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The tide ebbs and flows
relaxed under a half-moon
Chichester Harbour
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by Scooj
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The tide ebbs and flows
relaxed under a half-moon
Chichester Harbour
.
by Scooj

I knew that upgrading my mobile phone was a good idea, not just because my old one was becoming a liability, but because the new one has a camera with the capability of going slightly wide-angle, without distorting images too much. At last I have a better chance of capturing those pieces painted in narrow spaces. This collaboration is one such piece.

Wxttsart and Rudini Dudini have joined forces to create this beautifully book-ended graffiti writing piece. The characters at each end of the writing are by Rudini Dudini, and are conducting some form of martial art… Krack!!

The cartoon-style characters are fairly typical of Rudini Dudini’s work and are playing out a story. The characters in blue are fighting off the attackers in grey and guarding the writing in the middle.

Which brings us on to yet another stunning piece of stylised calligraffiti writing by Wxttsart, spelling as you would expect ‘MILK’. This really is an exceptionally well executed piece with loads of texture and interest in the letters. From where I sit, he is just getting better and better.

Face 1st has come up with this belter during this PWA paint jam on the M32 roundabout recently. Not one laughing girl, but three, and of course, one of them has an exploding head.

It would appear that Face 1st has been experimenting recently with finding ways of breaking up his heads, with explosions or slices. I’m not too sure what his unconscious mind is doing here, but it certainly makes for a creative display that is never presented in a gory way, more as a passing interest. Face 1st continues to delight.

Kleiner Shames has managed to find a moment to return to Bristol and leave this fabulous FOIS piece on the wall of the Coach and Horses. Seeing this simply serves to remind me just what we are missing since the artist made his move to London a few years ago.

This large piece is part of a collaborative wall painted recently with 3Dom and Sepr (to follow soon). Kleiner Shames is probably the classiest writer about. His incredible eye for design, form, colour and shape is unparalleled, and he pretty much always nails it every time. The observant among you may have noticed the Dott Rotten ‘spoilt’ piece nestling, untouched, above the FOIS. This is a very fine piece on a special wall.

This is the final piece from a joyful collaborative paint jam from the PWA crew a few weeks ago. This section is by Soap, and rounds off the whole thing perfectly. It will be a sad day indeed when the last remaining hoardings are removed from Greenbank, and this creative space is returned to bland indifference.

Soap spells out his name in chrome and yellow, with a thick blue and thin white border, set on a pink background shared by all the pieces in the collaborative space. The inclusion of the Ice King and a Face 1st inspired girl, making up the ‘O’ and ‘A’ respectively is something Soap seems to be working on at the moment and is consistent with a piece of his that I posted a few days ago. This was a rip-roaring PWA paint jam.


Stivs is definitely best known for his calligraffiti writing, which is straight out of the top drawer, but recently he has been treating us to his talents as a character artist, and I am seriously impressed with what he is painting, including this new belter in Spark Evans Park.

I have met Stivs with his dog, Mozarella, a couple of times in recent days, and he definitely seems to be enjoying his character pieces as much as his calligraffiti. The piece is entitled ‘Chop’ and in his Instagram post Stivs references the film Ninja Scroll, and it would seem this is an homage to the Japanese animation. The artwork is outstanding, with brilliant use of shading on the flesh, to give depth. What a privilege to have such a talented artist in Bristol.

Rowdy doesn’t paint all that often, so it is always a huge pleasure to see his work when he does. This shop is literally around the corner from where I live, and has recently had a facelift, painted by Rowdy. It had already had the Rowdy treatment before, but this is a serious upgrade.

Of course, we have Rowdy’s famous crocodile design, not just one, but a float of them (correct collective noun – a bask, if they are on land). It is the reclining cat, however, on the top panel that steals the show for me, a cat that has appeared sveral times elsewhere in Bristol, which makes me think that I ought to publish a Rowdy gallery sometime soon.

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Momentary lapse
too distracted to notice
lost and never found
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by Scooj
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Filling in the gaps
like learning a new language
tend to get it wrong
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by Scooj

This magnificent piece by Billy is almost exactly a year old, and although it didn’t last long, it is a poignant reminder that Ukraine is not the only country suffering at the hands of Russian aggression. As Billy says to the left of the piece: “‘My home’ Drawing by a boy from Syria in a workshop I once did – Billy”

Billy’s naive style lends itself very well to replicating the work of children. This composition has a clear message that is delivered with utter simplicity. The horror of war on the left, and the green and pleasant place we call home on the right. When thee two forces meet, there tends to be only one winner. This piece could equally well apply to any war zone, but it somehow feels appropriate to post it on the day after the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thank you, Billy.