4943. Cumberland Basin

Acesartworld, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2022
Acesartworld, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2022

It is curious that one of the most arresting pieces of 2022, never actually made it onto the pages of Natural Adventures. I know that I delayed publishing the amazing piece at the time because I was unsure about the artist. However, as I know to my cost, the risk of delaying posting is that pieces get overlooked and eventually disappear under the weight of newer pieces landing in my image folders.

Acesartworld, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2022
Acesartworld, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2022

This is by Acesartworld, and is quite unlike much of his other work. What I particularly like about this (robot/alien?) headshot is the way the burning orange pupils of the character’s eyes have projected light onto eye surrounds and cheeks. There is a lot of depth and texture here, provided by some clever shading.  I have other pieces by the artist that also haven’t been published, and will need to dig them out.

4899. Cumberland Basin

Alos, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Alos, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

I haven’t posted a piece by Alos for an absolute age, and I happen to know that he has been writing different letters, which makes it a bit difficult to ID his work, but thankfully he has made it easier with this one in Cumberland Basin.

Alos, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Alos, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

I believe this was painted as part of a celebration paint jam for Solar’s birthday – I don’t know this for sure, but circumstantial evidence suggests it. This piece of writing is unusually structured and tidy with some nice green letters set on a blocky red background. The green letters are also fringed with a blocky edge. There is a little shout out to Solar. Something interesting and different from an artist who is regrettably under-represented on the pages of Natural Adventures.

4897. Cumberland Basin

Mudra and Peggy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2022
Mudra and Peggy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2022

This wonderful collaboration reminds me of an early moving picture of an early Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon – some of you may know what I am imagining, some of you might think I have lost the plot. No matter. The colourful collaboration is by Mudra and Peggy and an absolute joy.

Mudra and Peggy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2022
Mudra and Peggy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2022

The character is by Mudra and looks like it is a letter (B?) walking and whistling and so gull of animation, it looks like it could walk right off the wall. The character is holding a beautiful flower stem and flower, painted by the up-and-coming Peggy. The whole thing is set on a black background which helps with giving the character definition and purpose. This is a very welcome and joyous pairing; long may they continue to collaborate.

4874. Cumberland Basin

Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022


It has been a little while since I last posted anything from Marckinetic, so it is only right to resume with this stunner recently painted in Cumberland Basin. I can actually make out the letters in this one which look like MARC.

Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

The fill for the letters is typical of the artist, offering a fantasy cosmic effect in a cluster of bright greens, oranges, yellows and blues. Angular and bold, the piece stands out from the crowd. It is nicely finished too with a bubbly surround and some white feature spots on some of the letters. Welcome back to Natural Adventures Marckinetic.

4852. Cumberland Basin

It has been a little while since I last saw a piece from Mr Underbite, so it was a pleasure to encounter this new piece, tucked away in Cumberland Basin. I love the way that Mr Underbite uses his basic character template and then ‘pimps it up’ to tell a different story.

Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Mr Underbite, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

The story in this piece is the Bristol story, and, as it the custom here, features the Clifton Suspension bridge designed and built by I. K. Brunel (although I believe he died before its completion). The suspension wires on the bridge have given Mr Underbite a smile, which isn’t something we are accustomed to with this character. Keep up the great work. (Note to self – do a gallery of Clifton Suspension bridge pieces).

4849. Cumberland Basin

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

As I said in a recent write-up, I struggle to keep up with the prolific Mote, but like to post what I can when I can. This is a rather fun piece from the artist in one of his favourite spots on the north bank of the river in Cumberland Basin.

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

Mote has made space on the wall to allow the piece to stand out from the surrounding graffiti, something he tends to do very well. The monster is another creation from his fertile imagination, and is rather likeable. The decorations in the fills are rather interesting, in particular the toadstools – I’m not too sure where they are coming from…

4844. Cumberland Basin

Maesyhook, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Maesyhook, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

I like surprises, especially ones that involve street art, and boy was this a surprise. Maesyhook is known for her Kawaii cute animal pieces, so this abstract piece in Cumberland Basin is a massive departure from what we expect to see. She has also signed it @m.a.e.s.y_ which is a bit of a change in her personal branding.

Maesyhook, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Maesyhook, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

I think the piece was inspired by Autumn, or Otoño as she states on her Instagram, and by a friend who painted an abstract piece adjacent to this one. There is a sense of freedom in this piece that breaks away from the formality of a character or writing, and I guess it for the viewer to make of it what they will. I would certainly welcome more of this from Maesyhook, or more of her Kawaii work.

4836. Cumberland Basin

Whysayit, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Whysayit, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

It is good to see that Whysayit (YSAE) has settled into a pattern of writing reasonably regularly, and in doing so has managed to creep his way back onto the pages of Natural Adventures, which is a good thing. I believe that this piece might have been painted during a paint jam for Solar, but that is simply guesswork.

Whysayit, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Whysayit, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

Whysayit’s unruly letters are always nice and curvy, nothing sharp or angular about his work at all. There are three discrete horizontal fills and a delightful pink shadow to round things off. Nothing too showy, simply good graffiti writing. It is interesting to see where his heart lies with the phrase “I’d rather do a Tipex tag…”

4831. Cumberland Basin

Benjimagnetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Benjimagnetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

I have a feeling that this piece by Benjimagnetic, alongside an Acer One piece hidden behind a bush, has been here for a while, but that I have only recently clocked it. I can’t be everywhere all the time, right.

Benjimagnetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Benjimagnetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

Cryptically spelling out BEN, This is a lovely, colourful piece from the artist with beautifully defined components, crisply sprayed, making up the letters, and some very clever and subtle shadow work that lifts some of the letters and arrows away from the wall. Lovely work.

4801. Cumberland Basin

Andy Council and Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Andy Council and Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

There is something very comforting about the collaborative efforts from Andy Council and Acer One, particularly as their styles are so utterly different, and yet they find ways to combine them or create a read-across between them.

Andy Council, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Andy Council, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

Andy Council’s contribution is an unusual piece, bilaterally symmetrical, that appears to have a skull at its centre. Everything else appears to be decorative, but there might be significance – I can only see wings, possible. As I mentioned before, the segue into Acer One’s work is the white line behind Andy Council’s piece.

Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

In a temporary departure from geometric letters, Acer One gives us a rather pleasing geometric pattern with his current passion for using rainbow colours emanating out from the centre (Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain). The collaboration is set to remain for a while, as this particular spot is rarely tagged or painted. Great work from the pair.