6379. Brunel Way (289)

Goldie, Fade, Acer One, Jody and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Goldie, Fade, Acer One, Jody and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

All year long, Dibz and Fade have been decorating this wall with alarming regularity, and they have been joined along the way in their endeavours by Andy Council, Jody and Acer One (amongst others) and this time are joined by Goldie, Acer One and Jody. A production tribute wall to honour the musician and DJ, Randall.

Goldie, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Goldie, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The whole production is very nicely balanced which given the configuration, which starts with a Goldie piece that embroiders the words ‘The R’. This is a really nice dedication and beautifully painted. The colour selection is reflected in the rest of the collaboration. It is always great to see Goldie visiting Bristol for a bit of a paint.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

Fade is next up and he has compressed his piece to accommodate Goldie next to him and support the balance I was talking about earlier. With the orange and turquoise letters, Fade has written the letters ‘DJ’ which are as immaculate as you might expect. Both sets of writing are adorned with flames, which extend for the entire collaboration.

Acer One and Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Acer One and Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The centrepiece is  a shared space with Acer One lettering across the top of an outstanding Jody portrait of DJ Randall. Acer One has written ‘Too hot to handle’ which I am guessing is part of a slogan rhyming with DJ Randall. Not being a music specialist myself, I am unable to shed too much light on the artist or his work.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The Portrait is a faithful and beautifully painted, and certainly a fitting tribute.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The production rounds-off on the right with a wide piece of wildstyle graffiti writing from Dibz. The Turquoise and orange letters spell Randall, so the whole production spells out:

“The R, Too hot to handle, DJ Randall”.

Wonderful stuff from this quintet of talented artists.

6354. Brunel Way (287)

Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The game of hide and seek, hunting down wheatpastes from Abbie Laura Smith, continues with this moody piece on one of the skate ramps under Brunel Way. I really love this one, that offers more than her customary face portrait pieces. In this piece, the attitude and pose of the subject add so much more to the story, proving that body language makes up a large proportion of our signal communications. The drips add so much more to the ink work, creating interest. Still one or two more from this recent batch to come.

6343. Brunel Way (286)

Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

Sait Bare appears to be painting more often, or maybe I am simply seeing his pieces more often, either way, it is great to find his work. This piece took a couple of trips to record, because the first time I saw it, it was incomplete, and I had to return a few days later to see the final rendition.

Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

It is interesing to see, from the work in progress, the layering and sequencing that Sait Bare undertakes in producing his work. This is not the first time that Sait Bare has used this particular design idea of presenting two entirely different colour schemes mashed up together in sections, and thee final effect is stunning, if not a little confusing.

Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024
Sait Bare, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2024

The letters spell SAIT, and while the font is consistent through the piece, the background and fills most definitely are not. So the overall appearance is that one piece has been painted over the other and then half of it ripped down. You need to ask yourself which one was painted over the other? An interesting illusion.

6330. Brunel Way (285)

Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2024
Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2024

I photographed this piece a little while back, in May this year actually, and was lucky enough to meet Pura Decadencia while she was painting. There is something very fulfilling about meeting artists while they are at work, and gaining little insights into their world and inspirations.

Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2024
Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2024

Although this is a classic piece of writing complete with vampire mouth and teeth, I believe it to be the tightest piece I have seen from her yet, with beautifully sharp borders and lines and strong, tidy fills and patterns. I absolutely love it, and can’t understand for the life of me why it has taken me so long to post it.

6316. Brunel Way (284)

Nice One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Nice One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Once you get your eye in with a particular artist, you start to see their work scattered all over the place, as well as digging their stuff out of the archives. Nice One has been painting some great stuff around Bristol in recent months, and I am trying to catch up a little with their work.

Nice One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Nice One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

This column piece under Brunel Way is a fabulous portrait, modestly placed out of the way by the DIY skate park. The pastel shades are difficult to photograph especially in the dappled light, but I think these pictures give some idea of  just how good and different this sketch-like piece is. I am very much looking forward to Nice One becoming a regular contributor to Natural Adventures.

6254. Brunel Way (283)

Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2024
Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2024

I think that this is the last in my recent series of wonderful paste-ups by Abbie Laura Smith – some I found, all of which I have now posted, and some I didn’t. The good news is that I believe Abbie is going to be ‘out and about’ in her words, soon, so that will be a lot of fun trying to hunt them down.

Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2024
Abbie Laura Smith, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2024

This portrait paste-up is notable for its inclusion of a pink/blue/purple colour wash in the subject’s hair. I have a feeling that there might be some concealed writing in the girl’s hair, although I can’t be sure. The portrait is beautifully drawn, and the girl has the faintest sultry look about her. This is a nicely crafted piece, well placed on one of the concrete columns underneath Brunel Way. I have a feeling it might still be there.

6235. Brunel Way (282)

Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

If ever you want an example of the perfect triptych graffiti writing/character portrait piece then look no further than this magnificent piece by Dibz, Jody and Fade underneath Brunel Way bridge. As always, these three have smashed it, and I just don’t know how many more ceilings they can break with their work.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

To the left, Dibz’ writing in black and pink is reflected on the right-hand side by Fade, where their writing is almost becoming indistinguishable except to the most experienced eyes. The key difference is that Fade’s letters tend to be ever so slightly softer than Dibz’. Both have created something special and finished it off with a splash of ‘liquid’ gold running behind the collaboration.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Sitting pretty between the graffiti writing is this outstanding skull painted by Jody. One of the great benefits of Jody joining these writers over the last couple of years is that we get to see so much more of his work on the streets, which I dare say we wouldn’t see so much if he was painting alone. When I see Jody’s work, I am still baffled how he manages to get such extraordinary detail and texture using a spray can. A trio at the top of their game.

6231. Brunel Way (281)

Sorts, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Sorts, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

So, after a rush of high-end Upfest murals, I feel it is time for a switch back to some of the more grounded and authentic street pieces that are rolled out every day for those who choose to find them. This is a really nice piece of writing under Brunel Way, by Sorts.

Sorts, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Sorts, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Sorts presents some nice irregular letters, with a chrome base which are augmented with some really nice pink and purple fill sections decorated with red spots. The whole thing is nicely balanced and works really well. The letters are set on a creative green background with ‘cracks’ painted into it. Great honest stuff from Sorts.

6219. Brunel Way (280)

Nips, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Nips, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

One of the great joys of being a street art hunter and chronicler is the sheer number of endorphin ‘mini-snacks’ one gets exposed to on each exploratory walk. Some artists elicit slightly more excitement than others, and there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for why that might be. One artist whose work I particularly enjoy seeing is Nips, and it feels like there is progression with every new piece.

Nips, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Nips, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

I would say that Nips is a bit of a fills specialist, keeping her general letter shapes constant, while experimenting with colours and patterns in the fills and in that respect, she has excelled in this stunner. Her selection of colours and outstanding designs within the letters is utterly joyful. The whole thing looks rather like a sophisticated wallpaper design, and that is meant as a compliment. Nips continues, I am pleased to say, with her trademark face appearing as the dot of the ‘i’. More endorphins please.

6215. Brunel Way (279)

Acer One, Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

I don’t think that I have ever seen so many production pieces as I have this year. The driving force behind these productions is the Dibz/Fade FUA brotherhood, and they have been oh so busy over the last eighteen months or so. In this full wall piece, they have been joined by Acer One and Jody, and what an amazing piece it is (gone now of course – overpainted by further FUA productions).

Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

The production is bookended by two pieces by Acer One using his highly designed lettering spelling out ACER on the left-hand side and JODY on the right-hand side, thus ensuring that all four artists are named overtly in the production. The writing is painted over a moon/sun icon, and commensurate with the oriental feel of the entire collaboration.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

There is a second set of inner bookends provided by Dibz and Fade, who present their wildstyle writing in a similar style and adopting an identical colour palette and decorations. In terms of painting, these two are brothers from different mothers, and while it is possible to tell the art of one from the other, it is becoming more difficult to do so.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Everything about the production points towards the centrepiece which is provided, as is often the case, by Jody, and he has surpassed even his very high standards with this astonishingly beautiful portrait piece. Jody has been working on this robot/human interface a fair bit lately, and this follows on from his remarkable Upfest piece (not yet posted here). It is the detail in the piece here that is so admirable, the hair and garland, the features of the face, machinery in the neck and patterns on the kimono. The portrait is a fitting climax to the whole production and shown how the coming together of different elements complement one another in perfect balance. Awesome stuff.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024