383. Upfest 2016 (27)

I am a huge fan of China Girl Tile, and was so excited to hear that she would be at Upfest 2016. I had seen lots of her work on social media, but nothing in the flesh, so it was a real treat not only to see her at work, but to be able to say hello and stop for a quick chat.

China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I caught up with China Girl Tile while she was finishing off her work in the drizzle on the second day of the festival. The wall she was working on is in the back yard of the Hen and Chicken and in really great company (Fake, Cosmo Sarson…and others).

China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I am glad she chose foxes for this installation, because as many of you may know Bristol is famous for its urban foxes. In fact some research a few years ago showed that the most densely populated group of foxes on record were in and around my allotment. Their numbers fell due to mange and the introduction of wheelie bins with strong lids. I digress. I love foxes.

China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Her reference to the Campbells soup tin is not only witty but is incorporated so very well into the unfolding story.

China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Her work is unusual and refreshing and executed with such skill and dedication. The tiles are really beautiful and enchanting. Please can we get more China Girl Tile work in Bristol.

China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

 

382. Upfest 2016 (26)

Having recently posted a piece by Mr Sle7en, I thought it would be good to share his contribution to Upfest 2016. Again, Mr Sle7en incorporates the third eye into this piece and uses the strong colours associated with his work.

Mr Sle7en, Upfest 2016, Bristol, July 2016
Mr Sle7en, Upfest 2016, Bristol, July 2016

The writing says ‘Free Sesk’ which is a reference to the recent custodial sentence dished out to Jack Keeling, a well known tagger and graffiti writer in Bristol. I featured one of his throw ups on New Year’s Day this year. It seems a little unfair that he has been jailed, when there are so many other taggers in town, but I guess this happens from time to time and they all know the risks they are taking.

Bicycle

 

Idyllic cottage

where I learned to ride a bike

never forgotten.

 

by Scooj

381. Dean Lane skate park (15)

A witty homage to Pokemon Go by John D’oh on the tarmac of Dean Lane skate park. It looks like Pikachu may have seen better days.

John D'oh, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2016
John D’oh, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2016

This is not the only Pikachu in town…I’ll need to dig the other one that I know of out. Fun contemporary stuff from one of the most prolific street artists in Bristol.

Cornish skies

 

Cornish skies, deep blue.

Ocean reflected, absorbed;

waves of clouds breaking.

 

by Scooj

 

380. Armada Place (6)

The fencing in Armada Place is a hotspot that is slightly off the beaten track, and can easily be missed. I make a point of taking the short diversion away from Stokes Croft on my way to work, to be able to capture gems like this one by Fois (Kleiner Shames).

Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016
Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016

It feels like Fois has become a little more active recently, or maybe I am just finding more of his wildstyle pieces. I don’t know, but I always feel good when I come across one for the first time. I like the way that he disguises the name Fois just enough to make it hard for the ‘untrained’ eye to read. This is really a wonderful piece that he calls ‘a quick one’.

Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016
Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016

Only recently I found out that Fois is actually Kleiner Shames – a rather respectable looking designer. It irks me that by calling him Fois all this time I look like a bit of an idiot. I suppose it is all part of being on the outside looking in.

379. Moon Street (16)

One of the great things about Upfest is all the ‘extras’ that get left behind by artists who come over to Bristol for a few days. Hunting these down is all part of the fun for street rats. This is a wonderful set of three wheatpastes left by Din Din, whose ‘official’ stencil was utterly fantastic.

Din Din, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016
Din Din, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016

Here on the North side of town it is great to see some of Din Din’s work. Although it is already looking a bit scruffy, it is still a pleasure to see it. I am not too sure who the pictures are of other than they are heavily tattooed men, but I like them regardless. More of these ‘naughties’ to come.

Body boarding

 

We four together

on a wave – mum, daughter, son.

dad; it’s a keeper!

 

by Scooj

378. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (16)

I do love the Carriageworks. The pieces here tend to be quite large because of the framing of the arches, and so we are often treated to ‘special’ work. The turnover for any work here is about a month or so, so this piece is approaching its ‘sell by’ date. It has been a while since I posted about Mr Sle7en, which is a pity, because I love his work. It would seem that he is not as prolific as some of our other artists, but he is no less talented.

Mr Sle7en, Stokes Croft, Bristol, August 2016
Mr Sle7en, Stokes Croft, Bristol, August 2016

In this mysterious piece, we have the ‘signature’ single eye that is common to Mr Sle7en’s work.There is always something about his work that I like. I can’t put my finger on it, but it is unusual, sometimes unsettling but always beautifully executed.

Fishing

 

The happiest day

spending time together on

the rocks in the sun.

 

by Scooj