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

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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.

6494. M32 Cycle path (277)

Claro_que_sssnoh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024
Claro_que_sssnoh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024

I was beginning to think that Claro_que_sssnoh had left Bristol altogether, as it seems like an age since his I last posted anything by him on Natural Adventures (April this year, in fact). This piece was painted recently in one of his favoured spots.

Claro_que_sssnoh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024
Claro_que_sssnoh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2024

Claro_que_ssnoh’s writing is so distinctive, and is unlikely ever to be muddled up with any other artists. It is a style we don’t see too much of here in the UK – perhaps it is a Spanish thing. His letters, spelling HONS, provide an opportunity to paint straight and curvy lines together, creating some contrast and tension in his writing. The colour palette is carefully considered, and the blues work well with the red and orange background colours.  It is so good to see the artist back on our streets after a long gap.

6493. Chatterton Square (10)

Sepr, Chatterton Square, Bristol, October 2024
Sepr, Chatterton Square, Bristol, October 2024

Opposite the entrance road into Temple Meads station there is a little road that leads to Chatterton Square, which isn’t really a square at all, but a road running behind the Holiday Inn Express. There are some walls and a long hoarding that surrounds a plot of land where a disused petrol station languishes, providing a central spot for street art and graffiti.

Sepr, Chatterton Square, Bristol, October 2024
Sepr, Chatterton Square, Bristol, October 2024

This section of hoarding is adjacent to one of the buildings of the petrol station and together with RichT, Sepr did a great job of decorating it. This piece is a series of little sketches and I think it might be a ‘sampler’ for his tattoo work, because each of these little designs would make a wonderful tattoo. I particularly like the penguin charming the snake and the clockwork mouse. This is an unusual and striking piece from Sepr.

6492. L Dub (61)

Fade, L Dub, Bristol, October 2024
Fade, L Dub, Bristol, October 2024

Hot on the heals (pun intended) of yesterday’s post featuring a flame piece by Dibz is this outstanding burner from Fade which was painted adjacent to Dibz’. I wasn’t able to get both pieces in one shot so have presented them separately.

Fade, L Dub, Bristol, October 2024
Fade, L Dub, Bristol, October 2024

I think that both artists were on absolute top form on the day they painted these pieces, because they are pretty much flawless, and they may have taken their work to another level, if that is even a thing. Fade’s pieces tend to be slightly less busy than his friend’s and sometimes a little easier on the eye. This piece is tight as tight can be and the transitions of fill are to die for. The dog (who Fade is particularly fond of) says hello.

6491. St Werburghs tunnel (454)

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

I managed to catch up with Face 1st at  Goldie’s Metal Headz paint jam a couple of weeks ago (lots more on that to come). During our conversation he broke the news that he has moved to Herefordshire, and he is really happy with the move with his family. Of course, this means that we won’t be seeing quite so much of his work on the streets of Bristol, which is a real shame, but the reason behind it is great news for Face 1st, and I wish him well.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

This is a classic combination piece from Face 1st, with a girl’s face and hair fused with the word FACE, this time in 3D block writing. The whole thing has been splattered with pink gunge, a device that Face 1st uses a lot. There is no doubt that I will miss the frequency of his work and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for any visits he makes to his old stomping ground.

To honour his departure to pastures new, here is an updated gallery of his work.