1662. Upfest 2018 (13)

J. Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
J. Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I really could kick myself sometimes. I never actually got a final picture of this piece by J. Sharples, because I think that I had assumed that I had already got one. The best I have is the feature image of the artist still at work but nearing completion.

J. Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
J. Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

The piece is very similar in style and subject to the fabulous work that he created for Upfest 2017. This time there are two gorillas in bold pink and blue colours in a highly stylised form, and splendid they are too. Always great to see work from this artist.

Jay Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Jay Sharples, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Saying

 

‘There’s enough blue sky

to make a pair of sailor’s

trousers’, gran would say.

 

by Scooj

934. M32 roundabout (43)

Kid Crayon is a busy man at the moment, and seems to really be enjoying his work and his collaborations. This piece was sprayed the day after his rain-interrupted exertions at Upfest 2017. A little bit of decent weather and he creates this fantastic blue face.

Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2017
Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2017

I really like this piece, and two things stand out for me. The first is the crazy eyes – like ping pong balls and an interesting take on the iris. The second is the signature, that looks rather different from ones I have seen before…perhaps he is experimenting with it.

Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2017
Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2017

This is a fun, creative piece that, for me at least, shows Kid Crayon’s enthusiasm for his art. Love it.

Blue

 

Still for a moment,

frenetic journey frozen;

an angel in blue.

 

by Scooj

748. The Bearpit (64)

Right next to the recent Georgie artist stencil ‘citizen of nowhere’ in The Bearpit steps (see previous post), is this magnificent Kid Crayon piece. I cannot tell you how much I love this. It has colour, humour, craziness and a blue face. Something about it reminds me of an upbeat Gaugin crossed with Picasso…know what I mean? With a touch of Jean de Brunhoff (creator of Barbar the elephant).

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017

It is so raw and so good. I will stop there for fear of gushing too much. I like it…you got it?

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017

It is with some disappointment that I am updating this post to report that this and many other great pieces in The Bearpit and elsewhere in Bristol have been tagged and dogged at the end of the Easter break. It is annoying when this happens. I think everyone accepts that it does happen, but it does seem really senseless and damages the reputation of street art and graffiti art in the City.

655. The Bearpit (43)

Only a few days after I had taken the picture of the Decay piece in this exact spot (see previous post), Kid Crayon had overwritten it with one of his trademark faces. In recent times he has moved away from his wheatpastes (which I loved) and his faces, and tends to do more spray work, in particular in collaboration with SPZero76. So it was nice to see him revert, if only for a little while.

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017

Although the piece looks like a wheatpaste, because of the creasing of the lining paper, it is in fact a spray piece. The blue face, great expression and peculiar proportions are what I would expect to see from this growing Bristol artist. More of his collaborative works to come soon.

576. St Werburghs Tunnel (5)

It has been a very long time since I last saw a wheatpaste by Kid Crayon, but thank goodness he has continued his work, albeit concentrating on his wall spraying. This is a reasonably recent piece from St Werberghs Tunnel, in collaboration with a writer I don’t know and can’t decipher.

Kid Crayon, St Werberghs Tunnel, Bristol, December 2016
Kid Crayon, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, December 2016

Kid Crayon is developing and refining his work all the time, but he keeps the bold colours and curious postures/gestures in his characters. The crayon is still there hovering near the character’s mouth, cigarette-like.

Kid Crayon, St Werberghs Tunnel, Bristol, December 2016
Kid Crayon, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, December 2016

Kid Crayon was one of the first street artists in Bristol I became interested in, and I love seeing new works and how he is growing in confidence.

395. M32 Roundabout J3 (16)

On the West side of the M32 roundabout there is a long concrete wall which runs next to a pathway and which reduces in height along its length. About midway along this wall is this magnificent Epok piece.

Epok, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, August 2016
Epok, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, August 2016

So typically Epok wildstyle writing, and a fabulous selection of colours. It really is outstanding in every sense of the word. It is in the part of the wall where the pathway narrows, so it is very difficult to photograph pieces here unless taken from the sides, or using fisheye lenses.

Epok - detail, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, August 2016
Epok – detail, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, August 2016

Epok’s works have lovely simple and clean lines and blends smooth curves with angular shapes to create the EPOK letters. Always pleasurable to see.

Heavenly

 

On days like this one

mortals are elevated

to the height of Gods.

 

by Scooj

Dip dip…

 

A fleeting moment

of blue interrupts standard

British Summer grey.

 

by Scooj