As with my last post, I have been a little distracted by my birthday today and have very limited time to write a blog post. I will let Phour do the talking with this magnificent large piece of writing in Peel Street Green.
Phour, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2023
This chrome piece is loud, bold and confident. It is unapologetic and unfussy. Sometimes big fat ‘in your face’ graffiti writing can be just the ticket, and I think Phour has done a great job with this one.
It is my birthday – a significant one, and I have slightly taken my eye off the ball with writing my blog, so this will be an exceptionally quick one. Here we have a fun cartoony piece from Jevoissoul who emerged on the scene as recently as October last year.
Jevoissoul, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, December 2023
The character has a cartoon Picassoesque feel to it and reminds me of an artist who used to paint in Bristol called Panskaribas (see below). Jevoissoul often accompanies his work with the word Slow, and he has done so in big letters in this piece – I expect to see a lot more from the artist this year.
Panskaribas, New Stadium Road, Bristol, October 2018
This will be a bit of a short one – today is my 60th birthday, so I have written this post last night to allow myself a bit of a well-earned lie in.
On our way home to Bristol from a short summer break last August visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Cornwall near Liskeard, we broke our journey by stopping at a National Trust property ‘Cotehele‘ perched high above the banks of the River Tamar. It was, of course, the perfect place to photograph doors and doorways of a Tudor house, with some parts dating back to medieval times.
While my wife walked the dog in the grounds, getting terribly lost in the process, my daughter and I wandered around the house and gardens, absorbing the deep sense of history of the place, on a gorgeous summer’s day.
The first part of this post focuses on the exterior doors of the property. I hope you enjoy it.
Doors and entrance arch, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Out-building modern door in an old stone archway, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Out-building modern door in an old stone archway, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Carved stone archway entrance, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Office door, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Ancient studded door within a door, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
A pair of old studded doors, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Main entrance doorway, Cotehele, Calstock, Cornwall, August 2023
Next time I’ll post some of the magnificent and quirky doors from inside this remarkable place. Until then, may I wish you a very happy week.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s Thursday Doors post.
Omie_wan_kenobi, M32 roundbout, Bristol, December 2023
Pekoe’s birthday paint jam in December was a real treat not least because it introduced me to the work of Omie_wan_kenobi for the first time. I have a feeling that I must have seen Omie’s work before, but perhaps it passed me by. I am pleased, however, to be posting this piece now.
Omie_wan_kenobi, M32 roundbout, Bristol, December 2023
This is a wonderful piece of ‘organic’ writing from Omie which is all rather original, with each of the letters OMIE having a rural landscape/nature feel to them. This is a nice way to celebrate Pekoe’s birthday and a great opportunity to showcase work. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more from Omie_wan_kenobi, who I presume is a member of RBF.
Mr Crawls had a very productive end to 2023, and has picked up where he left off already this year, and is collaborating a lot with Mote, which is so good to see. This is a solo piece from December , one of two similar pieces in the area that were probably painted as a pair, the other was sited at the end of St Werburghs tunnel.
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls has stayed true to his bird character theme, but has been adapting the subject to great effect lately. This one is a partial skeleton bird – a little bit sinister, but not really. His artwork is all good, with some strong lines and suitable shading which adds depth to the bird’s head. I predict a big year ahead for this relative newcomer who has already made a significant mark on the Bristol scene.
The weather has always been an English preoccupation, but with the climatic impacts we are now experiencing, there is a perverse excitement of doomsday ecstasy peppering our media and conversations. Climate change – the gift to ourselves that just keeps on giving.
Biers (or WD40 as he writes these days) has been on fire this winter, producing a series of fine writing and character pieces. The formula is a winning one, and the balance between the writing and the character is usually spot on. There are also loads of additional elements that feature in his work and contribute to the overall look and feel.
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
I am not sure who the cartoon pig is, but will do a very quick Google search to see if I come up with anything… nope, I have drawn a blank. So we have a pig with a bandage – there is a story there I am sure. This is a nice piece to round off the year with for Biers, and I hope he keeps up his frequency and consistency into the New Year.
I always like finding pieces by Daz Cat, as there is something comforting and very ‘Bristol’ about them. I do miss his rather larger storytelling pieces, which seem to be few and far between these days, but I expect that is because he is otherwise occupied and only has time for his smaller cat characters.
Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2023
This one up at Purdown is a classic piece of Daz Cat artwork. The cat character is looking straight out from the wall with long whiskers and flattened ears (to fit the limited space). The trademark shape on the Cat’s forehead marks this as a Daz Cat piece… no signature necessary. More please in 2024.