Tag: Black and White

7112. Boiling Wells Lane (3)

Hemper, Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, August 2025
Hemper, Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, August 2025

The tunnel, under the railway, at Boiling Wells Lane is usually pretty useless for graffiti, more commonly used for throw ups and tagging than serious artworks, but some new pieces from Hemper and friends have rather upgraded this spot, and I wonder if it will encourage others to paint there a little more.

Hemper, Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, August 2025
Hemper, Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, August 2025

Hemper has arisen from his mini-slumber for the last month or so and started producing these slimline ‘Hems’ pieces of which this is an absolute cracker. The black and white letters, portraying local scenes of trains and caravans, and full of mischievous characters, contrast superbly with the quilt-like patchwork of colourful patterns surrounding the piece. This is masterful work from one of the very best writers in the country.

7076. Brunel Way (325)

Scrapyardspec, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025
Scrapyardspec, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025

This is something the same, but also a little different from Scrapyardspec under Brunel Way. He has used a buffed pillar (a crazy scheme devised by Bristol City Council to eradicate graffiti, which only serves to create nice clean new ‘canvasses’) to act as a solid backdrop to one of his wobbly characters.

Scrapyardspec, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025
Scrapyardspec, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025

Instead of filling the piece with colour, like all of his other pieces, he has gone for a simple white fill which works so well against the grey. The piece is clean and almost looks like a giant sticker, rather than a painted piece. Scrapyardspec has injected some great creativity into his standard character.

6555. Frome Side (44)

Astrea, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Astrea, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

Astrea is finding her feet in the Bristol street art scene and has been developing at pace. The first time I encountered her work was on a hot summer’s day in Muriel Alleyway for the mini street art festival organised by Rtiiika. Now her work can even be found in the difficult-to-access Frome Side spot, underneath the M32.

Astrea, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Astrea, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

Astrea’s abstract designs in black and white, remind me a little of Prince’s squiggle, when he was represented by a symbol. This column piece is imaginative, and although her finishing needs a little work, she has painted a fairly intricate pattern. My eye keeps getting drawn to the lower right-hand side of the piece where one of the squiggles looks a little bit like a dancing figure. It is so good to see Astrea getting out and and about practising her artwork.

6346. Cumberland Basin

Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

In my view, wheatpasting is a much underrated branch of street art, perhaps because the artwork itself is usually created in a studio and the street art bit comes into the placement of the piece. I, however, embrace the art form because it is often quite meaningful or challenging, and the skill of placement is as significant as the art itself.

Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
Abbie Laura Smith, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

Abbie Laura Smith is Bristol’s only active wheatpaster at present, so when she releases a batch of her work, it is always an exciting time trying to track them down. This is classic Abbie Laura Smith… a black and white portrait of a woman (slightly moody) with long, flowing hair. The piece almost looks like a woodcut, although I think it is an ink drawing. I’ll need to find out more about her technique. I can comment on the composition, though, which I think is wonderful. More from this batch to come.

6342. Cumberland Basin

#DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
#DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

There is a charm and a simplicity to #DFTE’s philosophical musings, which have grown from small framed installation art pieces to these large full-scale wall street art graffiti writing pieces. Throughout, he has never lost or compromised his ‘house font’, which identifies his work so specifically.

#DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
#DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

Black and white pieces always make an impact, and this one is no exception. The words spell out the phrase “You are already perfect”. Kindness at its simplest and best. Often less is more when composing messages, and this one lands with grace and impact. The drips from the letters create an accidental (or intentional) 3D drop shadow. Another wonderful piece to enjoy from #DFTE

5713. Elton Street (27)

Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

I am not sure that I have come across Prefab77 before, but as a massive fan of the North East band Prefab Sprout, I can’t help liking this artist simply because of his name. In addition to this large piece in Elton Street, Prefab77 also left a smaller one in Leonard Lane, perhaps during a single visit to Bristol.

Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

The black and white piece is really clever, looking like a collage of words and images stuck to the wall. It is actually a composite of stencils to create this ‘scrapbook’ appearance. A busy piece with lots to look at, Prerfab77 has brought us something rather special.

3961. M32 Cycle path (142)

Another debut on Natural Adventures in 2021, this time from Chill. It would be interesting to look back on 2021 and look at how many artists appeared on these pages for the first time, and which artists featured the most. Perhaps a little New Year exercise for me to do.

Chill, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021
Chill, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021

I know nothing about the artist, but I absolutely love this black and white cartoon trio of characters, painted in a very Beano/Dandy/Viz kind of style. Loads of mischief and fun and really tight artwork. There is a simplicity and symmetry to the piece that makes it so easy to enjoy. I really ought to do a little more research to find out more about the artist. Maybe if I find another Chill piece.

3215. John Street (4)

Kosc is and artist whose black and white portraits are in complete contrast with his other street art work that goes under a different name. He keeps these personas separate and I respect that and will do the same. This is the fourth archway piece that I have posted from this amazing street gallery in John Street. If you live in Bristol, it really is worth seeking out.

Kosc, John Street, Bristol, September 2020
Kosc, John Street, Bristol, September 2020

The portrait (thank you Paul) is of an Australian gangster called De Gracy who was picked up by police in Sydney and his mugshot photograph taken, alongside another gangster called Edward Dalton. I guess Kosc chose this portrait because it works well with light and dark shades and shows off his skills. This is a striking addition to the Archways in John Street.