Character – Page 33 – Natural adventures

5687. St Werburghs tunnel (391)

Zaenone, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2023

I think I might have to revisit my archives, because I have only recently become aware of the great work of Zaenone, but am told that he has painted in Bristol before. Perhaps I photographed but didn’t post his work because I didn’t know who he was – a little job for me over the Christmas break, maybe.

This is a lovely crisp and clean piece of writing, superbly presented on a yellow, grey and black background. I think that sometimes backgrounds are underrated, but they can make or break a piece, so thought is needed, and it is obvious that Zaenone has thought about this one. The letter fills and transitions are beautifully done and not overcomplicated or busy. I haven’t seen enough pieces by Zaenone to know whether he always incorporates ‘bookend’ characters, but in the two pieces I have seen, he has, and they are a unique and fun contribution, which really makes his work stand out. Looking forward to more from him in Bristol.

5674. Dean Lane skate park (663)

Awkward, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2023

Awkward is an artist who pops up from time to time, pretty much always in the Dean Lane area. Most, if not all, of his work appears to contain a rather stressed looking character, the face only, often with a speech bubble with the word Awkward in it.

This piece comes with a further two messages, the first is ‘Free Palestine’ and the second might be an observation of the weather when he was painting, ‘Then came the rain’. Awkward seems to be well acquainted with a few of the established writers in Bristol, but just doesn’t seem to paint as often, which is a bit of a shame.

5673. Hepburn Road (23)

Biers, Hepburn Lane, Bristol, November 2023

About a week ago I posted a piece by Biers which was not too dissimilar to this one. Similar colours and of course overall design of WD40, and incorporating a to cartoon character with ginger hair and glasses. The character from last week’s post was Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory, but I am stumped by this character.

I was lucky enough to bump into Biers while he was painting this alongside Bags, but he hadn’t started the character, so I couldn’t ask him directly who it was. It is good to see that Biers is out and about again with his very ‘Bristol’ style of graffiti writing. I have mentioned this before, and I don’t know if this is a perception or a real thing, but I think that different cities and districts have ‘house’ styles, and Biers typifies the Bristol ‘house’ style.

5635. Dean Lane skate park (658)

Dibz, Awkward and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023

This is a rather interesting collaboration in Dean Lane, in which Fade and Dibz have done their thing, but have been joined by Awkward, whose big-eyed character faces are in stark contrast to Dibz and Fade’s sharp graffiti writing.

Dibz has written DIBZ and has a downwards and left facing drop shadow. Fade has written FADE and his writing has a drop shadow that goes up and to the right, which creates some imbalance in the piece (to my mind). Add to that the crazy character by Awkward and you have a collaboration made up of three great individual pieces, but the golden thread or flow is a little absent. Having made that observation, I still very much like the three core elements on this wall.

5633. Brunel Way (245)

Mr Crawls and Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2023

How could I not have seen this coming? Perhaps one of the most obvious collaborations in Bristol has happened, and it has taken place right under our noses. Mr Crawls and Mote have painted their distinctive birds side-by-side in this wonderful and ‘made-in-heaven’ collaboration.

Mr Crawls’ bird head is one of several versions of his bird, this one having horns and a hooked beak. His style is rather cartoony and the expression of the bird enhanced by the use of heavy eyelids. Mote’s style is a little bit more doodle-based and his bird is tending to the monstrous. The hatch markings in the eyes and downturned beak create a slightly grumpy appearance. It is amazing that although the basic elements are similar in the two birds, my/our response to each of them is quite different. I’m definitely looking to more collaborations from these two.

5626. M32 Spot (174)

Theartofsok, M32 Spot, Bristol, Ocober 2023

Theartofsok is not an artist I am particularly familiar with, so when I first saw this unsigned piece I c was a little puzzled and had to do a bit of homework. I could be certain it wasn’t by a Bristol artist but by a visitor, beyond that I was stumped. It is an outstanding piece from the South Wales artist, and one of two in the area from a visit he made a couple of weeks back.

The piece is very confidently painted, with strong, sharp black outlines and assured solid fills. There is a simplicity about it, but do not be fooled, behind the simplicity lies great technical skill and know how. The expression on the character’s face and movement around him is all rather special. Theartofsok is welcome to return anytime.

5620. River Avon (53)

Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023

We live in a crazy world. On the one hand there is everything to be excited about, all the beautiful things that our planet has to offer – nature, culture, science, poetry, art, landscape, architecture, sport, friendship and so on, the list is almost endless, and yet, on the other hand I feel stifled by all the horrors that surround us, from wars to disease to the rise of authoritarianism, the grip of advertising, selfishness, profit and greed, that list too is almost endless. My small gesture of kindness to myself is to keep writing this blog, all elements of it, as an antidote to the evil and to bring a little focus on the good things that I am grateful for.

Laic217 among many, many others brings me pleasure and happiness, both on discovering his work and then on recording and writing about it. This is a particularly good one from him on the cycle path between Sparke Evans Park and Temple Meads station.

The character, wearing a wooly hat and smoking, has a dark and sinister appearance, cleverly created by the absence of any white in the eyes, which is unsettling. The brilliantly painted skull tattoo adds a little threat and menace. No need to sign this one as it is pure Laic217 at his best, and although his choice of subject might not suit everyone, his mastery of technique is a sight to see.

Mr Underbite

A gallery of wonderful and expressive faces by Bristol’s Mr Underbite.

Instagram: @mr-underbite1

Facebook: Jay D Artworks

All photographs by Scooj

Mr Underbite, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024

Mr Underbite and Herman Creates, River Avon, Bristol, March 2024

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2023

Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2022

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2022

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022

Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2022

5609. Dean Lane skate park (656)

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023

I try to keep my finger on the pulse with artists who are breaking onto the Bristol scene, one of whom is Jevoissoul. There is no mistaking that he has made his mark very quickly, with several pieces scattered in the Dean Lane and Brunel Way areas, leading me to think he probably lives in south Bristol somewhere, reinforced by his use of the BS3 postcode which takes in the Bedminster area.

I have posted two quick pieces from smaller spots in the skate park. I think that Jevoissoul will produce plenty of these character faces, practising his skills and technique, with a view to producing some rather more expansive and creative pieces – something he has already started to do.

Whilst not particularly exceptional, I am posting these as a benchmark from which to measure his progress over time. I’m looking forward to the journey.

5607. Cumberland Basin

Sled One, Cumberland Bain, Bristol, October 2023

I have known about and photographed this piece by Sled One for quite a long while, but have had to wait until now to get anything worth posting. The problem is that it is painted on a wall in a yard that is used to store building materials including large wooden cable bobbins that were placed in front of it obscuring the view of the artwork. On my most recent visit, I was able to move the bobbins a little bit out of the way, and get the best pictures I am likely to get.

The piece reminds me a little bit of The Luck Dragon in the film NeverEnding Story. It is a typically creative and imaginative character piece by Sled One, but painted in a place I wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find a Sled One piece to be. Beautifully painted and finished, the piece is one of Bristol’s hidden gems.

	paulh121 on 7505. Brunel Way (350)
	paulh121 on 7503. Stapleton Road
	Bill Bisgood on Seven ages of man
	Laura Newhampshire on 7513. M32 Spot (216)
	hitandrun1964 on Blackthorn

	paulh121 on 7505. Brunel Way (350)
	paulh121 on 7503. Stapleton Road
	Bill Bisgood on Seven ages of man
	Laura Newhampshire on 7513. M32 Spot (216)
	hitandrun1964 on Blackthorn

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