A pair of magpies
plunder the garden for twigs
brought down by the winds.
by Scooj
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.
2168. Dean Lane skate park (208)
Rounding up on the flying visit to Bristol by Spanish duo Rama and Largo I am posting this urban scene by Largo in Dean Lane. This is an unusual piece which is actually very nicely done indeed. A street scene almost Lowry-esque in its depiction and aspect, lacking only the matchstick people.
I love the detail of the wall running through the piece with graffiti on it, a story within a story, and the bus shelter is a great addition to the piece. It is a pity these two were only over for a short trip, because I think their work adds an unfamiliar dimension to the Bristol scene. Regular readers will know how much I enjoy it when visitors come to town and this is precisely why. Come back soon.
2167. Dean Lane skate park (207)
Following on from yesterday’s collaboration post (Kid Crayon, Rama and Largo), here is a piece by Rama over the fence at Dean Lane skate park. Weirdly I actually saw him painting this when dropping my son off at the swimming pool for his lifeguard training – I didn’t stop for a chat, because at that point I didn’t realise that he was one of the artists that Kid Crayon had been in contact with. If I had known I would most certainly have stopped for a chat.
This is quite simply a really decent and well executed burner with a fabulous two-tone fill and a rather Inky-esque 3D shading with a vanishing point below the piece. Nice work. Rama was not painting alone, but was actually with his travel companion from Spain Largo… see the next post.
2166. M32 roundabout J3 (140)
It is most satisfying knowing that something is going to happen and then discovering that it has indeed happened. This is a wonderful collaboration between Bristol artist Kid Crayon and two Spanish artists, I think from Barcelona, Largo and Rama. I spent a while a few weeks back chatting with Kid Crayon in a bar and he told me then that he had been in touch with two Spanish artists on Instagram, and had agreed to paint with them on a planned visit to Bristol. This, I guess, is the result and I love it.
Set on a purple background and starting on the left is a fabulous cartoon style man and his blue car by Largo. I love the style in the man’s face, the hatching bringing out his features and his glasses are brilliant. There is a simplicity to this work that works really well. I wonder what the story is.
In the middle of the collaboration is this ashtray by Rama, with a smoking Posca pen in it – a reference to a tool of the trade, a bit like the way many artists feature spray cans in their work. I am particularly drawn to the little chips in the ashtray – fabulous attention to detail.
Finally, on the right hand side is this stunner from Kid Crayon. Heaven only knows what is going on here, a country bumpkin maybe with a sheriff badge with the word Eat (his crew with SPZero76), grating a plate of cheese. I don’t know why, perhaps it is the unuisual story and concept, but I absolutely love this piece a whole lot, even the overpainted white outline names behind each section.
Unfortunately this collaboration didn’t last long, and was overpainted with some inferior burners, but that is the way with street art. I am just so pleased I got to see this wall before it was ruined.
2165. Moon Street (67)
A highly unusual piece in Moon Street by DNT on the wall where his three-eyed cat used to be. I met DNT (Dante) for the first time just as he was finishing this piece off. Like several street artists that I am acquainted with, he has a larger than life personality and didn’t seem to mind too much chatting about the piece. He said he wasn’t too happy with the the colour scheme and was suggesting that he had run out of a particular colour.
The copper tones remind me of a large tribute piece he did in The Bearpit a few months ago. It almost looks like two discrete works, the copper surround with soft lines and patterns and in the centre a red and yellow heart in a much more blocky style. Here DNT is showing his love for BS1. A nice piece, but I do miss the cat.
Epok
A gallery of extraordinary graffiti writing by Epok, Bristol artist.
All photographs taken by Scooj.
Acer
Japanese maple
indescribable colour
natural wonder.
by Scooj
2164. M32 Cycle path (23)
I got really lucky with this one, I was doing a bit of an evening tour of favourite street art areas, and stopped at the M32 spot. I almost couldn’t be bothered to walk along the M32 cycle path, because I had been there quite recently, but something made me go and take a look anyway. Who should I find but Nightwayss, finishing off this striking and rather brilliant piece.
This was fortuitous on two counts, firstly to be able to meet the artist, who seems to be a very nice chap and secondly to be able to photograph it as a finished piece. All too often I have work in progress photographs without a final completed piece, because by the time I return it has been buffed or tagged.
We chatted a little about his work and I asked Nightwayss why he likes to feature monkeys in his work, he told me it was because they are quite like us so we can identify with them, which I get. There is a lot to look at and admire in this piece, which is full of detail, like the dunce cap (what is that about?) and a wrist watch around the monkey’s head. An unexpected and most welcome surprise.
2163. St Werburghs tunnel (73)
Another first, but certainly not the last from an artist who does something a little different from the usual fare we see on the streets. This framed slogan or saying is by #DFTE, who is a Bristol-based artist who places these little gems to carefully thought out places in the City.
If you look up at the north end of the St Werburghs tunnel, you will see this installation clinging to the bricks on the arched roof. It says ‘This is for you’, which is very nice… I guess it is a message to those who look around them and live in the now. It must have been quite a challenge getting it up there and sticking it to the ceiling, but it was utterly worth it and certainly brightened my day when I first saw it. More to come.
Outside in
Dog rather confused
by an urgent sparrow trapped
bumping the window.
Both creatures in high alert
each frightened of the other.
Natural adventures 