Author: scooj

I am Stephen. I live in Bristol, UK. I decided to shorten my profile...to this: Wildlife, haiku, travel, streetart, psychogeography and my family. Not necessarily in that order.

5403. Peel Street Green (19)

Trafficity, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2023
Trafficity, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2023

Trafficity is an artist I have huge respect for. His unique pieces are incredibly consistent in style as well as quality. The word he writes is ZIOM and is a slang term for homie, bro, friend etc. The term I guess is appropriate and relevant in an urban culture setting.

Trafficity, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2023
Trafficity, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2023

Trafficity’s letters are interesting, in that they are quite blocky and they interlock rather neatly. I think that there is probably more going on than meets the eye, and I have often wondered it there is some sub-lettering going on. For example across the top I can quite clearly see the word ‘MUMM’. Of course, this might be entirely coincidental and unintended, but I think the only way of finding out is asking the artist, should I ever bump into him again. Not too far away from having enough pieces for a Trafficity gallery.

5402. St Werburghs tunnel (376)

Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2023
Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2023

When I last met Mr Draws under Brunel Way about a month ago, he told me that he was keen to paint more pieces with an environmental or protest theme. Well with  Prime Minister who seems to be hell bent on waging war against nature and the ‘green blob’ as hard right populists tend to do, Mr Draws’ efforts have never been more timely.

Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2023
Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2023

This is a beautiful piece of the fluke from a whale breaking the surface before descending into the depths, helps to remind us about what is important on this Earth we call home. The atmospheric piece appears to capture the movement and grace of the whale, a sight we are familiar with through viewing wildlife films, but which we rarely glimpse first hand. Bravo Mr Draws, please keep up these genuine efforts to make the world a better place.

Thursday doors – 3 August 2023

Doors 229 – Lincoln City doors (Part II)

Plenty of doors on this fine building, Lincoln, June 2023
Plenty of doors on this fine building, Lincoln, June 2023

As mentioned last week, my first visit to Lincoln City was a real surprise, and I simply wasn’t prepared for just how beautiful parts of the city are. The centre of the city is quite small and can be toured on foot, if you are comfortable with a steep hill or two – coming from Bristol, hills present no problems. The remaining posts from the city contain doors, predominantly from the old parts near the Cathedral and castle – today focusses on the walk from my hotel up the hill towards the old city. Enjoy the doors:

Restored Georgian door, Lincoln, June 2023
Restored Georgian door, Lincoln, June 2023
Building and doors have seen better days , Lincoln, June 2023
Building and doors have seen better days , Lincoln, June 2023
Slim church door, Lincoln, June 2023
Slim church door, Lincoln, June 2023
Fine stonework surrounds a door with fancy hinges, Lincoln, June 2023
Fine stonework surrounds a door with fancy hinges, Lincoln, June 2023
Classic garage door with plenty of bolts and locks , Lincoln, June 2023
Classic garage door with plenty of bolts and locks , Lincoln, June 2023
Green gates and doorway, Lincoln, June 2023
Green gates and doorway, Lincoln, June 2023

The doors get a little bit more interesting next week, I promise, but I guess the first two Lincoln door posts have been a bit of a teaser for the main event, although I am in danger of over-promising and under-delivering, so will quit while I am ahead.

Have a lovely weekend, and for anyone in the UK, I am assured that better weather is on the way in a week or two!

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

Door logo, Thursday doors

Pigeon pair

Pigeon nest, Santa Illuminata, Umbria, Italy, July 2023
Pigeon nest, Santa Illuminata, Umbria, Italy, July 2023

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Privileged access

a new life begins, one waits

birds-eye view of nest

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by Scooj

5401. Cumberland Basin

Phour, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023
Phour, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023

I reckon that for every piece by Phour that I include in Natural Adventures, there are probably two or three that remain in my archives. This is unfortunate, because I like his work very much, there is something about the letter form that works very well for me. The strong ‘P’ is a great way to start the word.

Phour, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023
Phour, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023

In this piece, Phour has gone for chrome letters with a black 3D drop shadow and yellow border, simple and effective. To add a bit of interest and lift the letters a little, Phour has added a marble effect and some cracks that mimic a stone surface. The fill bleeds from letter to letter, creating a large slab of writing. A lovely piece well finished.

5400. M32 Cycle path (221)

Gatoloco (Kasoe), M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2023
Gatoloco (Kasoe), M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2023

Visiting artists are always welcome in Bristol, and there is something comforting about artists who return, having painted some time in the past. Gatoloco has painted in the city before, but recently he left this lovely piece alongside the M32.

Gatoloco (Kasoe), M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2023
Gatoloco (Kasoe), M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2023

Gatoloco has a very distinct style of chunky letters (KASOE) which in this piece sit over the top of what looks like some other letters, possibly ESK? Or perhaps I am over-thinking the whole thing. I am not usually a fan of browns in graffiti writing, but I think that Gatoloco has done a great job, and there is enough of the blood-red fill to lift the piece from its browniness. Great to see Gatoloco back in town.

Gatoloco (Kasoe), Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019
Gatoloco (Kasoe), Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019

Gatoloco (Kasoe), Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019
Gatoloco (Kasoe), Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019

Boo de leah (buddleja)

Peacock butterfly on buddleja, Honeybourne Line, Cheltenham, July 2023
Peacock butterfly on buddleja, Honeybourne Line, Cheltenham, July 2023

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The butterfly bush

vigorous invasive shrub

butterfly café

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by Scooj

5399. Dean Lane skate park (626)

Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023
Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023

I bumped into Klashwhensober yesterday, the first time for a couple of months, and talked to him about these recent pieces from Dean Lane, and he told me that all three had been tagged, which is a bit disappointing, but at least I managed to get clean shots of them.

Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023
Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023

The blue and red split piece is another example of how Klashwhensober’s work has gone up a level recently. The two colours contrast really well, and the fill patterns reflect one another perfectly. Klashwhensober has also put in some shading on the letters to add a bit of depth. Where the colours meet, the letters appear to crumble into fragments. This is a fun and accomplished piece, and alongside his other two works demonstrates his versatility.

Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023
Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023

Although I am not certain, I think that all three pieces were painted in a very short space of time, perhaps in the same day. This second piece, in chrome, again spelling SOBER, is much flatter than the first one. Without the decoration the piece would be in danger of being a bit plain, but Klahwhensober doesn’t do plain, so he has added some purple cloudy frills and a wispy red ribbon running through the letters.

Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023
Klashwhensober, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2023

Finally, an orangee throw up completes the set, and although obviously a quick one, it is still finished nicely. I imagine that he was running low on orange paint, as it is fairly transparent in places. Altogether, a good display of the talent on offer from the always prolific Klahwhensober.

5398. Cumberland Basin

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023

Cumberland Basin is a bit of a generic area name that I use to describe quite a large space north of the bridge over the River Avon. This particular piece from Mote is on the Eastern edge of the Cumberland Basin area, adjacent to one of the very large warehouses that fringe this part of the river.

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2023

The large piece is another bird-monster character, this time double-ended and with a fluffy thing in the middle. I am not too sure the middle section works too well, as it interrupts the flow through the creature. Mote might have added it in to fill the space, but more conventional patterns and colours might have done the job. It is clear that the middle section is by Mote, but it looks like it could have been a creative addition by a different artist altogether. Still an immensely enjoyable piece though.

5397. Brunel Way (219)

Fade, Dibz and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Dibz and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

2023 has been the year of epic collaborations, under Brunel Way, at Dean Lane and at other spots in Bristol as well. Quite why there have been so many collaborations and paint jams this year is not clear, but perhaps it has something to do with being in a post-Covid era where friendships have been refreshed and cemented. Friendships and relationships have perhaps never been so important as we navigate our way through a period of political and social instability with the terrifying backdrop of war, and the biodiversity and climate crises.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Fade, Dibz and Rusk have joined up to paint this Pink Panther themed wall. Fade has hit the ground running since arriving in Bristol a few months ago, and is fast becoming a regular presence on the walls of south Bristol. Equally at home painting letters or characters, Fade has created a fabulous Blue Aardvark accompanied by some superb pink writing spelling out FADE, all finished immaculately.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

In the middle of the collaboration is some outstanding writing from Dibz flanked on the left with a beautifully depicted Pink Panther and on the right by Rusk’s Inspector. The blue and pink colour combination once again proving to be an absolute winner.

Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Finally, to the right, is the Rusk piece painted in a typically classy style from one of my favourite writers in the city. Rusk’s continuous, joined-up letters are filled with pink and tan colours that fade beautifully, the bottom half of which has a kind of metallic bronze appearance. This is a highly accomplished and enjoyable collaboration from some of Bristol’s very best. We are truly blessed.