It is a really long time since I last saw anything new from Moran, so I was very pleased to find this small column piece under the M32. When artists go quiet for months on end, I start to wonder what has happened, have they moved away, started a family, become really busy at work or simply lost their mojo? Sometimes I get to find out, but mostly it remains a mystery.
Morag, Frome Side, Bristol, October 2024
Morag is known for painting faces with a distinctive continuous line that makes up the features, and bold solid fills. The addition of the word ‘twisted’ adds interest and intrigue. This is a nice return to the streets, and I hope to see more before too long, it has been a long wait.
I think that an artist I ought to be more familiar with is Buser, but because I don’t venture out to L Dub all that often, he appears to be completely absent from my radar. I expect I might have photographed his pieces in the past, but not posted them, perhaps not knowing who painted them. Anyhow, this one is an absolute cracker on the Water Company pumping station.
Buser, L Dub, Bristol, October 2024
The combination piece of writing and a Hellboy character works really well on mis wall. The writing spells out BUSER and has been put together with a very pleasing colour palette and is rather classy. I have never watched a Hellboy movie all the way through, they simply don’t grab my attention too much. Perhaps I should give them another go. Great work from Buser, and the first of many pieces on Natural Adventures I hope.
Because I don’t go to L Dub (Lawrence Weston) all that often, there is always something new to look at when I do make it. I had been tipped-off to get myself over to L Dub by DJ Perks, before the heavy rains that were forecast flooded the tunnel, which was just the nudge I needed to go take a look. This fine collaboration from Dun Sum and Hypo on the Water Company building.
Dun Sum, L Dub, Bristol, October, 2024
Dun Sum is unlike any other artist in the Bristol area. His work pretty much always depicts imaginary creatures, which draw on the anatomy of real creatures, giving them credibility over the fantastical. This bug-like character, sitting on a toadstool, is looking rather glum with its large eyes and downturned mouth. The piece is beautifully painted with affection for the character that comes across in the artwork.
Hypo, L Dub, Bristol, October, 2024
Hypo, who has been on fire lately, has come up with this chrome and white piece of graffiti writing that works brilliantly with the contrasting pink background. There is a degree of bilateral symmetry about the piece, especially at the two ends, the ‘H’ and the ‘O’. Hypo has once again smashed it with this piece.
Although this piece by Mr Crawls was painted some time ago and not intended as a Halloween piece, it fits the bill nicely and is serendipitously next in the production line of pieces I have prepared in advance.
Mr Crawls, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
It is incredible how Mr Crawls has become so established and known around Bristol for his character pieces and his collaborations with Mote. This stylised skull piece is a slight departure from Mr Crawl’s customary bird-themed work, but carries so many of the distinguishing features that he has been developing over recent months, such as the recessed eyes, and thin vertical lines, bringing emphasis to certain parts of the piece. Lovely work from Mr Crawls.
Kool Hand, Conrico, Pekoe and The Art of Sok, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
This year, Dean Lane has hosted a whole bunch of Halloween pieces, and this is the largest of the lot. The festive collaboration is from a line up of artists I would never have expected, and I don’t think that they have painted as a foursome together before. Kool Hand, Conrico, Pekoe and the Art of Sok have brought four distinctive styles together in this eclectic celebration.
Kool Hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Kool Hand starts the wall off with one of his customary baseball cap-wearing orangutans, although there is a touch of menace about the ape. Usually Kool Hand’s characters are rather fun, but this one is sinister, with bloodshot eyes missing pupils and a maggot crawling out of its nose. There is nice use of solid tones bringing light and shadow, and hence depth, to the piece.
Conrico, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
I have no idea what is going on in the Conrico piece, but it looks like a werewolf-type character is leaning against a gravestone on which the words “Here lies graveyard shift… a very naughty…” You’ll have to make up the rest yourself. The character is clutching a carved pumpkin and the whole thing is set in a Japanese landscape. Curious and wonderful.
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Next up is a great piece of writing from Pekoe in an altogether lighter style, where each of the letters is painted in an individual design and colour scheme. The ghost forming the letter ‘O’ is the obvious concession to the Halloween theme. Over the last couple of years, Pekoe’s writing has improved immeasurably and her confidence with it… you can sense there is an ease and comfort with the creation of this piece.
The Art of Sok, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024
Finally, something evil from The Art of Sok. I have seen plenty of cartoon characters from the artist, but nothing quite like this. The monster looks like some kind of orc-inspired creature and provides edge to the collaboration. The Art of Sok’s style is so clean and crisp… There is a simplicity in his use of solid fills that betray incredible sophistication and skill, transferring cartoon-book sketches onto full sized walls. All in all a superb and varied collection of Halloween pieces from the quartet.
I first saw this portrait piece from a distance, and couldn’t for life of me think who the artist was and it was only when I got close enough to take some pictures that I could see it was by Bogat, of course. There is a little clue in the central panel of the baseball cap.
Bogat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2024
This is an archetypal cartoon character piece the likes of which you might see anywhere in the UK, what is a little different from Bogat in this one is the speech bubble with the rather unsavoury words “Ya mum smells like prawn cocktail”. And there we have it… subversion, art, expression, talent and fun all plastered up on a small column under the M32. It is what it is all about.
Face 1st and Zake, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
I have an early start tomorrow to catch the right tide, and so am writing this post late last night, after a long day… forgive any incoherence. This is a wonderful collaboration from Face 1st and Zake in the tunnel, which I think was augmented by Chill, but his piece wasn’t there when I photographed the collaboration.
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
The piece on the left is a happy girl laughing face by Face 1st, a classic from the artist. I learned a short while ago that he has moved to Herefordshire, so I expect we won’t be seeing quite so much of his work in the city as we have been used to , but he reassured me that he is not all that far away and will of course visit. He seemed to be very happy with his move, which is a good thing.
Zake, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024
To the right is a fabulous and rather sinister character by Zake, painted in his inimitable style. The light blue shading of the lower surfaces of the face are inspirational, creating an amazing light effect. The pointy nose and large canines point to an evil persona, or at least that is how it comes across. Some great fun from the PWA pair.
Scrapyardspec, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024
I am not too sure where Scrapyardspecs hails from, but he seems to be a regular visitor to Bristol leaving behind occasional characters Painted in his unique style, filling up those awkward spaces, because the versatility of his characters.
Scrapyardspec, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024
This square piece contains a three-eyed variant of Scrapyardspec’s character, painted with the wobbly lines so indicative of his style. the zany character has a wagging tongue, another common feature of his work. All part of the spectrum of street art we are blessed to see in Bristol.
My first thought when I saw this piece was ‘who the hell is Remy’ this was not an artist I was familiar with, but very quickly the style, signature and characters leapt out making it blindingly obvious that it is by Haka. I am not sure who Remy is, but this is a rather lovely tribute to them.
Haka, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
Haka paints an awful lot of characters from children’s picture books and I suspect the characters here are more of the same, but I can’t identify them. The fills and patterns in the letters are rather more elaborate and tidy than I would expect from a Haka piece, and they look really fantastic. This is a lovely piece, full of fun and joy.
These small pieces by Sepr have been lurking on the hoarding on Redcliffe Way for quite a while and have been on my ‘hit list’ for ever, I am glad at last to have photographed them before they have degraded too much or been tagged. I have a feeling that they might have been painted to promote the Bristol Tattoo Convention.
Sepr, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Both of these small pieces resemble samples or examples that tattooists offer their clients. King Cooper refers to an artist called James Cooper, who ran his business Dapper Signs, a sign writing company in Bristol, and who tragically died in 2023 aged 42. He was hugely respected by the urban art community.
Sepr, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, October 2024
Sepr’s second piece on this hoarding is a rather lovely character piece featuring a heart and an apple? With an arrow running through it. A conflation of William Tell and Cupid perhaps. Such simple yet expressive pieces, and both so obviously designed by a tattooist.
Natural adventures 