5735. M32 roundabout J3 (540)

Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

Happy New Year. I am thrilled to start the year with this magnificent portrait piece that Pekoe painted during an RBF paint jam organised to celebrate her birthday. I can only say that she smashed it with this outstanding portrait painted in her own unique style.

Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

As with so many of Pekoe’s portraits there are three key elements that combine so well in her work, and they are the face, the hair and the decoration. In this piece, the face is beautiful, with eyes glancing left, a delicate nose, a mouth with gold markings and an ear with plenty of piercings. The hair is brilliant, tied up in bunches and the decoration in gold surrounds the portrait with leaves and peace symbols. A truly wonderful piece from Pekoe.

Beach walk

West Wittering, West Sussex, 1 January 2024
West Wittering, West Sussex, 1 January 2024

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A New Year’s Day stroll

a sense of optimism

while dogs simply play

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by Scooj

Happy dog, West Wittering, West Sussex, 1 January 2024
Happy dog, West Wittering, West Sussex, 1 January 2024

5734. Sheffield

Phlegm, Sheffield, November 2023
Phlegm, Sheffield, November 2023

I was very, very pleased to find this outstanding piece by Sheffield artist Phlegm, when I visited the city back in November last year. I would have missed it had I not dashed down a side road, while concluding a long walk with my daughter. She waited patiently for me on the Main Street and knew I had been successful by the smile on my face.

Phlegm, Sheffield, November 2023
Phlegm, Sheffield, November 2023

Phlegm is a world star of the street art scene, one of a few artists who has really become famous for his extraordinary black and white scenes. There is so much going on in this piece, it is best simply to look at it and see what stories it is telling. I was chuffed to bits finding this piece (I had no idea it even existed), and it just felt so right finding one of his pieces in his home city.

5733. Sheffield

Rob Lee, Sheffield, November 2023
Rob Lee, Sheffield, November 2023

Happy New Year. If all goes well, then I will have been exercising my ‘inner nerd’ this morning, fossil hunting in Bracklesham Bay. What this means is that I wrote this post, in the early hours of last night/this morning, after seeing in the New Year quietly with my wife, mother and the dog.

Rob Lee, Sheffield, November 2023
Rob Lee, Sheffield, November 2023

Back in November, I visited Sheffield with my daughter, who was looking at potential University courses. I was very taken with Sheffield, it is a lovely city with a great atmosphere and lovely people. Of course I managed to find a couple of pieces of street art. This rather large and wonderful mural is by Rob Lee. The bold abstract design is a strong statement piece that dominates the buildings that back onto a square. Fine work indeed.

5732. Manchester, Northern Quarter

Mr Cenz, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023
Mr Cenz, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023

So I am rounding off 2023 with this wonderful piece by Mr Cenz in Manchester, which reminds me that I still haven’t posted his incredible piece from Stokes Croft in Bristol (note to self, dig it out and post it).

Mr Cenz, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023
Mr Cenz, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023

This piece, like so much of Mr Cenz’ work is an absolute beauty. The mix of colours combined with the outstanding portrait artwork creates a stunning picture with photorealistic and abstract elements. There are other artists who use similar techniques to create interesting and beautiful portraits, including N4T4 and our very own Hazard. A fine way to round off the year.

West Wittering wind

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End of year cobwebs

well and truly blown away

hoping for better

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by Scooj

5731. Manchester, Northern Quarter

TEAone, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023
TEAone, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023

It seems a little odd to be rounding off the year with a couple of pieces from Manchester, rather than from Bristol, but that is how they have rolled off the production line. In a way, 2023 has been a special year for me travelling around the country, and I have managed to find one or two pieces of street art along the way, including this beauty from TEAone in Manchester.

TEAone, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023
TEAone, Northern Quarter, Manchester, November 2023

I have only ever seen a handful of pieces by TEAone, but every one of them is an absolute stunner, and this is no different. TEAone has painted a colourful market scene which feels like it might be from a Mediterranean country – certainly a little warmer than a chilly November Manchester that is for sure.

5730. M32 Cycle path (244)

Mr Keos, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Keos, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2023

This piece by Mr Keos, was definitely worthy of inclusion in Natural Adventures, as it is rather different from any writing that we usually see in the city. Looking at his Instagram feed, it looks like Mr Keos paints all over the country and was simply passing through Bristol in December nd dropped a couple of pieces.

Mr Keos, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Keos, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2023

His letters are big, bold and distinctive, no chance of any confusion here. The work oozes experience from an artist who appears to be very prolific. The chrome letters stand out nicely on the orange background and the subtle black feature patterns at the base of the letters turn this from a good piece of graffiti writing into something rather better. I’ll be looking out for at least one other piece he painted in Bristol.

5729. River Avon (55)

The Mole, River Avon, Bristol, December 2023
The Mole, River Avon, Bristol, December 2023

I walked past this piece by The Mole, when I first saw it, thinking that it was an old one that I had posted before, but I did a double-take and returned to it, because although it was similar to another piece by the artist, it was new and in a different location. It was one that nearly got away.

The Mole, River Avon, Bristol, December 2023
The Mole, River Avon, Bristol, December 2023

The writing says INCA, referring to the artist’s full name Inca the Mole. Painted in colours that he often uses, the letters are supported by the mole character. The Mole generally paints three forms of his work, The mole alone, the letters INCA or, as in this case, a writing/character combination. The piece is nicely rounded off with peace symbols, which usually accompany The Mole’s work. A fine and rather unexpected piece, from the frequent visitor to Bristol.

Act 2023

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Lights fade to zero

actors exit, scene changes

all the world’s a stage

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by Scooj