6500. Dean Lane skate park (744)

Astrea (HNH), Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024
Astrea (HNH), Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024

Astrea, formerly known as HNH, first came on to my radar at the Muriel Alleyway mini street art festival earlier this year where she decorated a garage shutter with her striking and unusual style. Astrea’s designs are intricate and hint at letters, although it is the overall effect that is king. In this piece, you can make out the letters HNH.

Astrea (HNH), Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024
Astrea (HNH), Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024

I am very much enjoying seeing her work popping up around the place, but sadly have missed the boat on two pieces, one under the M32 and the other in Peel Street Green, where I arrived a day too late, which was gutting. This modest black and white piece is painted on one of the skate ramps and makes a statement albeit quietly.

6499. M32 Cycle path (276)

Disfrutalafrutaaa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024
Disfrutalafrutaaa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024

This wonderful piece by Disfrutalafrutaaa, which is a first from the artist on Natural Adventures, was painted alongside Claro_que_sssnoh, and I am making the assumption that the artist is likely to be Spanish. Certainly the rather long and complicated moniker would point in that direction.

Disfrutalafrutaaa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024
Disfrutalafrutaaa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024

The piece itself is a beautifully presented blue script squiggle of letters which I can’t make out set on a red and orange spotty background that has a slightly psychedelic feel to it. The piece is really pleasing on the eye, but because I am unfamiliar with the artist, I can’t really say whether it is typical or not. It is always great to welcome new talent to Bristol.

Thursday doors – 7 November 2024 – Exeter doors

Doors 285 – Doors from Exeter, Devon – Part III, October 2023

Another selection of doors from Exeter photographed during a two hour walk in October last year. Today’s doors have a distinct ecclesiastical flavour, and plenty of red sandstone, typical of Devon. I hope you enjoy these doors.

Black door and grand entrance, Exeter, October 2023
Black door and grand entrance, Exeter, October 2023
Black door and grand entrance with portico and ionic columns, Exeter, October 2023
Close up – black door and grand entrance with portico and ionic columns, Exeter, October 2023
Simple church door, Exeter, October 2023
Simple church door, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with disproportionately large awning and a royal coat of arms, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with disproportionately large awning and a royal coat of arms, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with notice board, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with notice board, Exeter, October 2023
Door with stone archway and large hinges, Exeter, October 2023
Door with stone archway and large hinges, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with stone archway, Exeter, October 2023
Church door with stone archway, Exeter, October 2023
Small black door, Exeter, October 2023
Small black door, Exeter, October 2023

Another busy week for me (it was ever thus) and rather a short post. Hoping I’ll be able to provide a little bit more commentary on the continuing selection of doors from Exeter next time. Have a good rest of week.

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

Thursday Doors 2024 logo

6498. Dean Lane skate park (773)

Bean, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Bean, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024

What a wonderful surprise to find this modest piece behind the swimming pool railings in Dean Lane skate park. Blink and you might miss it. Bean has been absent from Bristol for a long period, away at university studying hard I expect.

Bean, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Bean, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024

This character piece is really interesting, because it looks like modern take on an old school archetype. Bean has synthesised this very well and he has an ease and competence about his work. I expect this was a quick one, and I didn’t see any others around the time this was painted. I am very much hoping to see more from him after he graduates.

6497. St Werburghs tunnel (455)

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

My mood is low today with the news that it is looking likely Donald Trump has won the election in America. One wonders just how this can happen. From this side of the pond, it does not reflect well on the slim majority of Americans who favour a narcissistic bigot and his right wing policies (actually does he have any, or simply make it up as he goes along?). Having said that, we have made the same mistakes in the UK over the last 14 years, and by God are we paying for it now. I am reminded of this rather unpleasant piece of street art from several years ago in which a pair of narcissists kiss – little did we know (although we suspected it) how destructive this pair of liars would be.

Felix Braun, Donald and Boris, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 23 May 2016
Felix Braun, Donald and Boris, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 23 May 2016

I think that it is fair to say that Hypo appears to be smashing it every week at the moment, and I have to say I am enjoying the ride. All the time he is developing his style and adding new ideas, pushing the envelope constantly.

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

This is a clean piece, not as energetic as some of Hypo’s recent works, but it is nicely designed with simple colours and a solid fill. The deep 3D drop shadow drifts into a central vanishing point which works well. Hypo seems to be enjoying his ‘icicles’ at the moment, which adds a little extra interest to his border. Nice work.

I weep

.

So the die is cast

a nation has decided

and we brace ourselves

.

by Scooj

Wispa

A gallery of outstanding graffiti writing and character combination pieces by Wispa.

Instagram: @willow_the_wispa

All photographs by Scooj

Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2025
Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2025
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Wispa, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2024
Wispa, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2024
Wispa, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2024
Wispa, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2024

 

Wispa, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Wispa, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023

 

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

 

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

 

Wispa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Wispa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

 

Wispa, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2023
Wispa, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2023

 

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

 

Bnie and Wispa, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Bnie and Wispa, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023

 

Wispa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Wispa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023

 

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023

 

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023

 

Wispa, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2023
Wispa, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2023

 

Wispa, Greenbank, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Greenbank, Bristol, April 2023

 

Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

 

Wispa, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2023
Wispa, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2023

 

Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2022
Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2022

 

Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2022
Wispa, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2022

Death and decay

Cetacean Carcass, Lantic Bay, Cornwall, October 2024
Cetacean Carcass, Lantic Bay, Cornwall, October 2024

.

He’ll come for us all

dispassionate grim reaper

a matter of time

.

by Scooj

6496. M32 roundabout J2 (7)

Lupa, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, October 2024
Lupa, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, October 2024

I am a fan of Lupa’s work, and although it can be a little rough around the edges, it feels authentic, honest and unpretentious. As ever, with her work, there is a lot of joy and personality about the presentation of her letters, which are characterful and animated with simple faces. The bright colours are not blended, but simply blasted onto the wall, which adds to the genuine nature of Lupa’s work.

Lupa, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, October 2024
Lupa, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, October 2024

This piece is in one of the tunnels of the much underused Junction 2 roundabout, where turnover is far lower than one might expect. There is a lot of wall space here, which gives me comfort, because as the city becomes more and more gentrified, some of the ‘traditional’ walls and hoardings are rapidly disappearing. Lupa has used the space well.

6495. M32 roundabout J3 (634)

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024

I really goofed when I photographed this extraordinary character piece by Stivs, because it was accompanied by some writing on either side, but t the time I didn’t recognise the writing. It turns out that it was all one piece with Oust providing the writing, which I haven’t included here, because the character piece stands up in its own right.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024

There is no doubt about it, Stivs is an extremely talented artist and is equally comfortable painting portrait and character work as he is with graffiti writing. This Samurai character is superbly presented, with great use of contrasting colours to provide light and shade and therefore depth. You can deconstruct the piece by looking at the blocks of solid colour, which when you stitch it altogether has an incredible effect. Very nice piece from Stivs.