5116. Sparke Evans Park (66)

Evey, Peggy and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023
Evey, Peggy and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023

The turnover at Sparke Evans Park is very slow these days, and the chance of meeting artists actively painting there is minimal, however that is exactly what happened when Evey, Peggy and Desi were painting this wall a short while ago. Of course, I had to go back again to get clean pictures of the completed wall, and what a wall it is.

Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023
Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023

To the left of the three is a gorgeous EVEN from Evey, painted in the pink and blue colours replicated through the collaborative effort. There are some nice letter shapes and a band of horizontal fades running through the letters, which are given a little bit of extra interest with squiggles, hearts and a peace sign.

Peggy, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023
Peggy, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023

In the middle is a wonderful floral design from Peggy, picking up hints of the pink and blue theme, and adding in some yellow touches to lift the design further. Each of the flower heads contains a signature eye peering out. The style of strong black lines and colourful fills betrays her tattoo art background.

Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023
Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2023

To the right, Desi picks up the bold lettering and colours and in part reflects Evey’s work, although there is a subtle difference in the patterning, with both colours appearing in each of Desi’s letters and alternating top and bottom halves from one letter to the next. The whole wall by these three ladies recognised International Women’s Day, and what a fine way to celebrate it.

5115. The Cricketers, Oval, London

Stewy, The Cricketers, London, March 2023
Stewy, The Cricketers, London, March 2023

This was an unexpected and most welcome surprise, discovered while walking to Vauxhall tube station after attending a large team meeting at the Oval in London recently. Because of who I am, I always have an eye out for anything even slightly resembling graffiti or street art wherever I go. It must be most annoying for the people I am with, that I might appear to be distracted or uninterested. The truth is that I am always looking, searching for the ‘out of the ordinary’ whether that be street art or architecture and the like.

Stewy, The Cricketers, London, March 2023
Stewy, The Cricketers, London, March 2023

The extra surprise was that this stencil piece of Ian Dury is by Bristol’s Stewy, and I felt rather at home finding it. My colleagues weren’t particularly interested, which was regrettable, in fact I think they found my desire to investigate and photograph the piece a little weird.

Although I was never much of a fan of Ian Dury, his impact on the music scene was undeniable and his subversive glance at society certainly chimes for me.  The significance of the location of this stencil is that The Cricketers pub was a venue at which Ian Dury and the Blockheads played some of their early gigs. The venue is now a shuttered and disused building, but one with a great history. Thank you Stewy for making my day in London.

Ungraceful

.

All neck, legs and wings

the clunkiest of fliers

heron, the fisher

.

by Scooj

5114. River Avon (41)

Haka, River Avon, Bristol, March 2023
Haka, River Avon, Bristol, March 2023

I recently took a Japanese friend of mine for a second guided tour of some of Bristol’s spots, and we brought the dog with us this time. The tour started at Sparke Evans Park, then along the river to Temple Meads Station before returning on the south side of the river via the Paintworks. A decent walk, taking in some great street and graffiti art.

Haka, River Avon, Bristol, March 2023
Haka, River Avon, Bristol, March 2023

Although I have known about this Haka piece for a while, I simply haven’t walked past it since it was painted, probably because it is just a little bit far for my normal lunchtime rambles. It is a stunning Gruffalo piece, continuing his theme of children’s picture book characters, in particular those authored by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. This one is a real beauty. Haka really is on the crest of an inspiration wave at the moment, and long may it last.

5113. Dean Lane skate park (581)

Amy Lee Jones, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2023
Amy Lee Jones, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2023

This is another piece from the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam on 8 March to celebrate International Women’s Day – and what better way to celebrate than to paint a few walls.

Amy Lee Jones, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2023
Amy Lee Jones, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2023

This piece, on the right, is by Amy Lee Jones, an artist whose website states that she is from Leiden in the Netherlands, although I am guessing she is living or staying in Bristol at the moment. Primarily a studio artist who is focussing on abstract realism portraits, this piece is inspired by @reedamberx, and is quite different to her studio work.

To the left is a very powerful portrait piece, which I think is also by Amy Lee Jones, but can’t be completely certain. The style looks the same. These paint jams are always a great opportunity to be introduced to a whole raft of Bristol artists that might otherwise be overlooked.

5112. M32 roundabout J3 (459)

Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2023
Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2023

In Bristol, we have several what I would call ‘occasional’ artists, who are accomplished in their own right, but simply don’t paint walls all that often and Serm would fall into that category. For example, I have only spotted five of his pieces since February 2021, and although he may have painted more than that, his pieces are few and far between.

Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2023
Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2023

The great thing about these occasional writers is that it is always extra special when you do come across a piece. Serm tends to paint large block letters, which he has done on this occasion with a yellow background and shades of purple and lilac in his letter fills. There is a strong sense of industry and solidity in the piece looking like it would weigh a lot if you could pick it up. A few more years, and I might have enough Serm pieces to cobble a gallery together.

5111. St Werburghs tunnel (363)

Benjimagnetic and Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2023
Benjimagnetic and Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2023

Now this is a proper mash-up collaboration, a conflation of two distinct styles from two outstanding artists, Benjimagnetic and Hemper. It is rare to find something of this nature where the artists fully collaborate so that the whole piece is one, and not two.

Benjimagnetic and Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2023
Benjimagnetic and Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2023

Although it is one combined piece, it is possible to disentangle which artist painted which bits. Broadly speaking the letters with straight bits and geometric elements are by Benjimagnetic, and the more curvy elements are likely to be by Hemper. It doesn’t really matter who painted what, because the end result is a wonderfully complex piece of writing that is jam-packed with great artistry.

Thursday doors – 30 March 2023

Doors 215 – Croatia doors (part 8) – Pula leftovers

Wow, I goofed – I have been so busy this week that I thought today was Wednesday – well I was wrong. I thought I was being really clever, preparing my post this evening for tomorrow, but I was being thick/forgetful and am instead running late for today. No matter, Thursday doors is all day Thursday (at the very least) and I am well within the day.

This is the final sweep-up post of doors from our fabulous summer break last August in Croatia. Posting these doors over the last few months has been a regular reminder of just what a wonderful holiday we had. But that was then, and we have a trip to my beloved Italy lined up for this year and plenty more doors to look forward to.

So let’s get on with this final instalment of Pula doors:

Doors to the fish market, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Doors to the fish market, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Wooden doors with diamond panels, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Wooden doors with diamond panels, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Steel doors to our apartment, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Steel doors to our apartment, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Glass panelled doors, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Glass panelled doors, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Doors with fine patterns and ironwork, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Doors with fine patterns and ironwork, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Doors with glass panels and fine ironwork, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Doors with glass panels and fine ironwork, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

Wide doors with glass and ironwork, Croatia, August 2023
Wide doors with glass and ironwork, Croatia, August 2023

Fancy doors and ballustraded balcony, Pula, Croatia, August 2023
Fancy doors and ballustraded balcony, Pula, Croatia, August 2023

OK, so it's not a door, but this shuttered window was too beautiful to leave out, Croatia, August 2023
OK, so it’s not a door, but this shuttered window was too beautiful to leave out, Croatia, August 2023

So farewell then happy Croatia. I hope you enjoyed this series. I am going to have to work hard on something a little bit more local for the next few weeks.

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.

by Scooj

Door logo, Thursday doors

Charming

.

First sighting this year

goldfinches sweep into view

uplifting moment

.

by Scooj

5110. M32 Cycle path (204)

Wxttsart, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2023
Wxttsart, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2023

This is a rather classy piece of writing from Wxttsart which was painted alongside a stunning portrait by Rozalita, and both of them stand out, with red being the dominant background colour used.

Wxttsart, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2023
Wxttsart, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2023

As always, Wxttsart’s work spells out MILK, although up until recently I have had difficulty in describing the letter style. I think I have almost cracked it though. The uniformity of the letters and stylised script font suggests that the work could be described as calligraffiti, but it also has a slightly abstract feel to it too, so I like to call Wxttsart’s artwork ‘abstract calligraffiti’, which works for me. Whatever you want to call it, it has an impact. Almost time for a gallery of his work – watch this space.