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.
Another wonderful piece painted as part of the Upfest Summer Editions celebrations outside the Hen and Chickens. This one is by Upfest stalwart Karl Read. The very large stencil is beautifully proportioned to fit this space and has a serene look about it.
Karl Read, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
The stencil is interesting because it has some simplicity to it, with large areas of single colours, but also in other parts it has complexity. I have seen Karl Read at work before and he uses large sheets of paper for his stencils that look quite unwieldy, but somehow he makes it all work.
Karl Read, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
The jewel in the crown of the piece is the girl’s hair which, if you look closely, is in the style of a Hokusai wave. The result is most effective, and the whole piece a triumph. Karl Read has absolutely nailed this blend of simplicity and complexity. I fully expect him to return for Upfest 2020.
This is yet another piece that I had to visit more than once to get a half-decent shot of it because the first time it was hiding under dappled shade and was partially obscured – one of the hazards of summer time. If I were even more nerdy than I am, I’d probably make note of the best time of day to visit each graffiti spot, but frankly I can’t be bothered and don’t really have the luxury of choosing when to go out ‘hunting’ in any case.
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2019
The piece is a nicely crafted ASK by Sled One, with just a hint of a menacing eye in the middle of the A. I imagine Sled One just rolled up and painted this without a plan or draft, a gift that he posesses and is a rare thing indeed. Nice clean lines, great colours and imaginative and creative fills and shapes. Even a quick piece like this oozes class.
There are many hazards and obstacles to taking street art picures. This was in fact the second visit I had made to photograph this lovely eye by My Dog Sighs (his second Summer Editions piece for Upfest). On the first visit, there was a shadow cast right across the middle of the piece, and in this one I managed to capture a customer at the North Street Standard, and being alone he obviously had to be texting someone to give the illusion that he wasn’t in fact alone… but he was, so there.
My Dog Sighs, North Street, Bristol, July 2019
The eye is everything you might expect from My Dog Sighs, and is beautifully presented. It would be easy to fall in to the trap of saying that he is a one-trick pony and indeed I know some people who think that, I happen to disagree with that particular assertion. He has certainly nailed his technique for painting eyes, but it doesn’t stop there, he still works on the background and the silhouette in the eye and creates an atmosphere or story individual to each piece. Here he has used some stencils with Japanese characters falling like a digital rain around the eye.
You might spot a slight ‘blemish’ on the eye which is caused by a little vent pipe in the wall – My Dog Sighs has concealed it brilliantly. Well done Upfest for organising yet another triumphant Summer Editions piece.
I really do wish that Kleiner Shames had never left Bristol for the lure of London, but I suppose that is where the work and opportunities are. However, it is so good that roughly two or three times a year he returns to Bristol and leaves one of his distinctive pieces as a gift to all of us that admire his work.
Kleiner Shames, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2019
Although taking pictures in St Werburghs tunnel is a nightmare, some pieces transcend the quality of the picture, and this in my view is one of those. The letters spell out FOIS (time in French), and for a long time I thought that was the name of the artist. I don’t remember how I met him, or discovered his name, but I do remember buying a couple of pieces of art from him when he was clearing out his studio to move to London, and they are treasured possessions indeed. Come back soon.
Some pieces are good, others, very good, and just ocassionally you get lucky enough to see something outstanding. This stunning piece ‘self-portrait 2019’ is by Irony and has been 10 years in the making, after he created his first screen print in 2009 with a version of this work.
Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
I managed to have a quick chat with Irony as he was painting it, but at the time I didn’t know who he was, nor did I recognise his style (obviously not from round these parts). I asked him who he was, but he said I’d have to wait until he’d finished before he would reveal who he was. Fair do’s I suppose, although perhaps I should have been a little more attentive to the line ups for Upfest’s Summer Editions, which might have given me a clue.
Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
The concept of a piece of art creating itself is a tried and tested theme, but rarely is it executed with such passion, skill and emotion. This piece is awe-inspiring and would sit comfortably in the company of any of the great Italian renaissance artists. I can imagine this piece adorning the wall of a side chapel of any of the great Italian cathedrals (although I think the Catholic church might have a word or to to say about that).
Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
This is not my favourite wall to photograph, because there is a wide expanse of white light behind it. If I were a proper photographer I would be able to accommodate for that, but I am just a ‘point and shooter’.
Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019
The closer you get to this picture, the more beautiful the angel becomes. It really is quite incredible that such a fine piece can be created with spray cans. If I could be just one tenth as good as this, I would be happy. Many years of hard graft and study ahead of me, but I fear I lack the raw talent bit that Irony has in spades. A brilliant piece, worth a trip to see it.
I have known about this piece by Sepr for quite a long while, but simply wasn’t sure where it was, because St George skate park has only recently come onto my circuit of regular spots to visit. You can’t be everywhere, and with a full time job and two teenage kids I do miss an awful lot of artwork in spots I don’t know about, so I am pleased at last to have discovered this one.
Sepr, St George, Bristol, July 2019
You can tell this has been around for a while because it is a bit tagged and looking a little worn. One of the problems with skate park art is that anything on skating surfaces becomes degraded very quickly, so you either visit regularly or have to put up with pieces not in the best condition. I’m not certain how ‘appropriate’ this piece is for a park where a lot of very young children play, because it is ghoulishly macabre, but then again perhaps it is perfect. I always have been and always will be a huge fan of Sepr’s work.
I met Rezwonk for the first time last week, and what a pleasure it was too. He was actually painting a piece at the M32 roundabout (to follow). Our conversation was brief, because both of us had to rush off. I also met at the same time another Bristol ‘hunter’ who goes by the Instagram moniker @bristol.graffiti and it was a real pleasure to meet her too (and if I am honest I has assumed incorrectly that she was a man before I met her, stumbling into the perils of unconscious bias once again). The anonymity that digital social media affords is a double-edged sword.
Rezwonk, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, July 2019
As ever, this piece by Rezwonk is sharp, creative and really demonstrates the artistic talents and range in his locker. The red and white combination (a personal favourite of mine) works exceptionally at the end of this dark tunnel – other colour combinations probably wouldn’t have the same impact. Nice work once again. Very, very prolific at the moment.
Natural adventures 