Tick-tock, regular as clockwork, Hypo keeps turning out new pieces, each of which is a welcome addition to his expanding and improving portfolio. I have definitely seen an improvement in his work in recent months, and although he has been around for a long time, I think he is reaching a new level.
Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2023
Hypo continues to produce pieces with an element of symmetry to them, achieved through shapes and colour schemes. I have seen him use this kind of fill pattern in the past (Upfest 2017), producing what looks like a horizon on a landscape. Another great piece from Hypo.
A little bit about the mechanics of Natural Adventures, which might explain why there is a bit of a time-lag between a piece being painted and that piece being posted on the blog. I would guess that on a typical day I will come across 5–10 pieces of street/graffiti art that are new to me, and all of these go into a monthly folder. I then select from the folder pieces I’d like to feature on the blog and upload them in batches, so that I usually have at least a week’s worth of images ready to go, which gives me time to write the post in the morning before work, or the evening before.
So anything appearing on Natural Adventures will be at least a week old, and often considerably more. In exceptional cases I might fast track something special to the front of the queue, but that is rare. So if you are looking for ‘breaking news’ blog posts here, you are in the wrong place.
Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, May 2023
This is an interesting piece from Daz Cat in a spot that he likes to frequent. The blue cat character, with the yellow top, appears to be casting away an abominable creature with rabbit ears, horns, cat-like claws and a dragon tail – what is that thing? There is lots of movement in the piece, aided by the cream flashes, but its meaning is a little lost on me.
Looking at it again, the creature looks like it is by GYS? And the style is rather different from Daz Cat’s. There is nothing on Instagram that would help me work this out, though.
#DFTE is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment, creating some nice work in his unique and humorous philosophical style. In this piece, he has joined forces with Fishlock to create this vibrant collaboration on the famous curved wall in Dean Lane.
#DFTE and Fishlock, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
In nature, black and yellow colouring often denote danger, not so in this piece where #DFTE has written the phrase, ‘you are not alone’ – a comforting and caring message. The decorations around the writing is by Fishlock and carries several of her favoured motifs. This is an eye-catching piece from the pair, painted during a recent Bristol Mural Collective paint jam.
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, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023
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.
I remember quite clearly the first collaboration I saw between these two artists, and it was also the first time I encountered Hire’s work; it was in Armada place and had a vibrant pink background. That was in April 2017, and both artists have come a long way since then.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the left of the collaboration is a squat HIRE from Hire. There is a softening of the jagged edges he is known for, but other elements of this style are intact, such as the mid-line running through his letters. Two things help this piece stand out, the subtle flame coloured accent lines which give depth to the shadow and the solid white border, so very neat and tidy.
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the right, Laic217 continues his purple patch with this typical skeleton character. As ever, the folds in the fabric of the hoodie and baseball cap are trademark skills that the artist excels at. Interestingly, the skull has an ear, which adds to the intrigue. The piece is brought to life with the red skull badge on the cap, without which the piece simply wouldn’t shout so loudly. This is a fine collaborative wall from the Polish artists.
Laic217 and Hire, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2017
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Bristol artist Sophie Long is a favourite, not only in her home city, but also on the street art festival circuit, so it is no surprise to find a piece by her in Weston-super-Mare for the Weston Wallz project. What is perhaps a little surprising is the scale of the piece, taking up two entire walls of a corner building, occupied by ‘Dolphin Square Kitchen’.
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
On the front of the building, Sophie Long has painted a happy dolphin, some coral and a jellyfish, and this fits very nicely with the restaurant below and the overarching marine theme of the Weston Wallz project, but it is what lurks on the side of the building that I expect will generate most interest.
Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The open-mouthed great white shark looks like it will be making short work of the restaurant branding – or it is targetting the 20 mile an hour sign. The piece is beautifully painted, with the mottled shades of the shark’s skin faithfully reproduced. Another fine piece in a string of amazing festival pieces from Sophie Long.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The Upfest team, through the Weston Wallz project, have secured some of the most commanding walls imaginable, and handing this one to Curtis Hylton was a master stroke of vision and confidence. Rarely will you get such an uninterrupted view of an epic wall like this one, so massive congratulations to all involved
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Many of the murals painted for Weston Wallz carry a marine theme, due to the proximity of the town to the Severn Estuary seaside. In this outstanding piece, Curtis Hylton has painted an eclectic collection of seals, an eel and some freshwater goldfish, with a rather nice starfish thrown in for good measure. The seals and eel have been given the Hylton treatment, incorporating flowers and petals into their form.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
The attention to detail and perfect rendition of wildlife is a gift that few artists have. The goldfish, in particular, are beautifully recreated, although their presence disturbs me a little as a marine biologist, because they are out of place here. I would love to know what Curtis Hylton’s explanation might be.
Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
This statement piece is a triumph and just another reason for the local people of Weston-super-Mare to be super-proud of their town. Outstanding!
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