#DFTE is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment, creating some nice work in his unique and humorous philosophical style. In this piece, he has joined forces with Fishlock to create this vibrant collaboration on the famous curved wall in Dean Lane.
#DFTE and Fishlock, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
In nature, black and yellow colouring often denote danger, not so in this piece where #DFTE has written the phrase, ‘you are not alone’ – a comforting and caring message. The decorations around the writing is by Fishlock and carries several of her favoured motifs. This is an eye-catching piece from the pair, painted during a recent Bristol Mural Collective paint jam.
After a short pause, Mote has been hitting the streets hard and with larger and ever more complex pieces. This delightful monster, part of as series of ‘birds’, is tucked away in the passageway on the long curved wall at Cumberland Basin.
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023
Mote doesn’t need to sign his work, as it is so distinctive and original, but he tends to do so with a little upturned crown – here in green at the bottom of the piece. The bird monster is in three main colour blocks, which complement each other nicely. Mote rarely uses prime colours, tending to stick with softer pastel shades, creating a more modest offering than some of the artwork in Bristol. Improving with every new piece, Mote is firmly establishing himself on the Bristol street art scene.
I remember quite clearly the first collaboration I saw between these two artists, and it was also the first time I encountered Hire’s work; it was in Armada place and had a vibrant pink background. That was in April 2017, and both artists have come a long way since then.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the left of the collaboration is a squat HIRE from Hire. There is a softening of the jagged edges he is known for, but other elements of this style are intact, such as the mid-line running through his letters. Two things help this piece stand out, the subtle flame coloured accent lines which give depth to the shadow and the solid white border, so very neat and tidy.
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the right, Laic217 continues his purple patch with this typical skeleton character. As ever, the folds in the fabric of the hoodie and baseball cap are trademark skills that the artist excels at. Interestingly, the skull has an ear, which adds to the intrigue. The piece is brought to life with the red skull badge on the cap, without which the piece simply wouldn’t shout so loudly. This is a fine collaborative wall from the Polish artists.
Laic217 and Hire, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2017
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Bristol artist Sophie Long is a favourite, not only in her home city, but also on the street art festival circuit, so it is no surprise to find a piece by her in Weston-super-Mare for the Weston Wallz project. What is perhaps a little surprising is the scale of the piece, taking up two entire walls of a corner building, occupied by ‘Dolphin Square Kitchen’.
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
On the front of the building, Sophie Long has painted a happy dolphin, some coral and a jellyfish, and this fits very nicely with the restaurant below and the overarching marine theme of the Weston Wallz project, but it is what lurks on the side of the building that I expect will generate most interest.
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The open-mouthed great white shark looks like it will be making short work of the restaurant branding – or it is targetting the 20 mile an hour sign. The piece is beautifully painted, with the mottled shades of the shark’s skin faithfully reproduced. Another fine piece in a string of amazing festival pieces from Sophie Long.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The Upfest team, through the Weston Wallz project, have secured some of the most commanding walls imaginable, and handing this one to Curtis Hylton was a master stroke of vision and confidence. Rarely will you get such an uninterrupted view of an epic wall like this one, so massive congratulations to all involved
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Many of the murals painted for Weston Wallz carry a marine theme, due to the proximity of the town to the Severn Estuary seaside. In this outstanding piece, Curtis Hylton has painted an eclectic collection of seals, an eel and some freshwater goldfish, with a rather nice starfish thrown in for good measure. The seals and eel have been given the Hylton treatment, incorporating flowers and petals into their form.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The attention to detail and perfect rendition of wildlife is a gift that few artists have. The goldfish, in particular, are beautifully recreated, although their presence disturbs me a little as a marine biologist, because they are out of place here. I would love to know what Curtis Hylton’s explanation might be.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
This statement piece is a triumph and just another reason for the local people of Weston-super-Mare to be super-proud of their town. Outstanding!
I don’t venture down to this spot very often, because the access isn’t really very suitable for the dog, and I wouldn’t want to take him down there, so my trips are limited to occasions when I have some free time and am dog-free. Making the effort is usually worth it, and on the last occasion, my prize was this lovely RBF collaboration from Bnie and Wispa.
Bnie, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2023
The pair of artists have chosen a salmon and cucumber colour scheme (were they subliminally influenced by the Garrick Club?). Bnie has painted pink BNIE letters which have the letters RBF in green (and blue) overlaid, in a very clever presentation. Neat, tidy and creative, this is another in a string of outstanding pieces of graffiti writing from Bnie.
Wispa, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2023
Wispa has gone for a slightly lighter pink in her fill, transitioning to lilac and purple in horizontal strips. A deep 3D fill in green and black helps the writing to pop out from the wall. Wispa often adds extra value with her pieces by incorporating a character, and in this one a cuddly Kawaii rabbit adds to the cute factor. This is a lovely collaborative wall from these two great writers.
Lately, there has been a bit of a transformation in approach and style from Veeez (VZA), who has featured on Natural Adventures before, but with a rather different look. This stunning piece in Dean Lane is one of a recent series of character pieces and writing that takes the level of his work up a notch or two.
VZA (Veeez), Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
The alien character in vibrant pink and green colours absolutely smacks you in the face, determined not to be ignored. The execution is beautifully done, with some nice shading in the fills to give depth. The black lines and border are crisp and tidy, and the adoption of a second turquoise border lifts the whole piece off the door on which it is painted. Great work from Veeez, with more to come soon.
It is getting close to the time when I say something like, ‘I really ought to pull together a gallery for Werm’, and judging from his productivity over the last three years or so, and the frequency with which he has appeared on Natural Adventures recently, it definitely is that time.
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Werm underwent something of a change of approach, from painting cute characters to concentrating on his writing. At about that time, he also discarded the moniker Eman and was reborn as Werm. His progress has been rapid and his technical skills and creativity have blossomed to the point where he is creating complex and busy pieces like this one. His most recent ‘formula’ is to write WERM in smaller letters at the centre of the piece, and to extend the branches of his letters with elaborate designs exploding out from the middle. It would be nice to see him deconstruct this a little and see what he can do with a simpler design. I am thoroughly enjoying recording his journey.
Natural adventures 