Surrounded by seeds
and overwhelmed by the choice;
from small beginnings…
by Scooj
Surrounded by seeds
and overwhelmed by the choice;
from small beginnings…
by Scooj
This picture was taken in October 2015, and the wall has since been refreshed by Deamze, and featured here a few weeks ago. It has taken me a while to work out who this fine triptych was by; I think I have it now.

The face in the centre is by Voyder, a sensationally good street artist in Bristol, and it really draws the viewer in. It looks like the left hand side wildstyle is by Soker, although I cannot be certain.

The right hand side is by Deamze I think. The three elements together have a lovely symmetry, but for me the face wearing ski goggles? wins the day for me. I’m glad I captured it before it disappeared.
It was an accident of fate that took me to this encounter yesterday. I spent my lunch break walking to the Post Office in the Galleries, and then nipped into M&S for sandwiches…a treat I don’t usually afford myself. I intended to return to work, but thought I was so close to The Bearpit, I would just see if there was anything new.
Better than that…a graffiti artist was spraying in one of the tunnels. The colours of paint on his trousers pretty much gave him away – red, grey, white and black – I approached him and asked “excuse me, but are you Decay“. Not a phrase I use often. It was, and we struck up a conversation.
Decay has only recently moved to Bristol, but it would explain the proliferation of his work around the place. I asked if he would be at Upfest 2016, and indeed he will. I will look him out. Finally I asked if he would mind if I took some pictures, and he said it was fine, but not the face. The whole experience was a bit ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’, a Banksy film I thoroughly recommend.
My first real contact with an artist in action. A good day, which only got better, as on my way home I spotted Alex Lucas working on a commission, and chatted with her too…more on that in a future post.

Happy.
Exposed and damp, these
stinking stairways under the
stars; undignified.
by Scooj

A beautiful sunny day in November 2015 treated me to some fabulous walls that still sustain me now. This is a well worked collaboration by Feek and Soker on the side of the Manor Scrap Company, and opposite the playgrounds of the Hannah Moore Primary School. It also appears that Deamze might have had a hand in this too.

The characters either side of the wildstyle are by Feek, and you can read the lettering ‘Sokem’ by Soker. I don’t yet know why all his wildstyle burners say Sokem and not Soker. I guess it is a bit like Deamze writing Deam, Deams or Deamze…they probably do it because they can.

I like the slightly unsettling clown and bumper car rider in this piece…there is something menacing about them. Probably not ideal opposite a school, but hey, that’s how it is.
7.5/10
Some time ago, when I was strolling around the back streets of St Pauls and Montpelier I came across this really unusual wall by Jack Dones, who is one part of the Paintsmiths, although I think he painted this as a solo piece.

It is a very clever and rather touching idea and very different from most of the street art in Bristol. It is a well known image, but I’m not sure how many people know where it is as it is a bit off the beaten track. I would have liked to seen it in its pristine condition, but I came rather late to the party.

7/10
It is a strange thing with hunting down street art that you can be completely ignorant of a particular artist, and then within a few days see several of their works. One such artist is Laic 217 who I featured for the first time on 31 March 2016. Earlier this week I spotted another of his pieces in the skate park in Dean Lane.

What I like about these is the character within the burner that seems to be common to his works, and the colours he uses.

I look forward to finding more of his stuff, especially as I now know where to look.
7/10
Ninja skulks indoors
while three new cats infringe on
her territory.
by Scooj
I am still coming across street art that was created during Upfest 2015, and on my walk yesterday I found this wonderful piece by Gemma Compton.

Compton is an artist and fashion designer who is based in Bristol, and another graduate from UWE (University of the West of England). A lot of her work incorporates wildlife and birds in particular. She has an interesting website that shows off her extensive work. Street art is clearly not her main focus, which is a pity, as this is rather good.
7/10
It was a gorgeous sunny day yesterday, and now that I am back in work after the holidays, I couldn’t wait to escape for a long lunchtime walk. I was rewarded with some new street art that I haven’t seen before. This cheeky piece is by the ubiquitous Cheo – I knew he had recently been busy from his Instagram account, but wasn’t sure where this work was.

I think it might be called ‘gorilla gubbins’, although that might just be a label he gave it.

This particular wall has changed at least three times in the last 6 months or so, and it will change again during Upfest 2016, which I am getting rather excited about. I have pictures of two other works on this wall.

I love the bad gorilla smoking a cigar. I think the piece is only a few days old.
7/10