Natural adventures

4200. Dean Lane skate park (454)

Hiding behind a row of bushes along the wall of Bristol South swimming pool is this fine new piece of graffiti writing from Mudra. Even through the winter hedge, his distinctive style of writing is identifiable and drew me over to take a closer look. Much of his writing layout is (in the words of a Monty Python sketch) thin at one end, much, much, thicker in the middle and then thin at the far end (Miss A, Elk theory on the brontosaurus).

The colours in the piece incorporate his favoured reds and mauves, tinged with some orange. The letters, spelling MUDRA, are nicely designed and cleanly painted as you’d expect, but no mean feat on this lumpy old wall. I was rather pleased to spot this one.

4199. M32 Cycle path (160)

I have found it a little difficult to identify some of the little characters in Biers’ pieces recently, but there is absolutely no mistaking this grey man, former Prime Minister John Major. A long time ago, when I lived in Godmanchester, I used to see John Major and Jeffrey Archer drinking together in my local pub. Goodness knows what plans they were cooking up.

Biers, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022

So Biers has portrayed John Major brilliantly peering out of the ‘0’ in WD40 with his laser stare. Major must be wondering what on earth is happening to his political party at the moment, they are such a rotten lot, and the Johnson defenders, by lining up behind him, are hanging themselves. It is the quiet ones we have to watch (Sunak, Gove, Hunt).

Biers is favouring the wobbly border at the moment, something that the PWA crew were playing with a little while back. This is a lovely piece painted during a rich vein of form from the artist.

4198. M32 Cycle path (159)

Ah! A real beauty from Benjimagnetic splashing bold and solid colours onto the long wall on the cycle path. I have really been enjoying the adjustments he has made to his style over the last few months and although his rather ephemeral style previously was his USP, I genuinely think that this is an improvement.

Benjimagnetic, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022

With lashings of colour, this BEN piece of graffiti writing ticks an awful lot of boxes for me. The colour palette works really well and has a childlike vibrancy about it. The fills are neat and tidy and the boundary lines clean. A well-worked and perfectly presented piece from Benjimagnetic.

In two

.

So pleased with myself

Wordle day seven in two

quit while I’m ahead?

by Scooj

4197. M32 Spot (130)

Anamorphic art comes in many forms and some of the high-end stuff is utterly mind-bending, but even on a more basic scale it is still clever and intriguing. This fabulous column piece by Face 1st explores the technique.

Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2022

I have seen many, many pieces by Face 1st, but never anything like this, and I must say I rather like it. The girl really does look like she is inside the column behind some kind of clear glass or plastic window. It is when you see pieces like this that you really get to see the versatility of an artist. Great stuff.

4196. New Stadium Road (37)

On the wall opposite the tunnel under New Stadium Road was this lovely little Christmas collaboration from Silent Hobo, Mr Riks, Dopes and a very special mini Hobo. All three artists have been fairly active of late, but weirdly I have only ever posted one of Mr Riks’ pieces before, which would appear to be a terribly omission on my part.

Silent Hobo Dooes and Mr Riks, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021 — Silent Hobo, Dopes and Mr Riks, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021

The right hand side of the collaboration is by Mr Riks and Dopes and appears to say RIK JAY with some fabulous horizontal shading and fades with a load of drips hanging off the letters. Classy work indeed from the two artists.

Silent Hobo, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021

The Mini Hobo is by Silent Hobo with help from his very little daughter who looked pretty useful with a spray can judging from the pictures on Hobo senior’s Instagram feed. All in all this is a very nice little Christmas piece and maybe the beginning of great things to come from Mini Hobo.

4195. Purdown AA Battery (40)

Although Daz Cat has been steadily active over the last few weeks, I haven’t been able to find space to post any of his work, such is the volume of new pieces being produced like a relentless incoming tide, one which I welcome of course. I have a few in my folders that I need to share. I keep telling myself that I’ll be able to share them during a quiet period, but I don’t think such a thing exists.

Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2021

This cat piece has been sprayed on one of the square concrete slabs which appear to have been built to protect the store areas around each gun emplacement, and which make splendid canvasses. Featuring a Daz Cat cat, it would seem that the artist has joined the ranks of street art philosophers with the written phrase “Never enough, show me new pathways. More than enough, put me in my place”, which on doing a quick Interweb search looks like it is an original thought. The cat itself in 3/4 aspect is superbly well painted and looks to have taken longer to paint than some of his throw up cats.

4194. St Marks Avenue (11)

In a small lane, largely hidden from the main streets of Easton there is a whole load of street art and graffiti pieces, some of them quite old now, but occasionally new pieces crop up. This is one of those newer pieces, although it might not be that new as it was about six months since my last visit.

Zubyblue, St Marks Avenue, Bristol, December 2021

The artist, Zubyblue, is not known to me and I haven’t seen any of their work before. Often artists who aren’t used to spray painting will have a go on shutters and walls, but the results can be really variable as it is such a different medium to the ones they are used to. Zubyblue seems to have mastered the technique pretty well, and this is a nicely painted toucan with some great tones and touches that hint at an experienced hand. Well worth taking a look if you are in the area.