I am in Cleethorpes. This is something I never imagined I would say. I am here for work, and of course using the opportunity to find some street art and photograph a door or two. Watch this space in a month or two. This wall that Mr Crawls has chosen was painted three times in the space of a week, having been unpainted for months before that.
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
I really like this one from Mr Crawls, a return to the gull character in parrot colours. It is really well finished with sharp lines. What is new is the signature, it is the first time I have seen one, and now he seems to be sticking with it. We have seen a gull, a goose and a parrot. Does Mr Crawls have some more birds in his closet?
This is a fun little extra piece painted by DFC1848 during Werm’s birthday paint jam, sprayed in addition to his rather splendid blue and pink wolf. DFC1848’s portfolio of characters has expanded massively over the last couple of years, and he has a confidence and ease in his work.
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2023
I stopped to talk with DFC1848 for a little while at the Cheltenham Paint Festival, and he was as affable as ever, and introduced me to a couple of other artists he was painting with at the time. He is an artist who fills me with inspiration, as he has worked hard at developing his style and technique from a fairly low base only 3 or 4 years ago, before that he was like me a street art photographer and archivist.
Mr Crawls’ work is always a pleasure to find, but not only that, there is a sense of fun with each of his bird characters, and the effect his pieces have on me is similar to the sensation I get when I find anything by Mr Underbite. Their concepts, although with different characters, have many similarities, and both present their heroes with a certain amount of pathos.
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, Agust 2023
I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to photograph this one a little sooner because it has been tagged a little and it looks like some posters were plastered over the top of it too. This character is a goose wearing a rather warm looking hat. I imagine that the goose is resting from a cold weather migration – he reminds me a little of a WWII pilot, if you know what I mean. Nicely conceived and painted – lots more from the artist in my archives.
In the murky underpass for pedestrians, still with a blackened ceiling from a car arson attack in the spring, Werm has painted his magic letters alongside a character, which, although he has done combinations before, is quite rare. The character in this piece is a busty bikini-clad lady, presumably enjoying the last throes of summer.
Werm, New Stadium Road, Bristol, September 2023
Werm’s work is becoming ever more complex and disguised. The letters WERM are at the centre of the piece, with elaborate extensions emanating from the centre. The letters are actually quite thin, which you can see if you concentrate on the green, tan and black ‘camouflage’ fill. The blocky look of the piece is down to much of the rest of the available space being taken up with the deep 3D drop shadow. This is a great combination piece from an artist constantly looking to improve and push boundaries.
Update: Painted as part of the World Wall Stylers camouflage challenge.
I really love it when a new artist becomes a regular on Natural Adventures, as it switches things up a little bit, and Bean has certainly made a massive impression in the short time he has been in Bristol. Bean is a master at creating character pieces, each one quite different from the last, but all of them in his very recognisable cartoon style.
Bean, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023
Bean uses a two-tone colour approach to each element of his work, to define light and shade, for example, two tones of pink for the character’s face, two tones of green for the hair, two tones of blue for the clothing and so on. I imagine that he drafts up his work digitally, using design software, and then faithfully recreates his work at scale. Of course, I might be wrong, as I frequently am.
There is no stopping these two at the moment, Dibz and Fade are on a roll and seem determined to make hay while the sun shines. The writing, by Dibz, is characteristically complex and perfectly finished, when is it ever not? The fill is a lovely earthy mix of colours in a style resembling army camouflage patterning. The 3D drop shadow has an icy cool feel to it, with a low central vanishing point, which works really well.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2023
The superbly painted character, by Fade, is not known to me, but is probably, from the look of it, a Disney cartoon character. Since I and my children grew up, my knowledge of children’s cartoons has diminished and I often have to rely on Interweb searches to work out what people have painted. In this instance I have drawn a blank, so unless you know, you’ll have to linger, like me, in ignorance.
Update: Painted as part of the World Wall Stylers camouflage challenge.
2023 has been a very good year for PWA (Pirate Wall Art) so far, with dozens of pieces being painted either individually or as part of a paint jam. Chill, a reasonably new member of the crew, has been super-busy this year with his really cool cartoon sketches.
Chill, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2023
This character in green and orange, surprisingly good bedfellow colours, is holding a delicate and rather beautiful flower, perhaps demonstrating his caring/compassionate nature. Chill has come a long way from his rather small black and white pieces to these larger and more colourful works. I was lucky enough to catch up with Chill, a lovely bloke, shortly after he had completed this piece which he had painted alongside a Danish (I think) visiting graffiti writer Wizer.
Elno, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
One of the highlights of my trip to Cheltenham for this year’s Paint Festival was the opportunity to meet and chat with Elno, a lovely, lovely person who made plenty of time to talk about her work, and a piece that I photographed earlier in the year from the Lighthouse Community Gardens. I caught up with her just as she was completing the piece, only the sword handle was incomplete and, of course, her signature.
Elno, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
I made a bit of a mistake asking Elno if her character had any links to Avatar (the film), and she swiftly put that one to bed. I gather that she has been painting characters like this for a while, and it is purely coincidental that this one resembles any kind of animation film characters, and if I am honest, I feel a bit of a fool for even asking as the resemblance is tenuous at best.
Elno, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
There is so much to like in this piece from the composition with its very strong Japanese influence. Characters with large eyes are always beguiling and beautiful, and the red hair, complete with flower, complements the blue skin perfectly. I love the touch of patterned material on the woman’s shoulder, adding some extra class to the piece. I suggested that she try to make it to Bristol for Upfest, a suggestion that didn’t fall on deaf ears. Let’s hope.
Elno, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
It was while he was finishing off this writing/character piece that I first met Bean, and what a decent bloke he is too. We chatted for a while, and I was impressed by his knowledge of other artists in the city, which believe me, isn’t always the case with graffiti writers or street artists, who can sometimes be locked into their own work or crew and immediate friends.
Bean, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
I don’t know where Bean refined his skills before coming to Bristol, but he has definitely hit the ground running with immaculately finished work. This piece combines his character skills with a lovely piece of writing in great colours. The whole thing might have benefited from buffing the wall, to help it stand out a little from the fairly busy wall beneath it. There is an awful lot to like about this piece, and indeed the others that are adjacent to it. For a short while, this stretch of wall was ‘owned’ by Bean. I am definitely enjoying what he has to offer, and look forward to more from him.
The work of Slakarts tends to be occasional these days, rather than frequent, but in a way that makes it a little bit more special when it does come along. This double portrait piece was a lovely surprise a couple of weeks back at the entrance to the tunnel, which the council have once again, in their wisdom, buffed over.
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2023
There is a story to this piece I would think, and my guess would be that Slakarts has a dog and he is showing his love and appreciation in this piece. The quick characters piece is filled with a light white backwash and finished with strong clean black outlines, all the hallmarks of a job done in a bit of a hurry. It is nicely thought out though, and the contented couple are accompanied with the words “Man’s best m8”, which is rather sweet really. Great to see that Slakarts has managed to get out again, even if only occasionally.
Natural adventures 