Tag: ASK

2743. M32 Spot (57)

Although Feek and 3Dom like to collaborate, it is not too common these days to find a new piece by these two. What a lovlely surprise then to find this one down at the M32 Spot. This particular board is becoming a bit of a goldmine, especially during this very damp winter we have been having.

Feek and 3Dom, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020
Feek and 3Dom, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020

On the left is a beautiful pencil character  by Feek which appears to have drawn the stunning piece of graffiti writing next to it. 3Dom is an alolrounder who seems to be equally comfortable with graffiti writing as he is with character pieces and abstract pieces, he seems to have it all in his armoury. There is some writing on the piece which reads:

The weight of it was killing me… the warmth of it was keeping me alive.

I’m not too sure if this is a quote or to what it refers, but it feels fairly profound. I like the little shout out to Ryder and Decay, whose collaboration was the previous occupant on this board.

2742. Turbo Island

Oh my goodness, Sled One is literally (almost, figuratively too sort of) on fire at the moment, or at least painting fire, with this bright character toasting a cartoon marshmallow over a hot flame.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

This piece is more contrived than might at first be apparent. The subject is a direct nod to the bonfires that are regularly started on the little ‘green’ on Turbo Island usually by revellers, homeless people or addicts of one sort or another. I think that this is a remarkable piece by Sled One in so many ways. Technically it is brilliant, but equally brilliant is the little story that is unfolding in front of us.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

I don’t really know how it is even possible, but I think this young artist is just getting better and better and I’m not sure he is even close to peaking yet. I hope this purple patch we are seeing from Sled One continues well into the year.

2738. Dean Lane skate park (280)

When Inkie comes back to Bristol, he usually marks his return with a little gift or two, and this one from a recent visit home is an absolute corker. Deliciously clean and sharp, this vibrant INKIE is a classy piece.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020

It is incredible how the colours leap out and slap you in the face, an effect probably exaggerated by the gray day and flat light. It is great to see a little shout out to The Agent, who is one of the longer established street artists in Bristol. Altogether a superb piece. Thank you Inkie.

2732. Armada Place (17)

There seems to be no stopping Sled One at the moment, he is knocking out some outstanding pieces on such a regular basis in Bristol and beyond. This ‘booze hound’ is a beautifully surreal little character, being a fusion of dog parts and a bottle that looks like a poison vessel.

Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, January 2020
Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, January 2020

I don’t know how he does it, especially using spray cans, but his pieces include so much detail and seem to tell such remarkable stories. This little fella could easily be a character illustration from a children’s book. Everything about the piece oozes class and a self-confidence. Mind-boggling really. More recent pieces in the can being lined up for future posts. The coolest.

Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, January 2020
Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, January 2020

2692. St Werburghs tunnel (130)

Wow, I love it when Sled One just pitches up unannounced and then modestly produces his magic like he did in this most recent example in St Werburghs tunnel. The piece features an octopus (what is it about street art and octopi?) sporting a bucket hat and fondly embracing an umbrella, possibly a little too fondly.

Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020
Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020

There is a lot of perspective and movement in the piece, something that Sled One does so well, and he is a master at creating textures and depth with the use of shading. This is yet another crazy (in a good way) piece from the artist, and made all the more remarkable by the fact that he had a fractured wrist and ankle at the time of painting this, a week or so ago. Just brilliant.

2619. Upper York Street (19)

A stunning piece by Ments on a great wall. This whole area is being redeveloped, and I fear that the wall may have already been demolished, which is a real pity because it has hosted some really spectacular art. The reduction in available walls to paint in this area is going to be a bit of a challenge for street/graffiti artists and is a pattern being replicated all over the city. It will be interesting to see if new areas become popular painting spots in the future.

Ments, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2019
Ments, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2019

The piece is so very typical of Ments’ organic style, and this one has a molten metallic feel about it. The letters spell out MENTS (although the T looks like it is missing). I also get a slight sense of the surrealist Yves Tanguy here, or at least the meltinng shapes and shadows reminnd me of his work. A classy and unusual piece.

2559. Upper York Street (17)

Sled One is hitting a bit of a purple patch just at the moment, and his Instagram feed is overflowing with recent pieces from all over the country. This is a reasonably recent collaboration with Ments and is located on a wall that both artists are familiar with.

Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2019
Sled One, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2019

Whether it is graffiti writing or character pieces, Sled One simply knocks it out of the park every time, and his writing in particular seems to embrace so many different styles and techniques. Although you can pretty much always identify the work as his, he has a very broad range of letter shapes and styles and no two pieces are remotely the same, unlike some artists who use the same essential building blocks for every piece. A master at the top of his game.

2557. Wilder Street (37)

I can’t think of a time when Sled One hasn’t been on fire. His work is always of such an exceptionally high standard and not only is it technically brilliant, but he combines that excellence with a fertile imagination and interesting concepts.

Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, October 2019
Sled One, Wilder Street, Bristol, October 2019

This piece on the ‘Where the Wall’ curated area is a beautiful (belated) birthday work for his frequent painting buddy Smak. It gives me a warm feeling to know that these guys pay tribute to each other in this kind of way and reassures me that the street art community is built on friendship and decency. The piece itself is a creative spelling of SMAK and is painted with a fabulous colour palette underpinned by a deep red and a scarlet. What a nice birthday present to get.

P.S. it is my birthday in January… any chance…?

2525. L Dub (5)

It takes the fertile imagination and immense skill of an artist like Sled One to re-imagine a mermaid the wrong way round. I don’t think that too many sailors would fall in love with this beast.

Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, October 2019
Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, October 2019

The underpass at Lawrence Weston (L Dub) has a rather different and more select band of regular artists than those we are used to in town, for example, Sled One, Smak, DJ Perks, Dun Some, DFC and a selection of DBK bombers seem particularly fond of the old place.

Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, October 2019
Sled One, L Dub, Bristol, October 2019

When I finally get round to doing my first piece in public, I think it will be here because it is out of the way and quiet. Probably not until the Spring though. In the mean time it is probably just best to enjoy brilliant work like this from the masters.

2496. St Werburghs

Taking the dog for a walk does have its plus points… just occasionally you walk down a different street – often the dog’s choice – and discover something new. Finding vans with street art is such a sweet pleasure because being mobile, the perception is that seeing them is something of a rarity. Finding a van as beautifully painted as this one by Inkie is a real treat.

Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

Looking a little bit like the Scooby van, the artwork here by Inkie is simply exceptional and features two of his stylized beauties, one on each site of the van, and the hair curls swirling around all over. Great colour combinations and the skill of a brilliant artist make this van highly desirable, I mean who wouldn’t want it, even if only for a day?