It would appear that 3Dom ‘owns’ this spot in Sevier Street, opposite the Better Food supermarket, as there has been one of his pieces here for a very long time and which has been left untagged and respected. The refresh is a showcase of just how skilled and creative 3Dom is.
3Dom, Sevier Street, Bristol, April 2024
It is difficult to be sure what the story to this magnificent piece is, but you can be sure there is a story. Often 3Dom’s work conveys a deep sense of loss for the natural world and I get that kind of vibe here. The character, a surreal portrayal with a large green head and single eye, is gently holding a fragile planet Earth on the end of a stick, while sitting on the folds of a hole in the universal vista. The paintwork and finishing is utterly awesome, although the unfolding story leaves me with a rather sad and wistful feeling.
One of the things I love about street and graffiti art is that much of it captures the mood of the times we live in and reflects local or world events back to us, often with a political message or commentary. Wars receive a great deal of attention, for example the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a spate of passionate and moving street art (Gallery to come on this one). Now we are seeing a proliferation of pieces representing the horrors unfolding in Palestine and Gaza.
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, November 2023
3Dom, has painted a rather grim piece that represents the inequity and imbalance that is at play in the war on Hamas by Israel. The piece suggests that the USA and UK are complicit in the Israeli bombing of Gaza, and cleverly conveys the confined nature of the Gaza strip. What is happening in Gaza is beyond comprehension and reaffirms my view that nationalism, whipped up by dictators and fanatics (drunk with power), is an evil thing. Well done 3Dom for visually articulating the horror of this war so well.
3Dom and Goldie, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2023
It is not often that I receive a tip-off in advance of a paint jam, but I was fortunate to receive one for this coming together in St Werburghs Tunnel on 31 August, which included Inkie and Goldie, alongside a star-studded line-up of Bristol artists.
3Dom and Goldie, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2023
By the time I got to the paint jam, 3Dom had taken a break from his wasp piece, but Goldie was still beavering away. It is always a bit of a treat when Goldie comes to town, not only to see his pieces, but because his presence tends to be a catalyst or focal point for the big names to come out and play together.
3Dom and Goldie, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2023
Not only was the tunnel full of activity from the artists, but it was great to catch up with the likes of Paul H and DJ Perks (who I had run in to on three consecutive days – which never happens), who, like me, were there to enjoy watching the artists at work.
3Dom, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2023
I have paired up 3Dom’s and Goldie’s pieces because there is some interaction between the two, and it seemed logical. The wasp character is so 3Dom, if that makes any sense at all, being full of creative fun and perfectly finished. The wasp’s abdomen appears to have a transparent quality, and the wing, complete with vessels, is well observed. Quite what the green ghosts/spirits are all about I am not sure, but they add o the overall story in the piece.
Goldie, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2023
Goldie is not only famous for his music, but also for being one of the early graffiti writers in the UK, in Wolverhampton in the 1980s. This piece in quite an unusual writing style spells out Goldie, in large and small letters, with a fabulous ‘panelled’ 3D drop shadow, providing a bit of depth. In the background are some references to a Japanese landscape, and there are some more of 3Dom’s wispy ghosts. What a privilege to watch these guys at work.
Not long ago, this wall which had a lovely piece by 3Dom, was severely tagged, and so he has returned to re paint it. To be fair that last one had been there for quite some time and a refresh was long overdue.
3Dom, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2023
There is always a lot to like about 3Dom’s work, not only in his brilliant painting skills, but also in the strong messages of peace and equilibrium for our planet and people. A deep thinker who wants the world to be a better place. In this piece, a sun-like character is meditating, perhaps hoping for a bright future. This is yet another stunning piece from one of Bristol’s very best.
3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
We have some very special artists in Bristol, and two of the very best are 3Dom and Sled one, and every once in a while these two combine to do something completely amazing. They like to refer to themselves when they paint something like this as the hi-vis crew, becoming invisible when they wear official-looking high visibility clothing.
3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023
I was lucky enough to be passing when these two were still painting these pieces, and it was in fact the first time I have met 3Dom properly, and I have to say what an absolutely lovely bloke he is. These arches have had some fantastic pieces painted on them over the years, and 3Dom and Sled One are continuing that great tradition. I fear that it won’t be too long before the authorities clamp down on painting this wall, but until such time we can only enjoy it.
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
Both artists have a surreal and fantastical approach to their artwork, which in many cases it is probably best not to try and interpret. 3Dom presents a character whose head is made of a balloon filled with water and a couple of fish that might be the character’s eyes and a syringe that forms the mouth. The target and fez are details that add intrigue. Upside-down clouds and a cityscape round off the piece nicely. Brilliant.
Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
Sled One has created a portrait piece of a woman smoking a cigarette. Her skin, however, has been stripped away from the middle third of her face, exposing a cartoon-style skull. This is without doubt one of the odder pieces that Sled One has painted, but is certainly arresting and powerful. Also brilliant.
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023
If you ever wondered how these artists reach the higher bits of a wall, here is the answer. A perfect collaborative wall from the masters.
3Dom, Soker, Sepr and Epok, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2021
How, oh how, did I manage to overlook this piece for posting? I surprise myself when trawling through my archives and I find stuff like this, and it is also quite a pleasurable experience, because it gives me the perfect excuse to talk about some outstanding artwork. This long wall is a collaboration masterclass from 3Dom, Soker, Sepr and Epok which dates back to February 2021 (actually that is when I took the pictures, I think the artwork had been there for some time already).
3Dom, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2021
First up is this amazing character piece from 3Dom, featuring an unicyclist juggling bombs, with his arms weighed down with lead wights, and avoiding landmines. I imagine that this is a metaphor for the tightrope we are navigating as individuals, as a nation and as humanity itself. At least this is how I read it. As we would expect, it is beautifully painted.
Soker, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2021
The second piece is some incredibly tight graffiti writing from Soker, one of the very best writers around. It is especially gratifying to dig this piece out from the archives, because he is going through a rather quiet period at the moment.
Sepr, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2021
Next up is the magnificent Sepr with a whole story unfolding. Aliens in a spaceship are trying to drag a cow into the sky, but finding the going difficult. The aliens are contacting their base with the words, “Easton… we have a problem” – a local corruption of the famous quote. Brilliant and witty.
Epok, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2021
Finally, we have something of a rarity, an amazing piece of writing from Epok. I can’t think when I last saw a new piece from Epok, but this must have been one of his last in Bristol. I hope that the break in his productivity will at some point come to an end and that he will once again bless us with his unique geometric designs. What a collaboration, and what a wait.
Instantly, my first thought when I look at this piece is that 3Dom has signed it @mike22inks, which is his Instagram handle. Is this in an effort to be more overt in gaining commissions? At the moment, with Bristol City Council (supposedly) clamping down on illegal walls, it might be that some of the more established artists are looking to continue their craft with commissions and permitted walls. Who knows?
3Dom, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2023
The piece itself, at the end of the Lost Horizons building, is a beautifully illustrated social commentary piece, possibly titled “It’s a Trap”. On his Instagram post, 3Dom included the hashtag #cashlesssociety. The TV/monitor character is animated with crustacean legs and is dangling an angler fish-like lure rather menacingly, enticing victims into the toothy mouth. Lots of things going on in this fabulous piece.
3Dom and Sepr, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2023
I really haven’t seen enough from these two of late. I guess that both of them are pretty busy with real life, and that happens, but it means that the class they both bring to the streets of Bristol is missed. This collaboration from 3Dom and Sepr also included the beautiful FOIS writing from Kleiner Shames (already posted).
3Dom, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2023
On the left is a superb example of 3Dom’s superb writing style, including an eye character that looks to have dropped from the sky. There is a fluidity and confidence that oozes from 3Dom’s work, and just by looking at it, you can tell that it has been crafted by a master at the top of his game.
Sepr, Coach and Horses, Bristol, February 2023
Sepr brings with his some of the best character work in the city/country. His unique style is instantly recognisable and more often than not humorous. In this piece, a skeleton is out walking his skeleton dog, who has run off, pulling his forearm away with him. Great fun. A measure of the quality of this piece is the care and attention given to the bead lead, which in close-up is meticulously painted. What a great collaborative wall, well worth a look.
As I mentioned last week in a post featuring Acer One’s tribute to Dring (a friend to many in the Bristol street art community) there would be other tribute pieces out there, and this one is of them, by 3Dom.
3Dom, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022
It feels like an age since I last posted anything by 3Dom, so I am assuming that he must be busy with ‘real life’ at the moment, but he has managed to find time to paint this beautifully crafted tribute. The letters are stunningly presented, with an atmospheric fill, all topped off with a bright yellow star on the ‘i’. It feels like Dring will be sorely missed.
Eyesaw, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022
I was not aware of Eyesaw until Upfest this year, where he painted at least two and possibly three pieces over the festival period. I have not posted those yet, but this piece from the subsequent Cheltenham Paint Festival, is typical of his style.
Eyesaw, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022
Eyesaw’s works are painted with the colours and blur of 3D pictures, and to date I haven’t tested them with the blue and red specs that you get from time to time, because I haven’t got any (note to self – get some 3D specs). This one is of a tiger flexing its muscles. The designs are clever, but are slightly lost on me without knowing for certain that they work.
Natural adventures 