1705. St Werburghs tunnel (40)

At one time, maybe two or three years ago, there were new Mr Klue works appearing in the Stokes Croft area on a fairly regular basis. These days they seem to be something of a rarity until a recent spate of his pieces in St Werburghs tunnel.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2018
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2018

This is a wonderful complex abstract piece with what look to me like floating wooden planks drawing the eye to a celestial central vanishing point. It is a clever piece and I find my eyes dancing all around looking at the detail of different sections and trying to work out what is going on. His style really is quite unlike anything else on the streets in Bristol and his return is a most welcome one.

1692. Dean Lane skate park (157)

One of the many spin-off benefits of Upfest is that for some days before and for some days after the festival artists from beyond Bristol leave behind some little extras or souvenirs of their visit. This is one such treat by Katrina Kolk. I actually found out about the artist while researching the Feek post immediately before this one and reading the Dean Lane facebook page which had some images of Katrina Kolk working on this piece.

Katrina Kolk, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Katrina Kolk, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

Katrina Kolk is an Estonian artist who trained at the Tartu Art College and she has a WordPress website which includes a short biography and some of her work. This piece features a unicorn set on a patchwork of colour and abstract shapes. Being on a skate ramp, it is not the easiest to photograph, but her style comes across loud and clear. There is something joyful and free about this piece (and not just because it has a unicorn) which stands out in the skate park. Something fresh and different.

1649. The Bearpit (156)

These are the characteristic swirling whirling abstract patterns created by Bristol artist Run Z. Although I haven’t seen that many of his pieces, they do seem to crop every now and again and they are instantly recognisable as his work.

Run Z, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2018
Run Z, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2018

The works will often follow a colour theme and this one seems to incorporate a green, blue and white palette. There is something of a stained glass window feel to these works and in fact I think the designs would make fabulous windows.

1607. St Werburghs tunnel (31)

You wait for ages to see a piece by Mr Klue, and then two come along at once. I love the style that Mr Klue uses, both his colour selections which are often in these blues and purples and his abstract style.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2018
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2018

I think that this piece is also a very clever bit of writing, although I might be reading too much into it. I think that I can make out the letters KLUE, but it might just be wishful thinking.

1606. The Bearpit (153)

Run Z is a Bristol abstract artist that I have not yet had the fortune to run in to yet and one about whom I know very little. His pieces are very distinct, using bright colours and organic patterns that swirl across the wall.

RunZ, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2018
RunZ, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2018

We are lucky in Bristol to have several specialists in abstract street art like Run Z and I think it all adds to the overall complexion and variety of the Bristol street art scene. I’m on a mission to hunt down more of his work.

1596. St Werburghs tunnel (29)

Another piece from the gathering at St Werburghs at the end of May is by one of my favourite Bristol abstract artists Mr Klue. This work sees the return of the crazy top hat and headless figure with a shirt and very long tie.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2018
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2018

I have always been very struck by the calmness and meditative quality of Mr Klue’s pieces, in part generated by the subtle colour selections but also by the gentle shapes and soft edges. I haven’t seen much from the artist for an absolute age, so seeing this and another one in the tunnel in one visit was really something special.

1540. Upfest 2017 (173)

One of the more academic and mind-blowing pieces at Upfest 2017 was this absolutely stunning classical style piece by Mezla. I managed to catch up with him while he was painting this piece and he said that he was supposed to be using the boards down at Ashton Gate, but that he found the music just a little bit too loud for his liking, so he crossed over the road and found this wall.

Mezla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Mezla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I absolutely love the way he has combined abstract work with some life form, and the subtle shades and colours are perfect. This really is one of my favourites from Upfest 2017 and is so very different from pretty much everything else on display.

Mezla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Mezla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I don’t think I can praise this piece highly enough. His Upfest biography reveals how he started off as a writer but has moved on since.

1522. The Bearpit (149)

Once again I am introducing an artist new to these pages…I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with only two posts a day. Some good work may never see the light of day. This fine abstract piece is by Bristol-based artist Run Z, and it is one of two that I hve spotted in Bristol. I have not been aware of his work before and I think he is reasonably new to the scene.

Run Z, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018
Run Z, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018

There aren’t too many abstract artists on the streets of Bristol, so Run Z is among the elite group that includes Mr Klue and Decay, both of whose work I admire. This piece uses complementary colours in organic swirls, creating an overall effect that is rather pleasing to the eye. If you look close up, it is all a bit raw, but step back and it makes sense. Nice to see something a bit different.

1476. Millpond Street (3)

My understanding is that every now and again, Bristol Drain Services like to give their office building a makeover. They provide the paint and the artists crete something special. This wall which was previously occupied by Kid Crayon and SPZero76 has recently been given an abstract refresh by the fabulous Paul Monsters.

Paul Monsters, Millpond Street, Bristol, May 2018
Paul Monsters, Millpond Street, Bristol, May 2018

His colourful geometric designs are instantly recognisable and can lift any wall, no matter how bland, into the status of artwork. I hope to catch up with Paul in the run up to Upfest 2018, or at the very least at the festival itself, for which he is one of the central organisers.

1447. The Bearpit (136)

Painted in The Bearpit for the Spring Paint Jam, this unusual piece is the work of the versatile Bristol artist Georgie. Georgie is a leading light in bringing street art to the people of Bristol through paint jams and her determination to preserve the notion of legal walls for the many street/graffiti artists in the city.

Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018

This piece itself is a stunning and intricate stencil work, which has been skilfully layered to create rich visual textures as you run your eye across it. Furthermore it is the kind of work that you don’t see enough of in The Bearpit.

Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018

When you take a close look, you can really see all the detailed work that has gone into creating this piece. Hats off to Georgie.