Tag: Bristol

5622. St Werburghs tunnel (391)

Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023
Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023

Klashwhensober is a force of nature, and his painting is his ‘rock’ in a turbulent environment. Over the last couple of years his work has been leaning towards quantity rather than quality (painting is what makes him happy), but recently I have noticed that that balance has shifted and he is starting to turn out some outstanding pieces, but fewer of them.

Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023
Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023

This is a wonderful and colourful piece at the farm end of the tunnel, spelling out SOBER. The letters each have an individual colour, with quite a lot of blended fills going on. The drop shadow is tidily done and lifts the letters from the wall a little. at the right hand end Klashwhensober has painted a sword, which is cutting into the letters. It looks like Klashwhensober has spent a little bit more time on this piece and has finished it off with care and attention. I like this more focussed approach from Bristol’s most prolific artist.

5621. Elton Street (24)

Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

On the side of the Lost Horizons Arts Centre there are some framed panels which are curated by the Centre, and I think that Bnie has a lot to do with that curation. Most of the panels were refreshed about three weeks ago, and this one from Merny is particularly fun.

Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

Merny says “jelly! Get over it!” – you’ve got to laugh, really. The jelly, which is sitting on a pink plate, is brilliantly painted, demonstrating an understanding of colour, shading and portraying translucence that few artists manage. To do it in his naive style is even more remarkable. Break-out labels finish the piece nicely, a piece which I think combines fun, mischief and talent in equal measure. Jelly – get over it!

5620. River Avon (53)

Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023
Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023

We live in a crazy world. On the one hand there is everything to be excited about, all the beautiful things that our planet has to offer – nature, culture, science, poetry, art, landscape, architecture, sport, friendship and so on, the list is almost endless, and yet, on the other hand I feel stifled by all the horrors that surround us, from wars to disease to the rise of authoritarianism, the grip of advertising, selfishness, profit and greed, that list too is almost endless. My small gesture of kindness to myself is to keep writing this blog, all elements of it, as an antidote to the evil and to bring a little focus on the good things that I am grateful for.

Laic217 among many, many others brings me pleasure and happiness, both on discovering his work and then on recording and writing about it. This is a particularly good one from him on the cycle path between Sparke Evans Park and Temple Meads station.

Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023
Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023

The character, wearing a wooly hat and smoking, has a dark and sinister appearance, cleverly created by the absence of any white in the eyes, which is unsettling. The brilliantly painted skull tattoo adds a little threat and menace. No need to sign this one as it is pure Laic217 at his best, and although his choice of subject might not suit everyone, his mastery of technique is a sight to see.

Mr Underbite

A gallery of wonderful and expressive faces by Bristol’s Mr Underbite.

Instagram: @mr-underbite1

Facebook: Jay D Artworks

All photographs by Scooj

Mr Underbite, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Underbite, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Underbite and Herman Creates, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Underbite and Herman Creates, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2023
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2023
Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2022
Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2022
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2022

Phantom opera

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Nightmare too vivid

heart racing, thorax thumping

light on, reset, calm

.

by Scooj

  • Writing this in the depth of the night to distract myself from the horror of my dreams. Too unsettled to return to sleep.

Happy place

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I am transported

to the dunes where insects buzz

just for a moment

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by Scooj

5617. The Paintworks (6)

RichT, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023
RichT, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023

This piece by RichT completely passed me by. I have no idea whether is is old or new. It is a lesson in looking backwards because I walk past this wall from time to time, but cannot see the face of it when walking from the direction I come from. I think it was the dog that stopped after I had gone past and I caught the piece in my peripheral vision, and of course made a bee line over to it.

RichT, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023
RichT, The Paintworks, Bristol, October 2023

The piece is typically busy and interesting and beautifully presented. The piece is also brilliantly on-topic, with a can of paint character (not a spray can on this occasion) painting a floral design with a paintbrush. The colours are incredibly subtle and the piece has a black and white tinted effect. Some clever work picking out the mortar lines in the brickwork emphasises the sense of place. A great piece, a commission I imagine, and a nice tribute to Elliot.

5616. Sparke Evans Park (84)

Desi, Peggy and Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Desi, Peggy and Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

I don’t know how old this lovely triptych by RBF bedfellows Desi, Peggy and Evey is, but I think it slightly predates the much larger RBF Halloween collaboration just to the left. A rather pleasant appetiser to its immediate neighbour. Desi has adopted her joined up writing for this piece which is neatly and tidily presented.

Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

Desi leads off on the left with another Veil piece using the light blue and yellow colour palette adopted for the collaboration. I have to say that I don’t think the colour combination is an especially good one, looking a little anaemic against the autumn leaf litter in front of it. Desi has some nice horizontal fills and subtle dot details and the 3D drop shadow helps it to pop out from the wall.

Peggy, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Peggy, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

Peggy has made an oblique reference to the colour scheme with the incorporation of a yellow colour in some of her details. The floral display, complete with an eye at the centre of the flower is exactly what you’d expect from Peggy, containing some nice detail in the levels and petals. I don’t know what the letters AIZH stand for, but you can make them out at the base of the piece. Peggy’s work lends itself very well to being the decorative filling between two pieces of graffiti writing.

Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Evey, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

To the right, the effervescent Evey has knocked it out of the park once again. Her letters are nicely thought out and she has reflected the horizontal fill regime in Desi’s work on the other side, and has come up with some decorations in the letters that make them feel substantial without being too busy. More great work from these three who appear to enjoy painting together.

Earthshot Prize

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A King in waiting

lends his voice to the planet

doing the right thing

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by Scooj

The Earthshot Prize looks at solutions to the challenges our planet faces. Five prizes of £1 million are awarded for five years, this being the second year and the award ceremony will be in Singapore.

The shame about this is that the prize has to exist at all. If Governments around the world were serious about getting out of the mess we’re in they would be funding this kind of research and innovation as part of the ‘day job’. I try to lok on the upside though.

Wait a while

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Autumn leaves clinging

yellowing and necrotic

final stubborn stand

.

by Scooj