6770. Cumberland Basin

Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025

Mr Crawls has been having a productive and creative winter, turning out a suite of stylised cartoon character birds. This one is accompanied by some monolithic letters ‘NS’? I don’t know what the letters are all about, but he has incorporated them skilfully.

Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025
Mr Crawls, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025

The skeleton bird design is one that Mr Crawls has used before and to be honest is a little bit sinister, not his usual cheery bird representation. There is a lot to like about mr crawls’ work at the moment, and his expanding repertoire keeps things interesting.

6769. River Avon (78)

Sub, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025
Sub, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025

Alas, we leave France today, our skiing adventure over for at least another year, but it will be good to get home and reunite with our son who has returned from his travels in Thailand. I haven’t left myself much time to write today’s posts, as we have an early transfer down the mountain to Chamberis airport. I will start with this piece from the ever-improving Sub.

Sub, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025
Sub, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025

Big bold black letters (only three of them) have customary deep drop shadows in grey, creating a chunkiness Sub specialises in. Some random pink splatters break up the large black surfaces. A wispy blue background finishes the piece nicely, with a few subtle spots mixed in. Sub is a very busy boy.

6768. Peel Street Green (37)

Hemper, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2025
Hemper, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2025

Hemper continues with his odyssey through various styles and ideas, so much so that I am beginning to wonder whether some of his new pieces can possibly be by him, such as this curious combination piece in Peel Street Green.

Hemper, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2025
Hemper, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2025

It looks like there is a message here ‘open your mind’ and perhaps that is a mantra he is working with currently. The letters are in the style of the monster energy drink logo, and the character looks like he has been drinking a little too much of it. It is so refreshing to see Hemper pushing so many boundaries, not only creatively, but also energetically. A wonderful and weird piece.

6767. Cumberland Basin

Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025
Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025

This is a rather unusual piece by Zake and although his characters are very much his style, they are unlike anything I have seen him paint before. They were painted as part of a World Wall Stylers paint jam in Cumberland Basin and the theme was the film Space Jam. These three fellows are Nerdluck characters… don’t ask because I don’t know.

Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025
Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2025

The dark background and dark colours are most un-Zake-like, and show his skills in a different light, figuratively and literally. Lots of under-lighting in light blue and light shading from above bring out some great depth in the characters. Unusual piece from Zake.

6766. Warminster Road

Unknown artist, Warminster Road, Bristol, February 2025
Unknown artist, Warminster Road, Bristol, February 2025

I went on a mini exploration in the St Werburghs area a couple of weeks back and found this unsigned mural near the back entrance of a primary school. I have no idea who the artist is, but have to wonder whether it is by a parent or teacher from the school.

Unknown artist, Warminster Road, Bristol, February 2025
Unknown artist, Warminster Road, Bristol, February 2025

The mural features mirror image female portrait pieces, each wearing a wolf’s head as if they were some kind of pagan costumes. The portraits are black and white and the headdresses subtlety colourful. I wonder if there is some meaning or symbolism in the piece, which looks like it might have been around for some while. If you don’t look for things, you are unlikely to find them. I am glad I had my eyes open when I went on this particular exploration.

6765. M32 roundabout J3 (657)

Lis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2025
Lis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2025

By now, I would hope that most readers are becoming familiar with the artwork of Lis (Le Imposter Designs). Her pieces have figuratively ‘mushroomed’ all over the city and her work is becoming better known, an accolade which she has achieved in a relatively short time.

Lis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2025
Lis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2025

Lis has combined painting techniques in this impressive piece, using spray paint to create the body of the toadstool and the thick border, stencils for the stars, and fine line marker pens for the detail. Altogether a very ‘Lis’ kind of piece.

6764. Sparke Evans Park (124)

Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025

I have a feeling that this might be Lupa’s most sophisticated I have seen to date. Her familiar letters are given the solid fill treatment, with some decorative cracks. This is augmented with some circular patterns and accent lines placed in all the right places.

Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025
Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2025

I have said it before that there is an authenticity to Lupa’s work that forgives the rough edges of her style. Big letters from a big personality, and something about her work that always makes me smile. Looking forward to loads more from Lupa in 2025.

6763. Ikea

Zake and Soap, Ikea, Bristol, January 2025
Zake and Soap, Ikea, Bristol, January 2025

Three artists have come together to paint this wall, but I am not sure who one of them is. Zake and Soap are obvious candidates but I don’t know who painted the boat and sea. I fear I ought to do a little more research, but am short of time.

Zake and Soap, Ikea, Bristol, January 2025
Zake and Soap, Ikea, Bristol, January 2025

Zake has painted a ‘standard’ face with a big expression and plenty of shading which provides depth and character to the portrait. The way the face appears in the sky makes me feel like it could be a sun character. Soap has painted some beautiful letters, where the ‘O’ is a character from Adventure Time, or some other animation of that genre, which seems to be something he really enjoys including in his work. Nice work from the PWA crew.

6762. St Werburghs tunnel (479)

Goober and Maes, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2025
Goober and Maes, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2025

As you will know, I am on holiday. Writing posts can be a challenge while away. Routines are disrupted and inevitably trying to snatch a moment to write posts can be tricky. I am writing this after a long day of skiing, in preparation for tomorrow when I will be skiing… get the picture? This piece is a nice collaboration from Goober and Maes.

Goober and Maes, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2025
Goober and Maes, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2025

I have not posted much from either artist, but have plenty of their work, particularly from Maes in my archive. The collaboration works well, with Goober’s superb exploitation of the ‘OO’ opportunity, and some particularly imaginative letter shapes from Maes, whose work is on a huge improvement trajectory. Looking forward to posting more from both artists.

6761. St Werburghs tunnel (478)

Hemper and Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025
Hemper and Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025

Hemper and Hypo have been smashing it recently, and this is a wonderful recent collaboration in the tunnel. I fear that while I am away in France I will be missing a whole bunch of their work.

Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025
Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025

Hemper, like Kid Krishna, has had something of a lifestyle change and has come out of it all guns blazing. This is a combination piece of writing and little blue characters, which might have been a joint effort from both artists. Vibrant and energetic.

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2025

After a quiet January, Hypo too has been in outstanding form through February and this is yet another fine piece from him, with great colour transitions and his familiar  HYPO moniker. An outstanding collaboration.