* after a bit of a pause, my beloved Arsenal resume their season, having had a run of bad results before the winter break. For those not familiar with the English Premier football league, the nicknames for Arsenal and Palace respectively are The Gunners and The Eagles.
Also, Arsenal are the only team in the English football league who are not named after a place (although they were originally called the Woolwich Arsenal). The area of Arsenal in North London and the underground station are named after the football club after it relocated from Woolwich and dropped that part of the name.
I recognised the style, but couldn’t put a name to it when I first saw and photographed this classy piece up on Purdown. I had to do a google search when I got home and then the penny dropped that ‘Sentinel 793’ is the music moniker that is used by Benjimagnetic, so here is a piece using his graffiti writing skills to promote his music skills.
Benjimagnetic, Purdown, Bristol, December 2023
I guess this cross advertising worked to a degree as I have just been listening to some of his tracks, and although not really my cup of tea, they are nicely produced. The writing and the dancing character in particular, are, on reflection, easy to spot as Benjimagnetic pieces in retrospect. The blue and gold colours work really nicely together in this unusual piece.
Carla James, Hatherly Road, Bristol, December 2023
It has taken me an eternity to stop and photograph this stunning nature mural by Carla James, something that has been on my ‘to do’ list for a couple of years at least. I managed to walk up to the spot just before Christmas whilst seeking out some presents for my family. I have only seen Carla James’ work once before, and that was at Upfest 21. Curiously enough, one of the presents that I bought for my son was a beautiful fish print by another Upfest artist, Rosie McLay.
Carla James, Hatherly Road, Bristol, December 2023
Carla James has created a beautiful vision in which there is a seamless transition from a tropical reef below to forest foliage and airborne creatures. There is a calmness and huge sense of the balance of nature in the piece, with some lovely illustrations of turtles, fish, plants and butterflies. The central hummingbird is the link between this piece and her outstanding Upfest mural. Carla James’ website is a treasure trove, and her biography explains the connection with tropical and exotic scenes. At last, one I can tick off my list.
Carla James, Exeter Road, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21
Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2023
Vigorously waving the banner for paste-ups in Bristol, pretty much single-handedly, is Abbey Laura Smith with her intriguing black and white portraits. Regular readers of Natural Adventures will know that I am an admirer of paste-ups or wheatpastes, and will drone on about how we just don’t see many in the city these days. This niche art form must not be confused with bill posters, which in my view are a plague, driven by the selfish interests of advertising for a product or a cause – they (in my very humble view) are not art in themselves despite being illustrated in most cases by graphic designers or artists, but are tomorrow’s litter, and today’s eyesore. Well we all have opinions, and that is mine, so there!
Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2023
Wheatpasting is as much about the siting of the piece as the art itself, and Abbie Laura Smith has done a great job in thinking about the placement of this portrait on a utility box in Cumberland Basin. The artwork itself is a clean and crisp line drawing of a pretty lady, with some nice ‘graffiti drips’ at the base. I hope that Abbie’s efforts encourage a revival of this lost art in Bristol.
As the leaves die and fall on the hedge that skirts the railings between the skate park and the swimming pool wall in Dean Lane, it becomes easier to see what has been painted on the wall behind, although once revealed, it is difficult to know how long the pieces have been there. I like to think I am reasonably on the ball with this kind of thing, but I really don’t know how old this piece by Trafficity is.
Trafficity, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Trafficity is a rolling constant in the Bristol street art scene. Painting the same ZIOM letters in the same way, with only the colour palette and some small details to distinguish between pieces. I particularly like the colours he has used in this piece, especially as they blend well with the few dangly leaves from the hedge. Always consistent, always classy.
I am in London today running a workshop, so prepared this post in haste (post haste – geddit?) last night, hence the brevity.
These doors are a part II from a visit my family made to Cotehele, a National Trust property just outside Plymouth, back in August last year. This week we go from outside the property to look at some of the interior doors, which represent the most eclectic collection of doors I have found anywhere in one place. There will be more to follow next time.
One of many entrance doors on the building, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Studded door with interesting door fittings (and fire extinguisher), Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Solid old door (and fire extinguisher), Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Internal archway, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Old door to the wine cellar, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Entrance door, hidden tapestry door and exit door, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Three wooden doors, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Door to the ‘smallest room’, Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
Archway and doors. Cotehele, Cornwall, August 2023
If you should ever find yourself in the Plymouth area, then I would thoroughly recommend a trip to this incredible place. More interior doors to come next time, until then, may I wish you a great weekend.
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.
These pictures were taken in the dark (the miracle of modern phone technology!) and probably don’t fully capture the magnificent colours of this graffiti writing/character piece by Kosc in Picton Lane. The piece was painted alongside a Mind 49 frog which recently featured on Natural Adventures.
Kosc, Picton Lane, Bristol, December 2023
The chrome letters are interrupted by a cigarette?-smoking skull appearing in the place of the O of KOSC. As you’d expect, the whole piece is beautifully constructed and executed in one of Kosc’s favourite spots. A classy piece.
I wasn’t too sure whether to include this Klashwhensober Christmas piece, mainly on the grounds that I find it a little disturbing. I have noticed recently that several pieces have taken a slightly darker turn. The SOBER letters are still bright and vibrant, but the characters are a little on the weird side.
Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
In this Christmas piece, I think I would run a mile if I saw this Santa by the fireplace. He looks like he might have had a few too many brandies, and his hand gesture is hardly in the Christmas spirit of things. The letters are good with great colours – I’m just not too sure about the character.
Natural adventures 