6871. Dean Lane skate park (822)

Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

I have met ESKA on a couple of occasions, and he is a genuinely nice bloke. In our chats, I was under the impression that he was passing through Bristol, as he has quite an itinerant lifestyle. However, it seems that he is hanging around longer than I thought, which is brilliant news, because his work is outstanding, and quite different from the Bristol style we are used to seeing here.

Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

This is a fine piece on the back of the long ramp in the skate park. Normally, his letters spell out ESKA, but I am not convinced that is the case here. His colour choices are superb, and there is a remarkable anamorphic effect, with great depth in the piece.

Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Eska, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

One of the special features of Eska’s writing is hidden in the small details, such as the little figures watching on at some futuristic spaceships or something like that. Always, his work contains plenty of hidden messages and symbolism, and of course they are finished to an incredibly high standard. Long may his stay in Bristol last.

Field Horsetail

Field Horsetail, Equisetum arvense, Greenbank Cemetery, Bristol, April 2025
Field Horsetail, Equisetum arvense, Greenbank Cemetery, Bristol, April 2025

.

Spore-bearing fertile

non-photosynthetic stem

natural marvel

.

by Scooj

  • also a really annoying pernicious weed.

6870. Dean Lane skate park (821)

Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

Keeping up with Dibz and Fade, even over the winter months, has been challenging. Their high-end graffiti writing is creative and imaginative, and some of the best you’ll see in Bristol and beyond. Sometimes the pair paint in themed colour schemes and play off one another, but this collaboration presents two very different pieces with only a shared background to link them.

Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

On the left, Fade has painted a stunning tribute piece for Chaos, who in his own words is ‘lost but not forgotten’. The yellow letters are filled with three horizontal stripes, nicely blended, without any hard edges. The little white trims do a lot to create depth, as does the thick black border. A beautifully finished piece, as you’d expect from Fade.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025

To the right, Dibz has painted a crazy colourful explosion of a piece, which is a ‘heavenly birthday’ tribute piece for Benson Much, and knowing this, you can make out the letters BENSON. This is an absolute stunner, there are no two ways about it. Each component of the work has been allocated a different colour, not only on the surface, but also in the drop shadow. This demonstrates Dibz’ complete understanding of light and shade and colour matches and when combined with his extraordinary talent you are left with something that you can’t help but admire. A fabulous collaboration.

6869. Dean Lane skate park (820)

Short, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2025
Short, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2025

I have a feeling that Short, like many other graffiti writers who stick to a general style of letter shapes and play with the colours and fills, will be making regular appearances in this blog. While this is only the second piece I have posted, I have plenty more in my files, and they seem to be coming at a steady rate.

Short, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2025
Short, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2025

The fat script-style letters, with a nice deep drop shadow are beautifully filled with a burst of yellow and orange colour and some purple decorative touches, are nicely arranged and presented. The piece is painted over a Hire piece which acts as a contrasting background – no buffing here for Short. Watch out for more.

6868. Brunel Way (313)

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2025
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2025

Mr Draws is an artist who never seems to fuss or bluster, rather he goes about his painting in a deliberate and consistent manner, almost like clockwork. Modest and never showy his familiar pieces are part of the fabric of Bristol city.

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2025
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2025

This is  really nice piece under Brunel Way, with four horizontal colour layers running through the letters DRAWS, the uppermost one of which is dripping, like a chocolate sauce topping. A deep 3D drop shadow separates the letters from a contrasting red background, and the piece is finished with some horizontal yellow and grey oval lines dotted across the piece. A really nice piece from Mr Draws.

6867. Cumberland Basin

Trafficity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2025
Trafficity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2025

I don’t go out drinking very often, but last night I joined some colleagues to bid farewell to one of my longest-standing work friends, who has decided to take early retirement. It was a fabulous evening reconnecting with people I haven’t seen for many years, and I will treasure the occasion. On the downside, I drank a little more than I am used to and have a sore head this morning. My posts today will be necessarily brief as a result.

Trafficity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2025
Trafficity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2025

This is an outstanding piece by Trafficity with a simpler fill style than many of his pieces, but sticking to the overall design with determination. Looking good on the blue background. The letters spell ZIOS in case you were wondering.

Thursday doors – 24 April 2025 – Copenhagen doors, Denmark

Doors 304 – Copenhagen, Denmark (part IV), September 2024

This week’s selection of doors come from the Christian VII’s palace and the surrounding area in Copenhagen. I am a little short of time this week, so I will be brief. Perhaps the highlight for me was arriving at the time of the changing of the guard at the palace, and without the vast crowds that accompany the Buckingham Palace equivalent in England. I hope you enjoy these doors:

Door with a fabulous dragon sculpture above, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Door with a fabulous dragon sculpture above, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Blue door with a clock in the light fan, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Blue door with a clock in the light fan, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Black door set in a shop window and a bonus red door for good measure, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Black door set in a shop window and a bonus red door for good measure, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

A grey corner door with beautiful decorations above, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
A grey corner door with beautiful decorations above, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Three stunning doors of Christian VII's Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Three stunning doors of Christian VII’s Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

A guard outside the black door of Christian VII's Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
A guard outside the black door of Christian VII’s Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Changing of the guard outside the black door of Christian VII's Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Changing of the guard outside the black door of Christian VII’s Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Three doors on the front of Frederik VIII's Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Three doors on the front of Frederik VIII’s Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

Three doors into the impressive Frederik's Church, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024
Three doors into the impressive Frederik’s Church, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2024

So that’s it for this week. Obviously, a whole load more doors to come from this three-day trip to Copenhagen last September – brace yourselves.

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.

Thursday Doors

6866. Camden High Street, London

Urban Solid, Camden High Street, London, April 2025
Urban Solid, Camden High Street, London, April 2025

I always like to see a bit of installation art, but it is always a bit of a rarity, especially in the UK. It seems to be far more popular in other countries. I remember seeing a lot in Barcelona, for example.

Urban Solid, Camden High Street, London, April 2025
Urban Solid, Camden High Street, London, April 2025

This is a fine ear piece (no pun intended) by Urban Solid, stuck high up on a wall with no danger of it being removed or vandalised. The ear, which looks like it has been there for some time, is accompanied by the words ‘audio surveillance zone’, which is all rather clever and imaginative really. I’d love to see more of this kind of art in Bristol, although we do still have a couple of Gregos masks that remain just about intact.

6865. Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, London

Apparan, Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, London, April 2025
Apparan, Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, London, April 2025

One of the most noticeable things about photographing street art in London is that there seem to be a great deal more paste ups and wheatpaste artists than in Bristol. Perhaps this is a function of a huge amount more wall space to choose from, as well as a cultural thing.

Apparan, Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, London, April 2025
Apparan, Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, London, April 2025

This wonderful wheatpaste piece, by Apparan (no stranger to Natural Adventures), features a beautiful portrait of a woman and a snail. The piece is called ‘way home’ and was pasted up in December 2023 during a bit of a wheatpaste jam as far as I can make out. It has worn very well indeed.

Rhododendron

Rhododendron, Redland, Bristol, April 2025
Rhododendron, Redland, Bristol, April 2025

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Old faithful blooming

for thirty-six years a friend

spectacular flowers

.

by Scooj