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Immersed in birdsong
I’m awash with happiness
cleansed for a new day
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by Scooj
Tag: bird
5380. River Avon (46)
It is difficult to make it through a week without coming across something wild and wonderful from Mote. Not only is he becoming one of Bristol’s most prolific artists, but he is also improving and pushing his boundaries with incredible pace, and I am thoroughly enjoying the journey he is taking us on.
This magnificent bird beast is on the larger side for a Mote creation, but fills the space really well. The face and beak are picked out in red and pink colours, separating them from the rest of the head, in shades of blue and green. The monster has three eyes, each decorated with Mote’s unique take on pupil representation. The decorations are interesting and eradicate any danger of too much solid fill space. This is an attractive piece that adds to the artist’s growing and improving portfolio. Time to see him at a festival or two?
5346. Purdown (59)
More from Mote, who isn’t showing any signs of slowing down at the moment. This piece is another in his series of bird monsters and fits the square concrete slab perfectly. One of the aspects of Mote’s work that I really like is the clarity and crispness. The fills are solid, with nice patterns, and his black borders and details are always sharp. I imagine that there is a perfectionist in there somewhere.
This bird monster has a green bill and pink eyelids, which stand out against the blues and purples of the rest of the bird. Even though it is not so long ago that I published a gallery of his work, I have to keep on my toes with updating it. The production line of pieces continues.
5329. Brunel Way (211)
There is no doubt about it, Mote is in a very rich vein of form, not only with productivity, but also with his series of bird monsters, which appear to have inspired him greatly, and which I must say are rather appealing. I also like the way that Mote has grown the range of formats, from thin columns to squares to landscape orientation.
Mote has drawn on nature itself, recognising the delineation between a bird’s face and the rest of its plumage, more apparent in some species than in others, for example parrots and vultures. There is some interesting fill work in the two halves of green, reversing the drip colours, and some of the drips falling out of the monster’s face and on to the floor. I have loads more to post from Mote, just from June, let alone pieces that are loitering in my archive.
5313. Upfest 2022 (71)
As part of my commitment to posting pieces from Upfest 2022, I am interrupting my normal flow of Bristol street pieces with a sequence of ten artworks from last year’s Upfest, starting with this beautiful design piece from Zoe Power, an artist and muralist from the host city.
I would normally expect Zoe Power to be painting a wall rather than a board, because her work is rather sought after locally, but she did a wonderful job with this square space. Her design is beautiful and really easy on the eye, and she has used blues and pinks that are a tried and tested combination that work well at scale. I believe that Zoe Power is a new mum, and I haven’t seen much of her work on the streets lately, so digging this one out of the archive is a pleasurable experience.
5309. M32 roundabout J3 (483)
I simply can’t keep up, not with Mote and not with any other artists either. Whilst it might sound like a complaint, it is not really a bad thing because it signifies a thriving street art and graffiti writing culture in Bristol… as if we didn’t know that already.
Mote himself, has really been on full throttle lately and this piece on the M32 roundabout is part of his series of bird monsters, that he seems to be particularly keen on at the moment. In these bird pieces, Mote creates a delineation between the face and beak/bill and the rest of the bird, defined by different colour schemes. There is a lot to like about these giant ‘doodles’ and they have become very much a part of the furniture in the city.
5281. Cumberland Basin
After a short pause, Mote has been hitting the streets hard and with larger and ever more complex pieces. This delightful monster, part of as series of ‘birds’, is tucked away in the passageway on the long curved wall at Cumberland Basin.
Mote doesn’t need to sign his work, as it is so distinctive and original, but he tends to do so with a little upturned crown – here in green at the bottom of the piece. The bird monster is in three main colour blocks, which complement each other nicely. Mote rarely uses prime colours, tending to stick with softer pastel shades, creating a more modest offering than some of the artwork in Bristol. Improving with every new piece, Mote is firmly establishing himself on the Bristol street art scene.
Jay
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CHATTA CHATTA CHAK
lateral iridescence
a pause for a drink
Swifts
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The sound I’ve longed for
heralds temperate summer
shrill cries on the breeze
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by Scooj
Black cap
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Exquisite birdsong
attracted my attention
a flycatcher’s call
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by Scooj
Natural adventures 