Month: March 2024

Thursday doors – 6 March 2024, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy

Doors 255 – Montefalco doors, Umbria, Italy (Part V – leftovers)

I am facilitating another workshop today, this time in London, and have written this post yesterday. This follows hot on the heals of a workshop in Nottingham on Tuesday, so I have limited capacity to write too much for this post.

Fortunately this should be quite a quick one, because it is the final leftovers from our day trip to Montefalco in Umbria last summer. I hope you enjoy them:

Beautiful gate and door behind, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Beautiful gate and door behind, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small, double door arch, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small, double door arch, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Double arch doors, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Double arch doors, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Simple archway doors, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Simple archway doors, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
A gateway view over the valley, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
A gateway view over the valley, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small double doors and wooden lintel, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small double doors and wooden lintel, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small double door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Small double door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Garden door - there is a gecko on this door to the left of the number 5 where the light streak is (almost impossible to see), Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Garden door – there is a gecko on this door to the left of the number 5 where the light streak is (almost impossible to see), Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Ghost door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Ghost door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Fine double door in a former arched doorway, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Fine double door in a former arched doorway, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
An Ottoman influenced door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
An Ottoman? influenced door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Grand entrance and door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Grand entrance and door, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy, July 2023

That’s it for this week. Something closer to home, i.e. UK-based next week. May I wish you a happy 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, and in his Sunday round up.

by Scooj

Thursday Doors 2024 logo

5866. M32 roundabout J3 (558)

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

It was great to catch up with Stivs while he was painting this piece, and it gave me the opportunity to tell him how much I admired his incredible technical skills with creating these amazing calligraffiti letters. Stivs has made a deliberate choice to move back to writing words he used to write before writing Stivs, namely the word KRAP and variants of it. In this case he has written KRAPSTER.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

The letters are not only beautifully crafted and proportioned, but they also incorporate four shades of yellow, one for each elevation, which together create the appearance of gold letters and a three-dimensional effect. The letters are set on a contrasting matrix of pink lines and squiggles, which rounds off the whole production nicely. Great piece by Stivs.

5865. Church Road

Mind 49, Church Road, Bristol, February 2024
Mind 49, Church Road, Bristol, February 2024

Hoardings are irresistible to street artists, graffiti writers and taggers alike. They provide a safe and clean canvas, temporary in nature, for spray paint creativity, and Mind 49 has grabbed the opportunity to decorate this hoarding in Church Road with both hands. Mind 49 is making a big impact on the street art scene in Bristol, and his portrait pieces in particular are turning heads all over the city. I am guessing from the frequency of his new work that he must have moved to the city, or in the neighbouring area.

Mind Control, Church Road, Bristol, February 2024
Mind Control, Church Road, Bristol, February 2024

The portrait is really striking, and his style is fascinating. It is not photorealistic, but is representative. His can control though has a paint brush quality that is softer than the harsh crispness of photorealism. This is a really great piece, and he appears to improve each time he hits a wall. I am looking forward to seeing where he takes us in 2024.

Passing the time

.

A chance encounter

with a fellow traveller

great conversation

.

by Scooj

5864. Sparke Evans Park (88)

Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

It is really good to see how Pekoe’s writing is improving at a terrific rate. I will admit that I was a little sceptical when she started turning her attention to letters, and wasn’t sure that she would be able to pull it off, and I was also worried that it might compromise her wonderful portraits. I needn’t have worried, her writing is great and she is still painting her portrait pieces.

Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

This piece, part of a birthday paint jam for Evey and Desi, picks up on the day’s theme which was Pokémon, and a ball features in her letters. Pekoe has included a character from the series/game/cards which I believe is Phantump, and she has included a graffiti crown for good measure. This is a lovely colourful piece which really gets into the spirit of the paint jam.

5863. Dean Lane skate park (692)

Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2024
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2024

I am enjoying the regularity with which Biers is turning out his pieces at the moment, with at least one or two each month. The broad format is the same, with his WD40 letters, and a character poking through the ‘0’.

Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2024
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2024

The character has baffled me a little, and my Google search has yielded nothing, so he will have to remain a mystery. Perhaps the skull next to the character would offer an extra clue, but it is not enough for me. The letters are really clean and tidy, a feature of Biers’ recent work, and the colour palette is lovely, although slightly lost on the pinky background. Perhaps something with a little more contrast might have worked better, but what do I know?

Things I hate

.

One, Cross Country trains

two, repeat, Cross Country trains

three, Cross Country trains

.

by Scooj

5862. Brunel Way (259)

Zed in the Clouds, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Zed in the Clouds, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024

These large block letters are something a little different from Zed in the Clouds, an artist who is regrettably underrepresented in Natural Adventures. I have many photographs of his work in my archives, but not a lot have been posted, which is a situation I will try to remedy (it might have to wait until my retirement).

Zed in the Clouds, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Zed in the Clouds, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024

Painted alongside his friend Wxttsart (Milk) and in a similar colour scheme, Zed in the Clouds has shaped some monolithic letters, which, with the orange and red border, have a volcanic feel to them. He has added the words ‘sexy typographic creationz’ above the piece, which makes me think he is rather pleased with this piece of writing, and so he should be. It is certainly something a bit different from the artist.

5861. Greenbank (107)

Knife, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024
Knife, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024

I have a very busy week ahead, so apologise in advance for any disruption to my usual rhythm. I start with a trip to Nottingham today and tomorrow and am in London on Thursday, delivering workshops, which is both time-intensive and exhausting. Managing expectations.

A graffiti writer, who has emerged over the last year or so is Knife, I don’t yet know they are or if they use social media, so for the time being I shall use their writing moniker.

Knife, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024
Knife, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024

I have seen Knife’s work in quite a few of the spots I visit, and felt it was about time I posted a piece.  I think that Knife paints solo, at least I haven’t yet noticed any patterns of painting with anyone else, which makes me think that the artist is fairly new to Bristol. This is a really nicely executed piece, clean and tidy letters with a straightforward three colour fill, nothing too fancy or pretentious. Even though the wall hasn’t been buffed, the graffiti writing is eye-catching, and this is a solid debut piece (on Natural Adventures) from Knife. Expect more to follow.

5860. M32 roundabout J3 (557)

 

Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

Oh my! This is Kosc at his very best, and even by his high standards, he has excelled himself. It is obvious that Kosc works very hard to develop his skills and looks to improve from piece to piece, stretching his repertoire and pushing boundaries. When you strive and work hard, you get your returns and this feels like a landmark piece to me.

Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

From the background I would guess that this is an oriental scene and portrait, featuring a beautiful woman with flowers in her hair. The greyscale portrait has a softness of touch about it, accentuated by the solid chunky letters either side. I am not too sure why the ‘C’ melts away, but there must be a reason behind it.

Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Kosc, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

To me, what absolutely makes the piece perfect, is the stunning landscape setting featuring mountains and trees and old buildings, painted in subtle shades of blue. Whether it is deliberate or not, the spilt paint on the ground draws the piece out towards the viewer and adds to the overall impression.  Brilliant work from an artist at the top of his game.