Thursday doors – 26 March 2020

Doors 99 – Dog walk doors

What a week. This is my first Thursday doors post since the lock down was imposed in the UK, and it is a very unsettling and confusing time for us all. Under our rules we are allowed one outing a day for personal exercise, provided we follow all the social distancing rules.

I am alternating my exercise of choice between working on the allotment and walking the dog (in my wildest dreams I never thought that the dog would offer me the means of temporary escape from ‘house arrest’). Yesterday we took a walk down to Stokes Croft and Montpelier and, never one to pass up an opportunity, I photographed some doors.

Just in case you thought this might be irresponsible, I kept my distance from the few people that were out (mostly, like me, exercising in some way), and carried out all the necessary hand washes before leaving and on return home. One observation was that I saw more homeless people on the streets than I saw homed people… I worry about their fate, a group already likely to be more prone to sickness and with nowhere to go to keep clean.

So here are some doors from my exercise dog walk:

Green gates, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Green gates, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Pink door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Pink door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Two doors and a tiled entrance, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, March 2020
Two doors and a tiled entrance, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, March 2020
Garden gate, Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020
Garden gate, Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020
Solicitor's door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2020
Solicitor’s door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2020

 

Well that’s it for this extraordinary week during an extraordinary period in all our lives.

If you have made it this far, you probably like doors and you ought to take a look at the Norm 2.0 blog – the originator of Thursday Doors where there are links to yet more doors in the comments section at the end.

by Scooj

Rainbows

.

Sign of gratitude

to all NHS workers

children show the way

.

by Scooj

.

All over Bristol (and the UK) pictures of rainbows have been appearing in windows to show our amazing NHS workers that we appreciate everything they do for us and support them through this troubling time.

Elvs

A gallery of incredible graffiti writing from DBK artist Elvs

Instagram: @elvs92

All pictures by Scooj

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023

Elvs and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022

Elvs, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022
Elvs, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2020

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2021

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020

Elvs, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2020
Elvs, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2020

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2017
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2017

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019

Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2019

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018

Elvs, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018
Elvs, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2017
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2017

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2016

Elvs, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016
Elvs, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017

2832. Lower Ashley Road (21)

There is a whole shed-load of development going on at this eastern end of Lower Ashley Road, and in fact there are some protestors camping in the three remaining maple trees just behind this hoarding who are fighting to stop the developers from felling them – you can read more about this on the Bristol Tree Forum. For street art photographers, hoardings are usually good news, albeit temporary, but the developments rarely are.

Face 1st, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020
Face 1st, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020

This hoarding wasn’t up for long before the great and the good got to action and Face 1st was always going to make his mark on this inviting opportunity. This is a classsic Face 1st piece with the hair of the smiling girl spelling out FACE. I would think that he can probably paint these with his eyes closed. Always such a pleasure to see his work.

2831. Brunel Way Bridge (30)

From the moment I saw this piece I have had a terrible earworm and as the Coronavirus pandemic has worsened so has the earworm. To avoid the perilous infection don’t read the small writing under the ‘U’ of Subtle.. oh oh, too late… you’ve done it now! This is a cracking and topical piece by Subtle under Brunel Way in one of his favourite spots.

Subtle, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2020
Subtle, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2020

I have seen several Coronavirus-related pieces lately and some are humorous and some less so. It is difficult to know where the lines are in making light of the pandemic – this is uncharted territory. In my view Subtle gets away with it in this piece, mainly because I now he is a great bloke and also it is a rather good piece.

Overwintered

 

Three dazzling peacocks

a spectacular display

spring’s warmth awakens

 

by Scooj

2830. Alfred Street (2)

Not all that long ago I was saying on Natural Adventures that I don’t post enough pieces by T-Rex, so here is a gorgeous winnged dinosaur from her on the recently discovered (by me) Alfred Street wall. There piece is linked with the Aspire piece to the right by incorporating toadstools, and an alien theme.

T-Rex, Alfred Street, Bristol, March 2020
T-Rex, Alfred Street, Bristol, March 2020

T-Rex has absolutely nailed these cartoon-style characters and they appear all over Bristol, often on caravans and vans that people live in dotted about the place. At any one time you are never too far away from one of these dinosaurs. This is an uplifting and happy piece, and I guess we could all do with a bit of happiness in our lives at the moment.

Yesterday, the UK went into lockdown which means that artists shouldn’t be spraying on the streets and I won’t be out taking photographs. This will give me an opportunity to go back through my archives and share with you pieces that deserve to be liberated. Watch this space for pieces going back as far as 2015.

2829. Christmas Steps (2)

Never was a message from #DFTE more apt and more welcome. As we find ourselves thrown into lockdown in the UK due to the Coronavirus pandemic, acts of kindness must be at the front of our minds at all times. For my part, having patience with my family is probably the single biggest challenge, but I must chill out and see the good. My wife and kids are amazing people and we have a chance to reset the dial in these unusual circumstances.

#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020

This is the second piece of street philosophy from #DFTE on Christmas Steps, right at the top (of the lower section). I rather like the fact that another kind soul has slapped a sticker on this framed installation saying ‘you are beautiful’. Bristol street art bringing out the best in us.

Oblivious

 

Nature carries on

without any regard for

human suffering

 

Human suffering

is alleviated by

observing nature

 

by Scooj

2828. M32 cycle path (54)

Ryder has stamped his moniker all over Bristol, either with the letters RYDER or with his ‘R’ character. Because his work is everywhere, it is sometimes difficult to know whether you have already photographed a piece or not, and that was the case with this one on the M32 cycle path. While I might have photographed it, I haven’t posted it until now.

Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2020
Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2020

The obvious thing to comment upon is the dynamic and free-form fill that Ryder has used – not solid, but rather more organic, like the kind of fills you might see from Ugar (what’s happend to him recently?). The whole thing is unusually subtle from Ryder, but look closely and you’ll see that it is a real gem.