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.

861. Dean Lane skate park (61)

This is an absolutely wonderful piece by Dibz, featuring a character from the animated television series ‘Pinky and the Brain’. This is actually ‘the Brain’ as Pinky is somewhat skinnier and more stupid looking. Lots more from the excellent Wikipedia page on this cartoon.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

What I like about this work is just how fantastically sharp and clear all Dibz’s lines are, it is a really strong technical piece. He spends a lot of time perfecting his designs before committing them to a wall, and his black book is well worth looking at on his Instagram feed.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

Care has been taken, even providing a neutral grey background to help the lime green and pink stand out on this piece. One of the best on this wall for a while. Incidentally, and quite by accident, it is on the exact same space as the previous post from Inkie.

860. Dean Lane skate park (60)

Sometimes you get lucky and see pieces by great artists that come and go in the twinkling of an eye. This was a quick one sprayed by Inkie to celebrate the opening of the ‘Graffiti Nation’ exhibition at Upfest back on 28 April 2017.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

Inkie told me that he had sprayed it quickly that day and had also worked on his contribution for the exhibition an the day as well. A busy man. This is a wonderful work, simple in its colour selection but with such beautiful writing and lines.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

When I look at something like this, it appears to have an effortlessness about it, the work of someone completely in command of his craft. It was painted over fairly swiftly.

Stubborn

.

I am not getting
any younger and I don’t
like change… I said it.

.

by Scooj

Painted lady

 

On Bristol’s fair Downs

she settles by a clover

plant, oblivious.

 

by Scooj

859. New Stadium Road (2)

Pretty much without exception, all of Laic217’s pieces harbour menace to a greater or lesser extent. Even though much of his work is weird, and he specialises in facial distortions, this one is weirder than most.

Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017
Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017

The fly is grotesque – a bluebottle of sorts. An interesting thing going on is the ‘fly’ is feeding on what looks like a steaming poo which makes up the numbers 217. I hope this is a joke and not some subconscious self-esteem issue.

Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017
Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017

Even though the image is quite disgusting, you really have to admire a creature of horror movie proportions wearing a bucket hat with a smiley on it. Acid wins the day. A trippy piece?

858. The Bearpit (75)

Well I told you he was prolific, and I have only just got started on posting pieces by J. Dior. This time we see some kind of mythological centaur/tiger hybrid, with an interesting foot at the end of its tail. There are some curious things going on in Dior’s head.

J. Dior, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2017
J. Dior, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2017

The writing ‘In the Right’ doesn’t really give many clues to what the piece is about, in fact it rather muddies the water a bit. I note that the ‘tattoo’ on the Centaur’s arm says Jadore (J’adore – ‘I love’ in French) is this deliberate or is he just playing with his name? For the time being, and until I get to ask him face to face I will continue to call him J. Dior. His style really is distinctive and unmistakable. A fun piece.

Give peace a chance

.

A tired peace lily

emblematic of these times;

needs some TLC

.

by Scooj

Of loss and love

 

Three thousand runners
with numbers pinned to their fronts
and there on their backs
a message, the loved ones lost.
I wept for my step father.

 

by Scooj

857. St Werburghs tunnel (13)

It seems that street/graffiti artists tend to have peaks and troughs in their activity. I suppose that, like the rest of us, life, jobs, family and so on just get in the way a bit. I introduce this piece with this observation because Sled One, who was extremely productive last year, seems to be a little quieter. This may just be a false perception, and I am not seeing his stuff as much as I used to – I might be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

This is of the usual high standard that Sled One attains, it appears, with such ease. This wildstyle writing is so very easy on the eye, like much of his work. I particularly like the ‘accent’ lines he uses to emphasise the letters or that wisp around the piece giving it a sense of animation. I will not tire of his outstanding work.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

856. The Bearpit (74)

It is always rather gratifying when a new artist appears on the scene; there is something new to write about and to look out for. NEVERGIVEUP is new to Bristol, and another member of the Polish contingent, so I am led to believe, which includes Hire and Laic217.

NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017

NEVERGIVEUP seems to specialise in these highly stylised and designed goofy rabbits. The more observant of you might wonder what it is about graffiti artists drawing goofy bunnies (Hire also sprays them) – maybe it is a Bugs Bunny thing. Who knows?

NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017

This is one of several bunnies that has appeared in The Bearpit over the last few weeks, and although he hasn’t been here long, NEVERGIVEUP is making an impression already.