I wonder sometimes whether Zake gets the credit he deserves, for the sheer volume of work he gets through and the variety of locations and walls he paints. Sometimes he paints with friends and sometimes alone, but wherever you look in Bristol, there is never a Zake piece far away.
Zake, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
I remember that the first Zake pieces I became aware of were on columns under the M32 at the skate spot there. How far he has come since then in developing and refining his style. This column piece showcases perfectly his use of shading to create enormous depth. It is extraordinary how deep the mouth appears to be, and what folds of skin on the chin, cheeks and eyes. This is a really classy column piece from Zake.
I believe that this is a reasonably old piece from Mote on one of the columns under Brunel Way, but I have only recently photographed it – there are so many in this spot it is difficult to keep up.
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Every time I have seen this piece, I instantly get images of the caped crusader and am not sure if this is deliberate or accidental on the part of Mote, who is not known for his characters drawn from popular culture, but rather from his imagination. Whatever the inspiration for this column piece, it is cheerful and fun and typically clean as you’d expect from Mote.
This is another piece I have salvaged from the archives, mainly because I love Maesyhook’s work and always try to post it when I find it. This one fell through the net. The column piece is under the M32, next to the channelled River Frome, and has had a little bit of augmentation performed to the eyes, which is a pity. Why do people do things like that? If they want to bugger up someone else’s work, at least go over the whole thing, or better paint something equally good or superior over it.
Maesyhook, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
Maesyhook’s Kawaii style works brilliantly with this character from The Mandalorian Star Wars offshoot. A mini Yoda type character causing mischief, I am sure. The force is strong in this one, make no mistake.
This is a cheeky piece from John D’oh in the style of a saucy seaside postcard but drawing in some political commentary about our current economic crisis, and he carries if off really well, in my view.
John D’oh, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2022
This piece was painted on a column that previously played host to a Boris Johnson stencil, also by John D’oh, and reminds us of the important role played by political commentators, whether writers or artists, in documenting current events and the impacts of political decisions on society as a whole. Something a little different from John D’oh to enjoy.
I was very pleased to find this Bogat piece underneath the M32, but a little frustrated that another appeared a day or two after I took this photograph. Frustrated, because I only get to visit this spot occasionally, and often miss pieces that I’d like to see.
Bogat, Frome side, Bristol, October 2022
Bogat paints columns really well and his elongated portrait pieces seem to fit perfectly. This one includes a octopus, an animal used a lot in Bogat’s work. It is great to see that phallus tags are still de rigeuer centuries after the Romans perfected the ‘cock and balls’ stamp. Some things never change.
It would seem that after a rather dormant spell over the summer, Daz Cat is becoming a little more active again, and his pieces are definitely moving more in the direction of narratives than straightforward portraits of cats and dogs.
Daz Cat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2022
In this column piece, under the M32, a cat, with a fox curled up on its head is holding a little dog and is standing next to a chicken with a frog on its head. Don’t ask what the story here is, I wouldn’t know where to begin. I prefer to enjoy the spectacle and the elements that make it up. Another fabulous us piece from Daz Cat.
Maybe Paints continues to dazzle us with his column studies under Brunel Way, as he has done for the last eighteen months or so. His ideas are expanding and becoming more ambitious, moving on from his early and original interlocking faces.
Maybe, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2022
In this piece, we see an ear in profile with a dangly earring composed of two small stylised heads. This is all so Maybe, and unique, there simply isn’t anything else out there remotely similar. We are lucky to have such a broad spectrum of street art in the city for all to enjoy.
Today we discover Pula, which on first impressions is my kind of City, with a huge Roman and Italian influence. Definitely looking forward to getting out there and exploring the place. The casualty in this happy state of affairs is this fine column piece by Maybe.
Maybe, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2022
Maybe has switched-up his face to face composition with a rather more angular version which is rotationally symmetrical, and very easy on the eye. A year on from his first appearances under Brunel Way and I am still very much enjoying finding Maybe’s work.
Last October I wrote my first post about a piece by Typo on the pages of Natural Adventures, fully meaning to post his artwork reasonably regularly. My bad… I have only just got round to posting some more, and to make up for it, here are three of his column pieces for the price of one.
Typo, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022
I have only seen Typo’s work on these square column under the M32 and nowhere else. He has a unique and colourful style, and one that seems to use the spray can more as a brush than a fill or solid line tool, with the result that his pieces look like elaborate sketches. This first one seems to be of a character wearing a wizard hat with green hair, an a hidden caption ‘Rain’. What it all means, I simply don’t know.
Typo, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022
The second piece in this selection appears to be a flying toadstool, accompanied with a very colourful signature at the bottom. Typo’s work seems to be well thought out and telling a story of sorts. His artwork is developing, and he appears to be using these columns as a place to practice his craft.
Typo, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022
The third piece in this collection is quite different. A figure with a sword slung over his shoulder painted before a red sun is accompanied with some Japanese writing and ‘#bemoremelling’ and ‘see you space cowboy’. All rather cryptic and mysterious, but intriguing and compelling too. Typo is creating a style and range all of his own, and is quite unlike anything else in Bristol. Lots more to come from this enigmatic artist.
On a regular basis, Maybe Paints manages to charm us with his imaginative and creative pieces, usually on the columns underneath Brunel Way. This piece, which is larger than many I have seen, was painted a couple of weeks ago at a height that would have required a ladder or platform to stand on – possibly an anti-tagging measure.
Maybe, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2022
There is a tranquillity and serenity to most of Maybe’s work, and in this piece we see one of his stylised faces experiencing the start of the hay fever season, a significant moment in my annual cycle – the tree pollen has already got to me. Maybe’s technique of blending colours works so well, and his style is utterly unique in Bristol. I very much hope to see more from Maybe over the summer.
Natural adventures 