Rosalita has been smashing it out of the park lately and this new column piece under the M32 is just the latest in a string of fine works she has created in the area. From what I have seen, Rosalita is particularly fond of painting carnival faces which she does on walls but also with the application of makeup on people, which she has a talent for.
Rosalita, M32 Spot, Bristol, December 2020
Rosalita (who often signs her pieces RAW, has nothing to do with the Bristol-based crew Read and Weep, and that the use of the same initials is entirely coincidental) has used the column space perfectly and flooded it with colour and drama. The piece is a little unsettling, with the orange eyes dripping onto the cheeks. Great to see more from Rosalita. Keep it up!
Rezwonk is an artist whose work I simply haven’t seen enough of this year, I guess we have been spoilt previously by the frequency with which he was hitting walls, and it was inevitable that it would slow down at some point. A similar pattern has been shown by Decay, and it is interesting that these two who used to collaborate a lot, haven’t done so for a long while.
Rezwonk, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
This Fabulous piece of graffiti writing in a frosty cold blue (to match the winter temperatures) looks like it was painted n collaboration with a Pekoe piece just to it’s left (coming soon). As well as the technical brilliance of the piece with it’s riveted sections, the prep work has made all the difference with the fully buffed wall in a neutral colour lending support and focus to the writing. A fine piece from Rezer.
It is very difficult for me to keep up with the massive productivity of street/graffiti art in Bristol. As it is, I only post a fraction of the pieces I photograph here on Natural Adventures. The rest go into the archives, which is a real shame but that is how it is. Seasonal pieces, such as this one from Mr Draws are nearly always out of sync because I have a queue of pieces waiting to post – an artefact of the system I use.
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2020
I love this one from Mr Draws – it has a generous and kind spirit about it and manages to convey the moments of Christmas cleverly by incorporating Christmas puddings, lights and a Christmas tree. The letters are sharp, and it looks like Mr Draws has put a lot of love into this one. I only wish I had been able to post it at Christmas, but you’ll have to make do with it now.
The third piece from an outstanding recent paint jam on the long wall at Cumberland Basin that I have posted on Natural Adventures is by Sled One, and features a Raccoon (something that SPZero76 is a specialist in painting) off on its travels.
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020
I saw a little video clip on Sled One’s Instagram feed which had a little raccoon dropping a piece of ice into some water and getting utterly confused when the ice just disappeared like magic… so beyond the poor mammal’s comprehension. I think this piece is a retelling of that little snippet of film through the imaginative lens of Sled One. This surreal piece is rooted in experience and naturally has been painted with supreme expertise. Classic Sled One.
This is the perfect way to end 2020 with a spanking new and rather beautiful mural on the Cheltenham road just before the Arches heading north. The mural is by Alex Lucas and covers the entire wall of what was Flour and Ash but is now a new vegan Mezze bar called Koo Cha
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2020
I had been anticipating the unveiling of this piece for some time as I live nearby and had seen Alex painting it on a large scaffold erected in front of the building. It certainly didn’t disappoint, in fact I think it might be one of my favourite pieces by the illustrator/muralist.
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2020
The cheetahs are absolutely stunning and stand out well on the blue background and the flowers are a beautiful touch that ‘glue’ the whole thing together. We are so lucky in Bristol to have Alex Lucas whose work lights up the city and brings such happiness to its citizens. Bravo Alex, bravo!
It has been an extraordinary year for street art and graffiti in Bristol and around the country. A succession of lockdowns and an extended period of social distancing behaviours haven’t done anything to stem the tide of wonderful artwork and I have had difficulty keeping up with it all. I think this year has been the most productive since I started Natural Adventures almost six years ago. The quality of work has increased too and there has been an influx of artists from the UK and beyond.
Some artists have gone to ground for periods this year, reflecting what had been a troubling time, and work patterns have gone haywire too which will have affected some people’s ability to choose when they can make time for street art. In spite of it all, it has been an outstanding year on Bristol’s streets. Here’s to more in 2021.
On the eve of 2021, it think it is appropriate to post this beautiful piece by Gage Graphics as a way of looking forward to the summer when we can be ourselves once again and figure out what our world looks like. It might not be like it was, but it will surely be better than right now.
Gage Graphics, St Luke’s Road, Bristol, December 2020
This large sunflower mural is one of several on this row of houses that overlook Victoria Park, and represents one of the best ‘free galleries’ in Bristol. Gage Graphics is responsible for several of them. There is something very special about sunflowers, I’m not sure what magic they possess, but I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t marvel at their magnificence. I think that they grow from a seed in such a short time and produce large happy flowers adds to their popularity.
Gage Graphics, St Luke’s Road, Bristol, December 2020
Gage Graphics has captured the majesty of the sunflower perfectly and in addition the services it provides to pollinating insects such as bumblebees. This is an outstanding mural and emblem of hope.
Well, here we have yet another masterclass from Todoaciem from a little while ago. I don’t much care for this tunnel, because there are often some great pieces here, but they are a devil to photograph with the variable light levels. It might be that dusk could be the best time to take pictures at this spot.
Todoaciem, New Stadium Road, Bristol, November 2020
The letters clearly spell out CIEM in an elaborate calligraphy style. I think that what really makes this stand out though is the colour selection of light blue lettering on a pink background with a black 3D shadow and yellow outline. It shouldn’t really work, but it does, and with a touch of class. Yet another brilliant piece of writing from this Spanish artist.
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