6684. Greenbank (149)

Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025

Kool Hand always brings his own very distinctive character style to the party, and has been doing so for some years now. His pieces usually feature animals, in particular, orangutans, leopards and crocodiles. His preferred approach is to have bold black outlines and string colour fills.

Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025

This piece, painted as part of a collaboration, features a green leopard wearing a bucket hat, a pretty cool character. The colours are nice and strong, and Kool Hand has used two-tone green shading to emphasise light and shade, offering a little depth to the character. It is always a pleasure to find Kool Hand pieces, and observe how he is constantly improving and evolving.

6683. Sparke Evans Park (116)

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025

It would be great to know a little bit more about Wispa. She floats in and out of Bristol like a Willow the Wisp. Her Instagram is @willow_the_wispa, which might speak to her itinerant lifestyle. OK, news just in – I checked her Instagram that leads you to her web page, and here is an excerpt from her biography which helps to unravel the mystery somewhat:

I write Wispa, and am a female graffiti/street artist from the south of the U.K. I have been painting for 2 years. I paint all over the country, and have painted in Miami (United States) and Barcelona (Spain) as well as London, Bristol, Brighton and other U.K. spots I like to hit. Writers that really inspire are the likes of: Miss Motel (40hk), Samer, Dime, Isie Ldn, Spat, Zoegen (Miss Buns), Sterling & Skore.

Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Wispa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025

In this combination piece, part of a huge paint jam celebrating the birthdays of RBF friends Desi and Even, Wispa has painted some stunning letters and a Japanese animation character from the Studio Ghibli. The letters are beautifully laid out with great colour selections and wonderful fills, and the character is so very neat and tidy. Wispa is without doubt an extraordinarily talented artist.

6682. Cumberland Basin

Dirtygypo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Dirtygypo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

It almost felt as though Dirtygypo had been forgotten. His pieces just weren’t appearing from last autumn onwards, and I was wondering whether he might have left town. It was great, therefore, to come across this recent piece in Cumberland Basin, and all is well.

Dirtygypo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Dirtygypo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

It doesn’t matter how hard I try, I simply can’t make out Dirtygypo’s letters – I am beginning to think that the word ends with GG, but even then I am uncertain. There is plenty of movement in his letters and I like the incorporation of the character on the left-hand side. I’m sure that his work will all make a great deal more sense once I can decipher the writing.

6681. Dean Lane skate park (800)

Lis (Le Imposter Design), Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025
Lis (Le Imposter Design), Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025

So it looks like Lis (Le Imposter Design) has found herself some cans (perhaps they were a Christmas present), and given some full-on spray-painting a go. I absolutely love it when artists get a taste for street art and broaden their horizons, and Lis has found the perfect spot for a bit of practise.

Lis (Le Imposter Design), Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025
Lis (Le Imposter Design), Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025

Naturally, her subject is still very much mushrooms, but this time without the precision of fine brushes to mark out the detail. When you move on to spray paint, everything has to be scaled up, but I have to say she has done a great job with these eyed fungi. I would think that she has used cans before, because these are nicely painted, and she has a steady hand, but sometimes people are simply naturals. I wonder where Lys will take us next… all aboard!

6680. Greenbank (148)

Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025

Slightly coincidentally, I published a gallery of Mr Crawls’ work this morning, which included this wonderful bird character as the most recent picture in the gallery. Scroll back eighteen months or so, and this piece feels like it is a modernised version of one of the first pieces I saw by Mr Crawls. Something that both he and his painting partner Mote have done exceptionally well is gently upgrade their styles, and this one may be setting the scene for Mr Crawls for the year to come.

Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025

The bird portrait is highly stylised, rather than caricature, and the boxy look creates a completely different sensation for the viewer. Even though the lines are straight, for the most part, Mr Crawls has managed to squeeze out some expression and emotion in the bird’s face. There is a lot to like about this style, and I’ll be interested to see if he takes us in a new direction.

Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023

Mr Crawls

A gallery of fabulous character birds and monster pieces from the talented Mr Crawls

Instagram: @mr.crawls

All photographs by Scooj

Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2025
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, December 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, December 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024
Mr Crawls, Purdown, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, Purdown, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol,July 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol,July 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, Ashton Avenue, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, Ashton Avenue, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, Ashton Avenue, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, Ashton Avenue, Bristol, July 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Jubilee Street, Bristol, July 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Jubilee Street, Bristol, July 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2024
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2024
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cattle Market Road, Bristol April 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cattle Market Road, Bristol April 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2024
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2024
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Crawls, River Avon, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Crawls, River Avon, Bristol, February 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Mote and Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2023
Mr Crawls, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2023
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Crawls and Mote, Jubilee Street, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Jubilee Street, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Peel Street Green, Bristol, November 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Peel Street Green, Bristol, November 2023
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2023
Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls and Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, Agust 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, Agust 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2023
Mr Crawls, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2023

Long-distance taxi ride to Leeds

.

My ancestral home

deposit daughter in halls

on to my cousin’s

.

by Scooj

6679. Brunel Way (309)

Haka, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2025
Haka, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2025

One of the favourite books of my youth was Fungus the Bogeyman by Raymond Briggs, an illustrator and author who wrote some of the finest and most touching comic strip books of the time. Fungus the Bogeyman spanned the generations very cleverly, and is full of witty puns and literary references. On starting this post, I have been searching for my copy of the book, but seem to recall I leant it to a cousin years ago. I might just have to buy myself a new copy.

Haka, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2025
Haka, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2025

Haka has captured the essence of Fungus the Bogeyman perfectly in this piece, and the spot itself is exactly the kind of place that you’d imagine the character to lurk on a damp, foggy night. As with all of his pieces featuring children’s characters, Haka has remained incredibly faithful to the original illustrations. My favourite piece of the year so far.

6678. M32 roundabout J3 (651)

Desi and Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2025
Desi and Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2025

Ladies of the PWA crew have started the year with some real momentum, and have broadly had a busy period. This conflation piece from Desi and Lupa looks gorgeous in the evening sun. In my experience, it is quite unusual for two artists to merge their names and share a style in this way, and I have to say I rather like it. Within the crew, there are all sorts of combinations that would be fascinating to see, although I sense that this might be a bit of a one-off.

Desi and Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2025
Desi and Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2025

Desi has contributed the VEI, and probably L, and Lupa, the UPA. They have set the pink writing on a traditional purple brick wall background, and the Christmas hat from PWA’s Zake can still be seen behind the letters, providing some temporal context. A fine and true collaboration from Desi and Lupa.

6677. Dean Lane (799)

Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025
Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025

It brings me great joy when I come across new Kid Crayon pieces. He has been reasonably quiet over the last couple of years, which in a way is a good thing, because it signals that his work is going well, and being an artist/designer having plenty of work is always a positive.

Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025
Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025

This wall used to have three alcoves in it, and in fairness, was quite difficult to paint. For whatever reason, the council decided to fill the alcoves with breeze blocks, and I have to say that the unintended consequence was this new long wall, which artists have been enjoying ever since. Kid Crayon has used the full length of the wall to paint his letters in hi favoured pink. Each letter is in a distinct style, where the ‘O’ is a masked character incorporating a floating crayon. A nice tidy piece and great way to start the year.