Character – Page 61 – Natural adventures

2324. Dean Lane skate park (232)

This is the second post I have written about a piece by DFC1848. You may recall from the last one that the artist is better known to me as a street art hunter who takes great pictures of street art in Bristol, Cheltenham and further afield.

DFC1848 has started doing a bit of spraying himself, and in my eyes it is pretty good. This little character contains the letters DFC, although what these stand for I have no idea… I’ll have to ask him next time I see him. I went to this wall yesterday, and sadly (but rather predictably) it has been sprayed over, but it is possible to see remnants of the piece. I am full of admiration for his work and inspired to carry on practising so that I can take the leap and do a piece on a wall somewhere, sometime.

2310. St Werburghs tunnel (86)

I took this picture back in June, and when I last visited St Werburghs tunnel, This piece by Dusk was still there. The more I see of Dusk’s work, the more I am warming to it. I caught up with Oner recently, and we were talking about the pieces in the tunnel, and he told me that the name ‘DUSK’ comes from ‘Don’t Use Skinny Kaps’. A skinny cap is a cap that you use on a spray can that gives a slightly narrower arc of spray and so tighter lines. The more skilled at spray painting you are, the less need for skinny caps. For me, as a learner, skinny caps are essential.

What is notable about this piece is that I don’t recall seeing Dusk including a character before – that doesn’t mean he hasn’t, it just means I haven’t seen one. The character is rather fun, and appears to be smoking a reefer, although what would I know?

2265. Dean Lane skate park (220)

This lovely collaboration by paint amigos Laic217 and Cort is one of those ones that kind of passed the world by. I haven’t seen it at all on social media, and it might be that it was painted over shortly after completion and maybe I just got lucky.

On the left of the collaboration is a caracter piece by Laic complete with bucket hat and gold chain, and then to the right a rather tidy piece by Cort in his characteristic letter shapes with some decent fills and decorations. All in all a nice collaboration. Not sure the dog was all that impressed though.

2257. Raleigh Road, Tobacco Factory (15)

It was a real pleasure to find myself in the company of so many great Bristol artists at the 25 year anniversary celebrations at the Tobacco Factory, and none more so than Pelmo, whose work I have admired for some time. It was nice to meet him for the first time and to find out a little bit about how he likes to work.

Pelmo, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2019

In creating this piece, featuring one of his outsized characters, he had decided to abandon his spray cans on environmental grounds and use paint and brushes, which was a first for him on a wall. Set in a skyscraper landscape, the large gentleman is posing with a ballet dancer, and there is an interesting and rather sad synergy between the two of them. I like the piece very much, but I wonder if the large amount of white space works on this scale.

Brilliant to meet Pelmo at last.

2252. Dean Lane skate park (215)

What a fabulous piece this is by Rusk. I don’t tend to associate his work with character pieces, but this burner/character combo is a real winner. I never read any of the Garfield cartoons, but certainly know who he is, and this lazy cat is brilliantly suspended in the ‘U’ of Rusk.

The writing, as you would expect from Rusk is absolutely first class and the colour combinations absolutely perfect. That red is ‘to die for’. This piece was painted alongside an excellent Rezwonk piece (to follow) a couple of weeks back. Really great piece.

2232. Moon Street (71)

For the last 11 years there has been a rather mad festival centered around the Stokes Croft area called RaveOnAvon. It is frankly a bit of a booze, drugs and music party that is focussed on three or four live music venues but spills out onto the streets from dusk until dawn. You simply would not believe the mess the following morning. The links between graffiti art and the Bristol music scene are close, and this rather funky piece by Jaksta rather emphasises the point.

You know you are getting old when one of your children actually goes to an event such as this one. I didn’t ask too many questions. Jaksta, a member of the RAW crew, is a brilliant character artist and creates these wonderful exaggerated bodies ina cartoon style that never disappoints. It is also great to see something decent appear on this particular bit of hoarding, because recently it has been a bit trashy.

This was the last RaveOnAvon ever, because most of the music venues’ days are numbered. They are due to be demolished soon to make way for… da da daah… student accommodations. Gentrification will rob us of a major strand of Bristol culture and provide housing, not for those that really need it, but for the ever-growing student population in Bristol. Of course, students need to live somewhere, but I fear this particular growth bubble will burst, and maybe then affordable housing will become available.

2217. M32 roundabout J3 (144)

On the M32 roundabout we have yet another wonderful Cort and Laic217 combination. These two really do seem to enjoy painting together and somehow that personal chemistry comes across, even though their styles are completely different.

The Cort writing is so typically in his style, with unusual shaped lettering combining straight lines with curves and some rather tasty fillings too. The whole thing is set on what looks like a brick wall where the render has started to flake off, a great effect.

Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019

To the right is the Laic217 writing bookended with characters in one of his favoured red colours. For me this piece is the epitome of everything that Laic217 brings to his pieces, some great writing, great textures and skeletal characters with an element of menace about them. Nice to see a little shout out to Ryder on the right hand side of the piece too.

I could sit and look at Laic217 pieces all day. I don’t think I necessarily share his fascination with death, acid, bucket hats or brick walls, but I appreciate how he conjures up these extraordinary pieces. A rich and magnificent piece.

Cheo

A gallery of wonderful character pieces and graffiti writing by Bristol’s awesome Cheo.

All photographs taken by Scooj.

Cheo, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol, November 2019

3Dom and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019

Cheo, Norfolk Place, Bristol, April 2017

Silent Hobo and Cheo, We the Curious, Bristol, November 2018

Cheo, Raleigh Road, Bristol, September 2018

Dibz and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018

Cheo, Old Bread Street, Bristol, September 2016

Cheo and Inkie, North Street, Bristol, January 2016

Cheo, Raleigh Road, Bristol, October 2017

Soker, Cheo and Deamze, Church Road, Bristol, September 2017

Cheo, Church Road, Bristol, September 2017

Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, August 2017

Cheo and Soker, Bond Street, Bristol, June 2017

Jody and Cheo, North Street, Bristol, April 2017

Cheo Silent Hobo and Deamze, Frogmore Street, Bristol, July 2015

Cheo, North Street, Bristol, February 2016

Soker and Cheo, New John Street, Bristol, September 2015

Cheo, Shaun the Sheep, Broad Quay, Bristol, July 2015

Cheo, Broad Quay, Bristol, July 2015 — Cheo, Wallace and Gromit, Broad Quay, Bristol, July 2015

Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016

Cheo, Redland Station, Bristol, July 2015

Cheo, Millennium Parade, Bristol, December 2015

2211. Dean Lane skate park (212)

When you see a piece like this in blue tones with a dash of white and it is so incredibly clean and tight, you can only stand back in wonder and admire the extraordinary talent of Bristol’s Cheo.

Cheo usually paints character pieces, and I don’t think there is anyone better at creating this cartoon style anywhere in the country. Every line and shadow is immaculate and skilfully laid down. As always he has marked the piece with his signature bee. This was a lovely surprise piece to find in Dean Lane and is another little reminder of the world class street art scene in Bristol.

2150. Rivington Street, London (7)

I have a terrible feeling that I might have walked past this marvellous piece by Stik several times over the last year or two. It doesn’t look especially new, but I have just never noticed it before… there is always reward in looking up.

Stik, Rivington Street, London, April 2019

I have said it before about his pieces, but it is incredible how much emotion he manages to convey with these simplest of characters that have no features other than dots for eyes. It is also interesting how your mind completes the picture where the windows break up the artwork. Rivington Street is a great place to see street art, and if you should happen to go, don’t forget to look up.

	hitandrun1964 on 7599. St Werburghs tunnel…
	hitandrun1964 on 7603. Dean Lane skate park…
	paulh121 on 7605. Dean Lane skate park…
	paulh121 on Omie
	paulh121 on 7604. River Avon (115)

	hitandrun1964 on 7599. St Werburghs tunnel…
	hitandrun1964 on 7603. Dean Lane skate park…
	paulh121 on 7605. Dean Lane skate park…
	paulh121 on Omie
	paulh121 on 7604. River Avon (115)

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