6692. M32 roundabout J2 (8)

Chill, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, January 2025
Chill, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, January 2025

It is always a little sad when street/graffiti artists move away from Bristol, but some consolation that new artists are emerging or moving to the city, generally at a faster rate, growing the incredible pool of talent. PWA (Pirate Wall Art) took a double hit at the end of 2024, with both Face 1st and Chill leaving town and leaving behind a significant void. Face 1st, it should be registered, has returned several times to paint, just as he said he would. This piece by Chill, however, I think was painted before he left, which made it all the sweeter to find.

Chill, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, January 2025
Chill, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, January 2025

Chill has managed to squeeze one of his stylish cartoon characters onto a column with great skill and without making it look too distorted or contrived. I will miss his urban street-wise people with their caps and ear discs. If you miss them too, here is an updated gallery of his outstanding work.

6662. Cumberland Basin

Rowdy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Rowdy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

A little while back, it looks like Ryder and Rowdy had a bit of fun in the north side of the Cumberland Basin area, with lots of small pieces dotted about the place. I am assuming this column piece was part of that session.

Rowdy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Rowdy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

This is so Rowdy… three crazy colourful cats, looking a little bit like children’s drawings. The colours work incredibly well on the pinky red colour of the column. A piece full of mischief and joy from one of the most established street artists in Bristol.

6595. Brunel Way (306)

 

Neoliberalizard, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2024
Neoliberalizard, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2024

Anyone who wanders around Bristol with their eyes open is likely to have seen toadstool pieces by Neoliberalizard, consciously or otherwise. I got lucky and actually encountered him while he was up a ladder, painting this piece, above the height of the recent Council buffing exercise, ha ha.

Neoliberalizard, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2024
Neoliberalizard, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2024

Although it is a relatively simple design, likely full of symbolism, Neoliberalizard has done a good job with this piece, and dozens of others that can be spotted around the city. Having met him, I think possibly I may have met him a few years ago, I hope to be posting more of his subversive fungi in the future.

6542. Frome Side (41)

Bloem, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Bloem, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

This is a magnificent column piece under the M32 from Bristol artist Bloem. The spiked ball and chain should come as no surprise really as these motifs appear in her work, whether her artwork or her jewellery. Bloem seems to like sharp objects and chains and is mastering the latter in particular.

Bloem, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Bloem, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

There is humour alongside the threat in this piece, with a fun smiley in the middle of the ball. What is interesting to note in this piece is the amount of depth Bloem has managed to create by using light and dark shades. This is a developing aspect to her work which was quite flat when she started painting walls. A great piece from an artist who is just getting better and better all the time.

6506. M32 Spot (196)

Creamylines, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2024
Creamylines, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2024

I am baffled that I have posted fewer than 200 pieces from the M32 Spot – it feels like an awful lot more than that. I am very much an admirer of Creamylines’ work, and simply don’t see enough of it. His original pieces always remind me of stained-glass windows in the use of colour and the segmentation of different elements as if separated by leading.

Creamylines, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2024
Creamylines, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2024

In this column landscape/seascape/riverscape piece, Creamylines offers a bright and optimistic view of people and nature beneath a bright sun and patchy clouds. There is lots of detail, and naturally I am drawn to the fish in the middle section. There is so much to enjoy in this uplifting piece. I definitely would like to see much more from Creamylines.

6488. M32 Cycle path (277)

Morag, Frome Side, Bristol, October 2024
Morag, Frome Side, Bristol, October 2024

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, 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.

6385. M32 Spot (193)

Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024
Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024

Wow, wow, wow! This is something rather different and special from Silent Hobo. Not only has he changed his style, but these pieces come as a set of three on three sequential columns under the M32 at the M32 Spot.

Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024
Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024

The three pieces appear to be snippets from a conversation, and I rather hope for Silent Hobo’s sake that they are not autobiographical. The first column has a portrait of a man declaring “Baby I’m doing my best”.

Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024
Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024

The second column is a reply from a woman saying those words that nobody wants to hear “Yes but…” Sounds like he might be in trouble. The portrait is remarkable, and really so different from the rest of his work. It is less cartoony and more realistic and has the appearance of oil on canvass.

Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024
Silent Hobo, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2024

The third column is the killer blow… “You told me you were good”. Whatever the context of the conversation, I hope all works out well,. I am full of admiration at how skilful Silent Hobo has been to get viewers to invest so much in the characters in such a limited space. I suppose we can all construct our own stories about the three columns, but the artwork, which is remarkable, speaks for itself.

6317. M32 Spot (191)

Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024

Although Mr Crawls appears to enjoy painting with Mote, it certainly doesn’t stop him from going out and painting on his own. This column piece, under the M32 motorway, takes us back to some of the artist’s earlier themes, incorporation; old and new styles into the work.

Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024

The cartoon character is a gull or a raptor of some kind wearing a bucket hat. The piece incorporates newer design themes developed by Mr Crawls, such as the skeleton neck and hollow square eyes. You might have spotted a rare appearance by my dog, who accompanies me on most of my photographic trips. Nice work from Mr Crawls.

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.

6258. M32 Spot (190)

The Art of Sok, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
The Art of Sok, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024

The flurry of The Art of Sok pieces continues with this beautiful column portrait. There is a clarity and clean finish that the artist manages to perfect with every single piece he paints. Everything is exactly where he wants it, the lines are crisp and the fills solid and bold.

The Art of Sok, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024
The Art of Sok, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2024

The character in this piece is nicely worked into the tall thin column and beautifully presented on a lilac background. The simplicity and accuracy of The Art of Sok’s work is his USP, and is something we don’t see too much of in Bristol. A really wonderful comic-book style design, with still more to come from the artist…