5613. Sparke Evans Park (83)

Bbygwya, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Bbygwya, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

This is another wonderful piece from the RBF Halloween paint jam at Sparke Evans Park, and is by Bbygwya, probably better known as Flux, the letters (or variations of them) that she writes. This is a masterful composition, very pleasing on the eye, with each element of the piece excellently executed. If only my slightly misty images did the piece justice.

Bbygwya, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Bbygwya, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

The letters spelling FLXE or FLuXE or as Paul H rightly points out LUXE are beautifully filled with an orange/red oily-bubbly effect, and the white 3D drop shadow is nicely worked into the piece. The character, looking like a masked villain out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon, is well painted and complements the letters perfectly. Bbygwya, along with her RBF friends, has used the ‘house colours’ for the piece. I would love to have a picture with the whole collaboration, but alas there are large trees in front of the wall, and it is virtually impossible to get the whole stretch in one head-on view.

5612. The Paintworks (5)

Werm, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023
Werm, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023

This wall is a little out of the way and not favoured by many artists in Bristol. It is however a favourite for the Bristol Mural Collective to host occasional paint jams, so I was a little surprised to find a couple of Werm pieces on this stretch, which may have been there for some time, as I don’t visit the spot all that often.

Werm, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023
Werm, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023

This striking piece by Werm exploits the contrasting nature of Pink and Black, a combination used to great effect by Lee Roy and Waste in Brunel Way a little while back. Judging from the letter shapes, I would say that this piece is relatively recent, and it is dated 2023. I think I prefer his work when it is slightly less busy and cluttered, so I am enjoying this new direction.

This England

Mendip National Nature Reserve, view of Somerset, October 2023
Mendip National Nature Reserve, view of Somerset, October 2023

.

Vast autumn storm clouds

dragging moisture from the sea

wet and waterlogged

.

by Scooj

5611. Greenbank (99)

Olek McBolek, Greenbank, Bristol, October 2023
Olek McBolek, Greenbank, Bristol, October 2023

I am happy this year that I have done Halloween justice, which is not always the case. This piece on the not-so-long-anymore hoarding at Greenbank is by occasional visiting artist Olek McBolek, who has painted on this stretch once or twice before, which is impressive given that his locations listed on Instagram are Glasgow and Berlin. I imagine he has friends in Bristol.

Olek McBolek, Greenbank, Bristol, October 2023
Olek McBolek, Greenbank, Bristol, October 2023

This is a really good Halloween piece combining the emblematic and obligatory pumpkin sitting above a mass of skeleton remains, which have been very well painted and represented. There is a strong and confident style here that reflects an artist in full control. The letters spell S8E, commonly adopted in his work, although I don’t know what they mean. A pleasant surprise find.

5610. Sparke Evans Park (83)

Lupa and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

It is not so long since Halloween, and this year I seem to have quite a lot of festive pieces to share, and not at the end of November or December. The reason for these more timely posts is that the artists were out a little earlier this year with many painting their Halloween pieces in mid-October. This pair of pieces by Lupa and Desi were painted as part of a large gathering of the RBF crew who were joined on the day by a Birmingham all-female crew called FKB (Full Kulla Burners).

Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

On the left of this pair is a great piece from Lupa, whose carefree approach makes for easy viewing. With her work, I always get the feeling that she is relaxed, and painting within her limits for the sheer joy of it, and I really like that about her work. As usual, Lupa has had a bit of fun with the ‘U’ in her name and has presented her letters in her customary style while adopting the paint jam colours of the day.

Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

To the right, Desi has painted a lovely VEIL piece which seems to be her preference these days – I haven’t seen a DESI for a while. I particularly like the screaming ghost face in the second heart. Great letters and some interesting fills. It is weird that the gold colour has picked out the markings on the wall, almost looking like Desi has painted the markings deliberately, a mechanism that many artists use to give the impression they are painting on a wall instead of on a flat surface. Great work from these two.

5609. Dean Lane skate park (656)

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023

I try to keep my finger on the pulse with artists who are breaking onto the Bristol scene, one of whom is Jevoissoul. There is no mistaking that he has made his mark very quickly, with several pieces scattered in the Dean Lane and Brunel Way areas, leading me to think he probably lives in south Bristol somewhere, reinforced by his use of the BS3 postcode which takes in the Bedminster area.

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023

I have posted two quick pieces from smaller spots in the skate park. I think that Jevoissoul will produce plenty of these character faces, practising his skills and technique, with a view to producing some rather more expansive and creative pieces – something he has already started to do.

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023

Whilst not particularly exceptional, I am posting these as a benchmark from which to measure his progress over time. I’m looking forward to the journey.

Under fire

.

Fending off arrows

flying from all directions

when will it all stop

.

by Scooj

5608. Sparke Evans Park (82)

Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

Laic217 has been rather busy in October, which is music to my ears. He has been an ever-present on Natural Adventures, and been something of a tour de force when it comes to painting unsettling skeleton characters or distorted faces.

Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Laic217, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

Tucked away at the far-right of the long wall in Sparke Evans Park, this piece tells its own story of a skeleton wearing a face mask of a face, if that makes any sense. The skeleton is smoking – a common theme in much of Laic217’s work. There is a confidence and swagger about his work which has been earned with many long hours spent honing his skills. This is a wonderfully assured and beautifully executed piece by Laic217.

5607. Cumberland Basin

Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023
Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023

I have known about and photographed this piece by Sled One for quite a long while, but have had to wait until now to get anything worth posting. The problem is that it is painted on a wall in a yard that is used to store building materials including large wooden cable bobbins that were placed in front of it obscuring the view of the artwork. On my most recent visit, I was able to move the bobbins a little bit out of the way, and get the best pictures I am likely to get.

Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023
Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023

The piece reminds me a little bit of The Luck Dragon in the film NeverEnding Story. It is a typically creative and imaginative character piece by Sled One, but painted in a place I wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find a Sled One piece to be. Beautifully painted and finished, the piece is one of Bristol’s hidden gems.

5606. M32 Cycle path (234)

Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023

I continue to be bewitched by Mr Crawls’ work. I have always been attracted to character artists who present variations on a theme – Mr Crawls, Mr Underbite, Asre, Morag, Hire’s rabbits, to mention but a few. There is something comforting about the familiar and enjoyable about the pimping that familiarity, if that makes any sense at all.

Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Crawls, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023

This penguin piece is only a couple of hundred yards away from his first penguin piece on a column of the M32 Spot, but is just as much fun. There is something endearing about this penguin, maybe it is that he is a penguin, or maybe it is the woolly hat, either way this character is a winner. I am enjoying the Mr Crawls menagerie very much.