Another quick one this morning from DFC1848 underneath the M32. I retrieved this one from my archives too. It is a wonderful character column piece, carrying a great message.
From the first shot, you can get a sense of this spot, which is bisected by the River Frome. I hope to get into more of a rhythm tomorrow.
First day skiing in the alps today, so really not much time to write today’s posts. This is a wonderful piece by Solar that got left behind in my archives.
The colours are absolutely magnificent and the piece delivered in Solar’s inimitable semi-antistyle fashion. Great work.
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I have a cocoon
in tough times I retreat there
unavailable
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by Scooj
I had meant to post this epic piece by Rowdy some time ago, and somehow it slipped through the net. I think I had wanted to get some better photographs, but because of its size it is difficult to do it justice.
The Huge Bristol crocodile was painted back in August last year and is a bit of a signature character for Rowdy. Indeed, the crocodile is pretty well known throughout Bristol, having appeared in so many different spots over the years. A characterful piece from a characterful artist.
A really quick one today as I head off to the Alps for a week of skiing. I will probably be in the air at the time this scheduled post is published. I remain a firm fan of Face 1st, and more than any other artist, he epitomises my relationship with the Bristol scene. We had a chance to catch up a week or two back while he was painting on the M32 roundabout – a piece I never saw, because it was over painted within a day or so. He really is a lovely man, enjoying life in Herefordshire.
This is a classic piece of Face 1st artwork – a smiling girl character with big hair, spelling FACE. The piece was photographed in August last year and has been retrieved from my archives, filling in while January pieces are a little thin on the ground. A lovely combination piece, perfectly matched with the spot.
It was Minto’s birthday paint jam in the tunnel a little while back, and this was the second of two pieces that he painted during the celebrations. I know it was the second, because when I first photographed it, it was unfinished, and I had to return, as did Minto a few days later.
The piece features a portrait of a man wearing a hard hat with the words ‘Dylan, Floris and Minto’, in front of which is a rather worse for wear looking rabbit. I am not sure what any of this is all about, but it must mean something to the birthday boy.
The paint jam was probably the best attended in 2025 and a great gesture from all the artists who turned up to celebrate. It was also a great source of material for Natural Adventures, for which I thank each and every participant. Looking forward to something equally impressive in November 2026
One of the central tenets of graffiti art is to protest against perceived and real injustices. Walls have been used for centuries to express support for, or dissatisfaction with, those in power, and this example from Rowdy perfectly demonstrates this.
The piece demands the freeing of the Filton 24. You might ask who they are, so I recruited ChatGPT to provide a summary as follows:
The Filton 24 are a group of pro-Palestinian activists, many linked to the direct-action group Palestine Action, arrested in connection with an action at the Elbit Systems UK site in Filton, Bristol in August 2024. Elbit Systems is an Israeli-owned defence company, and the protest was intended to disrupt what activists say is the company’s role in supplying military equipment used in Israel’s operations in Gaza. During the action, protesters breached the site’s perimeter using a modified vehicle and caused damage to property and equipment.
Initially, a small number of activists were arrested at the scene, with further arrests made later through coordinated police raids, bringing the total to 24. Police used counter-terrorism powers during the investigation and detention phase, although the protesters have not been charged with terrorism offences; instead, they face charges such as aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder. All have been remanded in custody, many for unusually long periods before trial, which has sparked controversy and criticism from civil liberties groups. Supporters argue the prolonged pre-trial detention and use of terrorism-related powers represent an excessive response to protest activity, while authorities point to the seriousness and planning involved in the action.
Rowdy has added one of his fabulous cats, as if to add some humanity to the words, which on their own are not as potent. I love it that street art and graffiti is a way that voices can be heard, whether you agree with them or not. There is something authentic and visceral about it.
I genuinely thought that DNT had all but stopped painting walls, and haven’t found any of his work since May 2024. What an amazingly pleasant surprise it was to find this mural-style piece at the far entrance to the Boiling Wells Road tunnel a week or two ago.
‘Be happy, be brave, be cheeky’ is a phrase that would probably chime for a great many street artists, that sits above the tunnel entrance surrounded by a stunning floral display. There are some other ‘doodles’ that make it into this ensemble; a pair of shoes, an octopus tentacle and an alien spaceship. I would love to think that this might signal a return to our streets from the artist, but I won’t hold my breath. Instead, I will enjoy this beautiful and refreshing piece.
The turnout for Shade One’s birthday paint jam might have been relatively small in numbers, but was of the highest calibre. You know that you are well respected as an artist when Soker turns up and paints you a birthday celebration piece.
Soker is simply one of the best graffiti writers around, and although this looks like a relatively ‘quick one’ it still oozes class. The letters spell out shade with beautifully blended fills. The black outline picks out the letters beautifully and the cloudy pink, purple and green bursts around the edge of the letters rounds the piece off perfectly.
Doors 339 – Doors from the City of York (Part I)
Back to doors of England photographed during my travels around the country with work. This series of doors from York were photographed in June 2024, during a work trip for a team meeting. At the time our team members were distributed around the country in Otley, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Nottingham, so going to the York office seemed reasonable for those from the North. For me, of course, this was quite a schlep from Bristol, but one I was happy to make.
As is customary for me staying in faraway towns and cities, I went up the night before, and made the most of my evening, and early morning, to explore the city, which, although I had visited once before, a year earlier, for a large conference in Harrogate, and posted here in TD 225, 226 and 227.
This selection is reasonably random, but demonstrate the incredible spectrum of door styles and periods. I hope you enjoy them.
More to come from this trip to York. Next week I am away on holiday, so it is far from certain that I will be posting a Thursday Doors, but I will try. Have a great weekend.
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 weekly Thursday Doors post and his Sunday recap.
Natural adventures 