From time to time unusual pieces appear in the regular spots in Bristol, unusual not only for the content or subject matter but also for the rarity of the artist’s work. This is a piece from a street artist called Stif or Stiff, who I know absolutely nothing about, but who has hit this Dean Lane wall a couple of times over recent months.
Stiff, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
This piece from January this year features a kind of of robot wasp creature in grey and lime green. Definitely an unusual piece but set out nicely on the black background. I have another more recent piece from the artist which I will try to post soon.
Nothing from Rowdy for a long while and then two posts in close succession, what joy. Rowdy is held in high regard in Bristol. He is a friend of Banksy and one of the early graffiti artists emerging from the Bristol scene in the 1980s. Probably the biggest public impact that he has made is his trademark crocodile which adorns various buildings around the city.
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
This magnificent beast for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days festival is the largest and most prominent piece I have seen by Rowdy since his piece in Stokes Croft that came tumbling down with the demolition of buildings around the Carriageworks.
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
I am very fond of Rowdy’s crocodiles and other crazy creatures and it is fitting that Upfest should honour him with such a large wall, which just happens to be a perfect fit. Wonderful stuff.
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
The giant has awoken. For much of the lockdown period Soker had kept a low profile, with only two or three pieces painted over a very long period. Thankfully that lean time has come to an abrupt end and in the last couple of months Soker has graced us with his presence once again with some superb graffiti writing.
Soker, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2021
This is a lovely piece spelling out SOKEM, a variant of his usual SOKER. So much colour and energy is contained in this piece and it has been painted, as we expect, with consummate expertise. More to come from Soker… when I have a moment.
I love this piece. I have driven past it many times but never stopped to study or photograph it. Had I done so, I would have posted it a long time ago. It is by the magnificent American street artist Muckrock, and I presume was painted during a trip she made to the UK and Bristol in September 2018. I have followed her on Instagram since then and am a big fan of her work, so to finally capture this was a major boon.
Muckrock, West Street, Bristol, July 2021
Painted doors will always find favour with me and this blue tone piece is an absolute beauty. I think it is a portrait of Tina Turner but I can’t be sure, but Muckrock has made sure we all know who the artist is with her name displayed on the singer’s cheeks. Muckrock has such an easy and accessible style but her pieces can be quite challenging. A brilliant artist and one I would love to see back in Bristol again one day.
I first encountered Mind Control’s work at Upfest 2017, and since then, the young artist has been improving steadily. Much of his work is themed around animal rights and this piece aligns to what is obviously a strong motivation for the artist. His perseverance and hard work has been rewarded with this Tobacco Factory spot for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days event.
Mind Control, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21
The piece itself feels a little bit threatening and menacing with a masked and hooded hunt saboteur set in front of a stark background with barbed wire strung across it. Two foxes feature in the piece, presumably freed or protected by the character. This is a piece full of passion and not a little anger and it comes across in the colours, style and subject matter. Rather different from the more mainstream fare we have been used to seeing from Upfest this year.
I knew about this stunning piece by Nightwayss quite some time ago, but couldn’t get my head around where it was exactly. When I did eventually drive past it, I had one of those ‘of course’ moments, and really should have known. The main thing is that I found it and it looks as good as new.
Nightways, Belle Vue Road, Bristol, July 2021
Nightwayss has been smashing it regularly for the last few months and demonstrating his versatility. He appears to really enjoy painting with his PWA crew mates and his style has stretched in all sorts of directions. This piece has a Japanese manga cartoon feel to it, with the grinning cat and rabbit influenced by Japanese culture – Pokemon maybe. The piece is bright and clean and loads of fun and there is a distinct lack of monkeys.
I have written this week’s post in advance, because my mind will be otherwise occupied today preparing for a short break from work. Talking of breaks, this is the second post of Thursday doors from a mini-break my wife, daughter, dog and I shared in July during the short heatwave that (at the time of writing) seems a lifetime ago.
Lyme Regis is a curious town trying to satisfy a dual personality as a fine destination at the heart of the famous Jurassic Coast, and a rather overcrowded south coast beach opportunity for grockles. Much of the town appears to be geared towards the latter and their desires for fish and chips and ice cream. Step back into the past, and the doors tell you much more about the history of the place.
Here we go:
Two doors on the Guildhall, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021Archway to the theatre and door, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021Gate and public footpath to the River Lim, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021Pink beech hut door, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021Take your pick of doors, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021Wonky pub door, Lyme Regis, Dorset, July 2021
That just about wraps things up for another week, part three of Lyme Regis doors will follow soon.
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.
I think that one of the spin-off benefits of the Upfest 2021 75×75 event has been that I have spent a whole lot more time in Bedminster this summer than I normally would, and in doing so have come across a few gems, like this one by Andy Council, that I might not have ordinarily seen.
Andy Council, Chessel Street, Bristol, July 2021
This piece, which I assume is a commission, features a robin red-breast made up of multiple components stitched together with pink cord. This stitching theme is one that Andy Council has been working on a lot over the past couple of years and seems to have superseded his architectural blocks for which he is most famous. The sketch of this piece on his Instagram feed has a slightly better proportioned neck on the Robin, but I am perhaps being a bit picky. A wonderful little piece.
Natural adventures 