Bristol rarely gets snow, so this event is noteworthy, it is also worth highlighting that Bristolians have their own word for ‘settling’ (of snow) which is ‘pitching’ so I have used it in this haiku. Walking to work was a pleasure this morning on two counts, firstly the sheer beauty of seeing the world through a different lens and secondly the almost complete absence of cars. It set me thinking how beautiful the world would be with fewer cars on the road, they are a convenient nuisance.
These two have collaborated a few times before and it is always a treat when they do. Somehow the styles of Tasha Bee and Mr Draws complement each other so well. Perhaps it is their love of lots of colour or their soft designs – I don’t know, but they work well together, and both such nice people too.
Tasha Bee, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2019
There is something rather happy about Tasha Bee’s face, perhaps the hint of a smile…an enigmatic smile maybe? This is great to see, as some of her faces seem quite serene or sad even. Not this one. Maybe my eye is distracted a little by the big grin of a Fiva piece which they have painted over.
Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2019
I have said it countless times before, but I make no bones about saying it again, I will never tire of Mr Draw’s work and his relentless productivity. Even when he’s not spraying walls, he is always working on sketches or paintings. The including of an uncertain smilie adds to the charm of this piece. A lovely collaboration.
I am really interested in the evolution of Decay’s work, which seems to have been a focus for him since the beginning of the year. I am used to seeing his trademark black, white, grey and red pieces with concentric layers emanating from the centre. More recently he has been playing with a larger range of colours and trying new ideas. We still get to keep the little character though.
Decay, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2019
I really like this even if it takes a little getting used to, and if you haven’t yet worked it out, it is a piece of writing that clearly spells out DECAY once you get your eye in. Really looking forward to seeing more of this from Decay, and hoping to catch up with him again, it has been a long time since we last met.
You can always be sure that you’re going to get something pretty fun from Angus, and at Upfest 2018 he was playing around with a fusion of mosaics incorporating film/TV characters in a Banksy setting. Clever and engaging stuff.
Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
In this piece, which must have taken days of preparation, Angus presents us with robots (in the place of chimps) from Star Wars, Futurama, Wall-E and one other that I can’t identify and the immortal words ‘laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge’. I rather hope that Banksy approves of this updated variant on his idea…another one made in Bristol.
Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
In terms of scale, Bender, the Futurama robot on the right was about human size – this mosaic was no small undertaking, and this was just one of three (or more?) that Angus worked on at Upfest. Hats off to his lateral thinking and endeavour…a great piece.
Well this is an absolutely extraordinary and highly unusual portrait piece by Bristol-based artist Lee Ellis. I have not seen any of his work before, but that is because I think he is primarily a studio artist and not a street artist.
Lee Ellis, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
I took a look at his work on the Interweb and he has this incredible style that has a touch of menace and darkness about it, but also manages to convey emotions and passion in the subjects. It would be interesting to see what he could do with a proper outdoors wall. Striking work.
This week I thought I’d share a few of the doors I encounter every time I walk to work, with one or two that are set back a little from my main route. Most are from Stokes Croft, arguably the most ‘colourful’ stretch of road in Bristol (which is some achievement let me tell you).
The first two doors are neighbours, one maintained rather better than the other. It is the awnings over these doors that I love, and which are so typical of some of the older houses in Bristol, although many no longer exist at all…War effort?
Door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2019Door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2019
The next three doors are typical of the heavy tagging that goes on in this district. Nearly all of the housing in the area is rented accommodation, and landlords seem to be resigned to the futility of removing the tagging and graffiti – it is an accepted norm here. Having said that, I noticed this week that a couple of buildings have had a makeover and the walls and doors are all freshly painted…a blank canvass?
Door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2019Door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2019Door, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2019
The last door I have meant to include here before but never had the right story to tell with it. As a small enterprise just off Stokes Croft, it fits the bill nicely and rounds off this week’s doors.
Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2024Sled One, Greville Smyth Park, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024Sled One, Coach and Horses, Bristol, March 2024Sled One, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023Sled One, M32 roundbout, Bristol, August 2023Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 20233Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023Sled One, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2023Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022Sled One, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022Sled One, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2022Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2022Sepr and Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristtol, April 2022Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2022Sled One, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2022Ments and Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021Ments and Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2021Sled One, North Street, Bristol, December 2021, Upfest 21,Sled One, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2021Sled One, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021Sled One, St George, Bristol, April 2021Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021Sled One, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2021Sled One, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021Smak and Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, January 2021Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, January 2021Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020Sled One, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2020Sled One, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2020Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2020Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2020Smak, Curtis Hylton, Ments and Sled One, Clift House Road, Bristol, October 2020Curtis Hylton, Ments and Sled One, Clift House Road, Bristol, October 2020Sled One, John Street, Bristol, September 2020Sled One, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020Tom Miller, Smak and Sled One, Nova Scotia, Bristol, July 2020Sled One, Nova Scotia, Bristol, July 2020Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2020Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, July 2020Sled One, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, June 2020Sled One, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2018Sled One, Star and Garter, Bristol, March 2020Sled One and Ments, Star and Garter, Bristol, March 2020Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, January 2020Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2019Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, October 2019Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, October 20193 Dom and Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2019Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, July 2019Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, April 2019Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, April 2019Sled One, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, February 2019Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2018Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019Sled One, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2019Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, December 2018Sled One, Thomas Street, Bristol, October 2018Sled One, Brunel Way Bridge, Bristol, September 2018Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018Sled One and Smak, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016Sled One, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018Sled One, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2017Sled One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Sled One and Epok, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2017Sled One and Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2016Sled One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2017Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017Sled One, Magdalene Place, Bristol, December 2016Ments, Sled One, Epok, Peal, Meds, Wilder Street, Bristol, February 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2017Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2017SledOne, Unity Street, Bristol, September 2016SledOne, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, December 2016Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2016Sled One and Epok, Armada Place, Bristol, June 2016Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2016Sled One, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016Sled One, Moon Street, Bristol, October 2016Sled One, M32, Bristol, July 2016Sled One, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, August 2016Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, August 2016Sled One, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2016Sled One, M32 Roundabout,Bristol, June 2016SledOne, Unity Street, Bristol, June 2016Sled One, St Werberghs, Bristol, May 2016Sled One, Old Bread Street, Bristol, November 2015Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2016Sled One, Ashley Road, Bristol, 15 April 2016Sled One, Old Bread Street, Bristol, November 2015Sled One, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
On yet another completely new wall for Upfest 2018 was this slightly unusual abstract piece from Rob Wass. You had to keep your eyes peeled for this one due to its location down a side street on the main drag between North Street and Ashton Gate.
Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
As yet my mind isn’t fully made up on this one and I really can’t put my finger on my reservation. I think it might have more to do with the aspect of the wall and the pebble dash finish (which must be a nightmare for painters), than it does to do with the piece itself.
Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Over the years, Rob Wass has produced some lovely pieces for Upfest and he has become a firm favourite. I imagine that this one will remain in place for a while because of its accessibility.
Always, always a firm favourite with me are the pop culture stencils by Stephen Quick, a brilliant Bristol artist and Upfest regular. This piece ‘Can stand up, will stand up’ is one of a series of similar pieces that he has created with this character.
Stephen Quick, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
There are several cultural references in the piece, which include the obvious homage to Star Wars, but also there is the sword of He Man and the bracelet (not in this picture) of Wonder Woman. His style is unique and vibrant, and I always look forward to a quick annual catch up at Upfest.
Natural adventures 