Oof! Mest can really dial it up when he feels like it, and with this birthday celebration piece for Stivs, he has absolutely smashed it. I am guessing that during this birthday paint jam, Mest took his time to create this really tight piece.
Mest, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022
The first thing to note is the unusual colour combination of cream pink and blue, which might not be an obvious alliance, but somehow he has carried it off. His letter shapes are a little more dynamic than usual and all the additional little details pick our different aspects of the writing. A very nice piece indeed, lifting Mest up into the next level. Also a fabulous tribute to Stivs on his birthday.
I would say that Emily Joy Rich is a fabulous designer and sign writing artist, and although she isn’t a regular painter of ‘non-legal’ walls, she does create som wonderful works on legal walls, blending ‘corporate’ art with street art.
Emily Joy Rich, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2022
In this piece in the Elton Street gallery, Emily Joy Rich has created some gorgeous script writing, so clean and crisp, on a moody cloud background. As is often the case with wordy street art, I am left with an ear worm that I simply can’t shake off and will be with me for the rest of the day. Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap! Is one of those tunes with a strong beat that stays with you. This is a fine piece from Emily Joy Rich.
I am a civil servant and I am disgusted with today’s announcement that the government has decided to cut 91,000 jobs. Worse still, they made the announcement in an article in the Tory propaganda machine the Daily Mail, rather than having the courtesy to inform their own staff first. Disgusting but typical.
I would hope that the nation remembers that it was the civil service that kept the country on its feet during the pandemic, that keeps the government machine ticking over. Civil servants were lucky enough to keep their employment throughout, and worked bloody hard too. And don’t forget they also pay taxes, not something the government will ever recognise.
I despise the Conservatives and their contempt for the public sector. I yearn for an election and the chance to be rid of the lot of them.
To reach this wonderful piece by Mr Underbite, you need to trample through some dense spring vegetation, but it is utterly worth the effort. I find it impossible not to love this character, and the way he is presented. The shared name of the artist and character is a clever piece of branding/presentation, but might also become a constraint if the artist decides to develop or create new characters or styles. For the moment though, that doesn’t matter, because the concept is a good one, and it is lovingly created.
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite definitely operates in this area, I haven’t seen anything further afield yet, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be too long before he spreads his wings. In green tones with yellow borders, Mr Underbite is looking as forlorn as ever, but his ‘Yo!’ exclamation would seem to indicate that all is well. Another fine and touching piece from Mr Underbite.
What a lovely thing to find on the long wall in Dean Lane skate park. Fresh, clean and definitely a collaboration to bring a smile to your face. The RBF crew have been particularly busy of late in various spots around the city, but you don’t often see their work in Dean Lane.
Evey, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2022
It looks to me like Evey has been having some coaching from Bnie with her 3D shadow, as I’ve never seen her paint these patterns before. This is what I love about street art; all the artists seem to be continuously developing and improving their work, moving from idea to idea and pushing themselves. The fills in her letters are rather fun too, and the colours definitely complement each other.
Bnie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2022
The other half of the collaborative wall is by Bnie in which she has absolutely smashed it in my opinion. The piece has everything you would expect from Bnie but elevated to the next level. This might even be her finest piece yet. The letter fills are beautifully blended and the white highlights lift them out a bit. The 3D fill is to die for, with a clever and rather unique patterning, which is a sure trademark of hers. The double border is nice and neat and provides the distinction between the letters and background. I love this piece, and I am enjoying these recent RBF collaborations.
At the edge of the tunnel at L Dub, we can see from this tidy piece, just what an accomplished artist DJ Perks is becoming. DJ Perks is never one to shy away from pushing the envelope and in this piece he has created a superb writing/character combination that is unlike other pieces he has created. He really is a talent.
DJ Perks, L Dub, Bristol, April 2022
I have a feeling that this piece was painted alongside artists from the LRS crew during a bit of a paint jam in April. The letters ‘L Dub’ are beautifully designed and have a strength about them, as well as being superbly filled. The character is something of a classic, but more than that it is painted with wonderful shades and shadows, offering some depth to the character. This is great work from an artist on the up.
I think that I have photographed this column piece by John D’oh pretty much every time I have visited this spot, always with the intention of posting it, but somehow it hasn’t made it onto Natural Adventures. Well it has now, and is a great record of the crazy world we have been living in over the last two years. Capturing pieces like this is to record history as portrayed through the work of some amazing street artists.
John D’oh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022
John D’oh has sprayed this witty stencil, reminding us to keep our social distancing to 2 metres which roughly translates to Bristol croc’s length. This references many local stories about a Bristol crocodile, thanks in no small part to another fine street artist, Rowdy. The Bristol crocodile story dates back to at least 2014, and relies on repeated sightings of crocodiles in various watercourses. Some are fakes and some are recently ‘dumped’ pet crocodiles that get released irresponsibly. The Bristol crocodile has become quite a thing though.
You may recall that I occasionally have team meetings in London. Well, with a return to blended working, occasional has turned into regular monthly meetings, the most recent of which was last Friday. The office is in Westminster, and this time I decided to change my normal route to work from the tube station, to give myself a bit of a doorscursion through some of the more interesting bits of the City of Westminster.
No visit to Westminster is complete without at least a glance at Westminster Abbey, but there are many other notable buildings in the area, and some extraordinary offices and private homes too. I think that this selection shows off some truly magnificent doors that Westminster has to offer. I hope you enjoy these gems.
Westminster Abbey doors, Westminster, London, May 2022
Westminster Abbey doors, Westminster, London, May 2022
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, May 2022
Doors on a building adjacent to the abbey, Westminster, London, May 2022
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, May 2022
The Supreme Court door and doorway with stunning carvings, Westminster, London, May 2022
There will be more doors from Westminster next time, but until then, may I wish you a very enjoyable 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 Thursday Doors post.
