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.
I took a new route whilst going somewhere with the family a few weeks ago, and in my rear view mirror caught sight of this fabulous Shab piece. I made a mental note of its location and returned to photograph it a few days later.
Shab, Wade Street, Bristol, June 2017
I don’t think it is a new piece, but it certainly is a belter. There are four of his characteristic line drawn figures sprayed over a textured background created with a blue roller. The overall effect is quite stunning, and I think this is one of the best I have seen to date.
Shab, Wade Street, Bristol, June 2017
Of course, each figure has eyes, and oh, what eyes these are. There is a story here – maybe of love, indicated by then heart, or maybe other things going on. Overall it is simply spectacular. A lucky spot in my rear view mirror.
I wouldn’t have been able to post about this piece if I hadn’t been talking with Hire. He was finishing off a piece at the Deaner (to follow soon) and he pointed out this work to me as having been sprayed by one of his friends Soge.
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2017
I have not come across Soge before, but it seems that he is another Polish graffiti artist hitting the streets of Bristol at the moment. This is a great piece of writing, spelling out SOGE in a rather Gothic style, sprayed over a blue brick wall backdrop. I am very much enjoying this cohort of young Polish graffiti artists in Bristol, they are bringing something different and interesting to the streets, and they seem to be very busy.
Another piece from the crazy few days organised by Inkie for the Boogie Down Bristol event in Stokes Croft. This piece on the PRSC outdoor gallery is actually by Boogie – a German street artist and designer who now lives in Switzerland. I am not sure, but I think that the event was centred around him.
Boogie, Jamaica Street Bristol, July 2017
From talking to other graffiti artists, I believe Boogie is held in high esteem and is up there with some of the best in Europe. I am pleased to say that he left a few presents for the people of Bristol during his short trip to the city.
Boogie, Jamaica Street Bristol, July 2017
This is a really beautiful clean piece with loads of character. Great colours and nice to see the contrast of styles with the pink bubbly ‘oo’ lifted out from the rest of the writing. Some really nice drips too. I love it when visiting artists show us what they can do. It mixes things up a bit.
Anthony Wedgwood Benn, or Tony Benn, will be forever remembered as the Bristol South East Labour MP who ruffled the feathers of the establishment with his hard left wing views. An adopted son of Bristol and much loved MP. This is a lovely tribute to Tony Benn by Stewy.
Stewy, Beaconsfield Road, Bristol, July 2017
I think I a several years late in posting this fabulous stencil, and it has faded a little over time, but I have only just discovered it, and felt it write to post it as soon as I was able. Stewy has a great track record of creating stencils of important popular figures from Bristol, some of which are recorded previously in the blog. I like his work very much, and this particular piece feels so very right.
It isn’t too long ago that I posted about a piece on this shutter by Telmo Miel, which had been from the time of Upfest 2015. Now, with only days to go until Upfest 2017, I am posting about a piece from 2016. This is the problem with shutters – it is all about timing.
Louis Masai, North Street, Bristol, July 2017
I had no idea that this piece was even here, but happened to pass by just when the shutter was down. What luck! This is a gorgeous sewing bumble bee by the irrepressible Louis Masai. His work with the natural world is a beacon of hope for us all, and I can’t imagine who wouldn’t be touched by his conservation themed work.
Louis Masai, North Street, Bristol, July 2017
‘One love’ he signs it – setting off an earworm which will take a while to shake off. A great find, and fun sharing it.
Just a quick recap – This blog ‘Natural Adventures’ was set up so that I could digitise a journal I wrote while working in the Falkland Islands in 1988. The Haiku and street art took over completely, but every now and then I like to get back to my roots. For any readers who have not seen any of this Falkland stuff before, it is worth getting some context from my first post ‘An Ill Wind’.
Wednesday 22 June 1988. Koei Maru 30
I think I have a slight stomach bug – I am not sure of the cause – it causes only a little pain, but it’s there. Today will be a long day again, 450 lines deployed. Wrote letter No 49 to Deb. That isn’t bad, 49 letters and cards in 106 days since I’ve been here. Admittedly, they aren’t as long as they were, but they still keep coming (going).
The Desire (one of the patrol vessels) came – yahoo – and delivered loads of letters and papers – I am glowing. It has been a very good day.
A school of dolphins passed by and I took some snaps, some new fish came up, I got some lovely corals and a hairy winkle (pardon?!).
The fish, the best one, unfortunately ended up as sashimi.
I now smell really fishy!
All my doubts and fears about Deb have cleared away – I’m a happy bunny – Mum and Karen and granny’s letters are all ace. I still want to get home though.
Thursday 23 June 1988. Koei Maru 30
My stomach bug continues, but it is mild. My shit is like liquid ‘caramac’, but not quite so tasty I’m sure.
It has bee an idyllic day – calm and sunny – loads of photos (none very good)
The catch has been good – I would guess at about 2.5 to 3 tonnes of Kingu (Kingclip). I hate this work and I want to go home – all my letters (which I received yesterday) are now haunting me. I don’t think I’m content here – I could not live this way for the rest of my life.
My last duty of the day (changing my camera film and sticking the slide reference number in my journal) before showering and turning in. These days are so long, I don’t have much time for reading or letters – a shame really, but it is good that I am occupied.
Saw some ace penguins hop out of the sea Vertically onto a patch of floating kelp. It was very funny. I thought I was in for a superb sunset, but I was wrong.
Friday 24 June 1988. Koei Maru 30
My bug seems to be over, which is a relief. So many birds today.
What I’m thinking right now is why do I get spots?
Now I know ‘Queen Mab’ properly. Now to set about the whole part of Mercutio. Will I ever achieve it?
Amongst my letters was one from Granny G. She had sent me a tape, but I never received it, which is a terrible shame – it would have had all the family news in it. I still don’t know if Simon and Sue are married yet. Nobody has mentioned it to me. (Reading this paragraph now in 2017 rather breaks my heart. I would love to hear my grandmother’s voice on a tape trapped in that year of 1988.)
29 days and I’ll be home! yahoo. Until then I wait.
Articles about the Falkland Islands
My cabin is a tip – I love it like this – my papers and magazines all over the floor, a full bin, folders strewn everywhere. A mixture of work and leisure.
Saturday 25 June 1988. Koei Maru 30
I may as well use up this space (alongside an article I stuck in my journal) it seems such a waste otherwise. A beautiful sun rise but not a beautiful day. It is choppy, the waves are cutting across our path and the ship is rolling like billyo.
Times article about the Falkland Islands, 25 May 1988
So many people have said how vivid my letters are – I can;’t believe them. Frankly I think they are dull, uninteresting and badly written, but there we are.
Yuk! I’ve just disposed of a tin of custard down my gob – in times of hardship one loses all self-pride – It’s so true.
I forgot to mention that I am now an expert in chopstick (hachi) management. Pretty bloody cool.
I am troubled by the fact that I have only really been aware of Lokey in the last three or four months, and yet I am now finding his pieces everywhere I look. Even though I am out and about photographing graffiti regularly, I still seem to be capable of missing so much.
Lokey, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017
Anyhow, his 3d writing is magnificent and I just don’t think I’ll tire of it. In this piece he has worked the writing over a colourful background of complementary colours. His white shading on the letters brings out the 3D effect, bringing out a kind of reflection. Clever work.
How often do you get to watch two of Bristol’s best graffiti artists in action? well in my case not too often, but I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to see Soker and Cheo at work.
Soker and Cheo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
I had actually been in the area to see the magnificent exhibition of work from Tom Miller at the It’s all 2 Much gallery on the other side of the road, however the whole area was buzzing with street artists spraying every available wall in the immediate vicinity.
Cheo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
Cheo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
They were in town for an event organised at the Full Moon pub by Inkie, called Boogie down Bristol. This was an event held within the courtyard of the pub and featured a blend of local and not so local artists.
Cheo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
I chatted for a while with Cheo, who I had not met before, who is very much contained in a world of his own work and was focussed on this piece. A classic Cheo character…I love the rather unpleasant plaster on his chin – great attention to detail.
Soker, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
Soker was busy chatting with chums, but both obviously really friendly, and they do so much great work together. This was only one of several collaborations that were happening on the streets, let alone the curated pieces that were being sprayed in the pub. Fortune favours the brave.
There was a recent event held in Bristol, organised by Inkie, entitled ‘Boogie down Bristol’ held at the Full Moon pub. In the days either side of the event, a whole ton of graffiti art and street art went up in the Stokes Croft area.
Voyder, Jamaica Street, Bristol, July 2017
The PRSC outdoor gallery was one of the walls sprayed. The middle section here is another high-quality piece from one of the best writers around Voyder.
Voyder, Jamaica Street, Bristol, July 2017
Every piece he produces, and there have been quite a few recently, is a winner. Clean lines, great colour selections and an incredible eye for shading and shadows. Brilliant as always.
