corupt brings another in a series of fabulous of graffiti writing pieces in his beautiful style that is so unique to this particular artist. I almost missed this piece, thinking that it was one of his previous ones in the same spot, which goes to show that it is so important to look carefully and not to make too many assumptions.

Corupt, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022
Corupt, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022

Writing Korupt, with a K, which is one of his variants, he has chosen a superb colour palette of browns and oranges set on a blue background, the whole, being festooned with gorgeous fill decorations. A very classy piece indeed.

4391. L Dub (34)

DJ Perks has to be one of the most modest artists in Bristol, as well as one who takes a great interest in other people’s work about the city. I think I have only met him once while actually painting, all of my other encounters have been while both of us have been photographing in the popular spots.

D J Perks, L Dub, Bristol, April 2022
D J Perks, L Dub, Bristol, April 2022

DJ Perks has made this spot in Lawrence Weston (L Dub) his own, and he has smashed it with this Bugs Bunny piece on the wall of the pumping station. Combining the beautifully neat writing with a very sharp and clean Bugs Bunny (with outstanding shadow, cleverly done), DJ Perks has promoted himself into the top division of street artists in Bristol.

D J Perks, L Dub, Bristol, April 2022
D J Perks, L Dub, Bristol, April 2022

His work improves with every outing, and he is always exploring new ways to stretch himself. The more he practices, the better he will get, and I am very excited about just how far he will get. A notable piece.

4390. M32 roundabout J3 (405)

This subtle piece is by an artist who has slipped off the radar a little bit, Dog Bless the Band, so it was a pleasure to find it on the southern wall of the M32 roundabout recently. I feel like I have posted many more of his pieces than I actually have, such is the impression they have made on me.

Dog bless the band, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022
Dog bless the band, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022

The giveaway element, apart from his modest colour selection, is the distinctive  letter ‘M’ at the start of the MOTEL. This time he has animated the ‘O’ with a rather gentle face. There is an organic nature to his work, which has a rather calming effect. Nothing urgent and sparky. As well as having the best name since Stupid, Stupid Meathole, his style is one that I really like.

4389. Sparke Evans Park (39)

Like all of us, street/graffiti artists have birthdays, but sometimes they mark them in a way that isn’t possible for mere mortals like me. They have a paint jam and invite artist friends to paint a wall together – the results are nearly always outstanding, bringing different styles into a single place for a day. A recent birthday paint jam was held for Mena in Sparke Evans park and this was Sled One’s contribution.

Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2022
Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2022

I don’t know if it is just me, but Sled One’s pieces seem to be getting even more surreal and obscure, if that is at all possible. This outstandingly turned out piece features a skull smoking an outsize cigarette, with smiley tablets for eyes and purple hair. As always with Sled One’s work, it is the little details that augment the piece so well, such as the gorgeous flower in the hair, or the floating eyebrows. This is another masterpiece from Sled One.

Good fortune

.

When it goes your way

it makes up for those moments

of disappointment

.

by Scooj

4388. River Avon (30)

It is not all that long ago, through the winter, when Stivs was producing new pieces at will and barely a week went by without one or two new works from him. This spring has been a slightly different story, and it feels like a while since I saw anything new, until I found this one on the River Avon path. Since finding this, he has been out a little more, and there are further new pieces to share with you.

Stivs, River Avon, Bristtol, April 2022
Stivs, River Avon, Bristtol, April 2022

Stivs is one of two brilliant calligraffiti artists in Bristol, that is artists who specialise in calligraphic writing. This is a real beauty in chrome with a blue 3D shadow and mint green border. Lovely regular letters spelling out STIVS. A scattering of mint dots to add a little interest, and hey presto! You have a banging burner.

4387. Dean Lane skate park (483)

This is another wonderful piece of writing from Spanish artist Ceus on the curved wall in Dean Lane skate park, a wall he painted last year, marking his entry onto the Bristol scene. He has since been increasing the frequency of his painting, trying to balance it with a busy job.

Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2022
Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2022

Ceus has a very good sense of colour and uses lighter shades and tones, often on a white background. In the same way that SkyHigh presents letters, Ceus creates a design for each letter, although here, the C,E and S are in a similar style, but the U is quite different. There is something very fresh about his work, and he is fast becoming a favourite with me.

War crimes

.

In Mariupol

where Ukrainian fighters

stick it out, until…

.

by Scooj

4386. Brunel Way (153)

In the last couple of weeks we have seen the RBF crew hitting the streets quite hard, and the great news about that is we get to see a whole new load of portraits from Pekoe. This fresh piece is an absolute beauty, and although I sometimes struggle with column pieces from a photography perspective, this one is quite awesome.

Pekoe, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Pekoe, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022

The colours are so fresh and vibrant – I could still smell the paint – and the protrait most serene. The black background and yellow border help to mark out the face, and demonstrate why it is a good idea to take the time to create a decent backdrop to pick out the central piece.

Pekoe, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Pekoe, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022

Look out for more from my favourite Pekoe.