Category: 5. Street Art

4231. M32 Spot (132)

3F fino has been smashing it lately, along with his LRS friends, and barely a spot in Bristol is without one of his pieces decorating it. This particular figure is on a column under the M32. Round column pieces are quite tricky to paint, I am told, but this one is on a square column, and apart from the limited width, is nicely done, albeit probably a quick one.

3F fino, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2022
3F fino, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2022

In this piece, 3F fino has created one of his masked characters, wearing a hat with the word Fino emblazoned on it. The character’s body contains the letters LRS, a nod to the crew that is quite large and growing in Bristol.

4230. St Werburghs tunnel (276)

One of the most distinctive characters painted at spots all over Bristol is a cartoon-style T-Rex, by T-Rex. Her work is light-hearted and fun, but always beautifully presented.

T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022

This one appeared in  St Werburghs tunnel shortly before I went on holiday, and I am pleased to be able to post it now. The delightful scene features a rather angry looking T-Rex chasing an innocent butterfly through some grass clumps and flowers. T-Rex doesn’t get out as much as she used to, parental duties and all that, but she certainly surprises us from time to time.

4229. Devon Road (16)

Although I cannot be 100 per cent certain, I have a very strong feeling that this rather fun piece is by Big Hev. There are a few give aways that lead me to think she is the creator. Firstly it has been painted in the company of pieces painted by her friends, secondly there is a naive style of someone that doesn’t paint all that often, and thirdly the character’s mouth is very Big Hevesque.

Big Hev, Devon Road, Bristol, January 2022
Big Hev, Devon Road, Bristol, January 2022

If I am wrong, and I often am, then I am wrong. There is something highly amusing about a helicopter hat, and it reminds me of daft American humour often epitomised in Mad magazine and other media. It is a pity that Big Hev doesn’t get out more to paint, because despite its raw quality, it really works for me, and I think with more practice she could start producing some great work.

4228. M32 Cycle path (161)

This is another piece from Dybe, part of a spate of No Frills crew collaborative efforts painted in recent weeks. I am trying to make amends for the terrible underrepresentation of Dybe’s fine work in Natural Adventures. I feel an archive trawl coming on sometime.

Dybe, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022
Dybe, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022

The most noticeable thing about Dybe’s work is that his simple letters (full caps) are always really crisply and neatly finished. Nothing here is rushed or slap-dash, and although I have never met the artist, it is clear from his work that he is conscientious. The brick wall is nicely done, but it is the white highlights that give Dybe’s letters that 3D effect and lift away from the wall. A really nicely presented piece.

4227. Brunel Way (140)

It is plain to see that coming back to work after a week away has hit me pretty hard, and I wasn’t able to prepare two posts before work this morning, and I have had to wait until now to get this second one out today. My apologies.

Enn Kay, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022
Enn Kay, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022

This is a nice and simple monster column piece from Enn Kay very nicely done. I do like monster painters, and we now have a couple vying for space in some of the Bristol spots. Enn Kay has managed to upsize his sketches really well, and each monster is different. There is plenty more to come from this new and prolific artist.

4226. Clift House Road (5)

There is a little bit of magic in this remarkable collaboration between Paul Monsters and Ments. The more obvious style is that of Paul Monsters with his colourful geometric patterns, but look a little closer and you can see some distortions in the patterns which are the work of Ments.

Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022

I’m not sure if I can remember these two collaborating before, but it seems to be a match made in heaven. This is what I would call a true collaboration, where the whole piece is seamless and complete and there is total fusion between the artists.

Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022

The effect of the regular patterns melting away in the middle works so well and plays to Ments’ strengths of creating fluid patterns that look at times like molten metal. I could look at this piece for hours, such it it’s mesmerising effect.

Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022

Paul Monsters building a reputation as something of a collaboration king, and I am aware of a new collaboration with Tom Miller that I will be hunting down over the next few days. An awesome piece.

4225. Sparke Evans Park (30)

I took this picture shortly before heading off for a week’s holiday skiing in France, and it is great to come back to this one and all the familiarity of Bristol that accompanies it. Laic217 is so firmly established in the street art scene, that it is hard to imagine it without him. A constant drumbeat in an unpredictable world.

Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2022
Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2022

The portrait piece is another study of a skeleton in a fine hoody with a large chain around his neck. It is the background that is special about this one though, playing with the 3D idea of blue and red lines, confusing the eyes. As suer as night flows day, there will be more from Laic217 soon.

4224. Brunel Way (139)

Painted a little while ago on a column shared with Andy Council is this magnificent crocodile piece from Rowdy. My first photographs of the piece weren’t very good so I have had to delay this post a while until I managed to get something a little better. The light conditions under Brunel Way are always a challenge.

Rowdy, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022
Rowdy, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022

The bright and contrasting colours of this piece make it stand out, and it certainly grabs your attention, but I am not too sure what the significance of the medieval-style heraldry is all about. The crocodile gives away the artist, and it is always great to see a new Rowdy piece, as they don’t appear all that regularly. This is a fun column piece.

4223. Sparke Evans Park (29)

In case you hadn’t guessed by now, I am on holiday in France skiing, having an incredible time. I wrote most of this week’s pieces in advance, but this one I am writing in our cosy chalet with a cup of apres ski tea (I kid you not). Why tell you all this? Well the truth is that I am not feeling very inspired to write, mainly on the back of being exhausted. This is a lucky thing, because today’s piece is by Smak, and I don’t need to say too much more than ‘Brilliant, fantastic, wonderful, tight, classy.’

Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022

Brilliant, fantastic, wonderful, tight, classy.

4222. Boiling Wells Lane (2)

Here we have yet another spectacular carnival portrait piece from Rozalita in the smaller tunnel just beyond St Werburghs tunnel on Boiling Wells Lane. The character has a stunning and intricate ruff around his neck which looks amazing.

Rozalita (Rosalita), Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Rozalita (Rosalita), Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, January 2022

It was Rozalita herself who told me the whereabouts of this one when I met her a couple of weeks ago, and it was one of two that she painted on that day. One of the features I really like about the portrait piece is the leaves and vines decorating the clown’s blue face.

Rozalita (Rosalita), Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Rozalita (Rosalita), Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, January 2022

There is so much of interest in the piece from the ruff to the face to the hair. Even the  background is rather special. Rozalita is on fire and I am a big fan of her work. More to come soon.