Aha! how absolutely blooming brilliant to come across this outstanding piece from Ments, an artist whose abstract work I have long admired, but who rarely seems to paint these days. This piece was painted alongside Sled One, both of whom were pioneers in ‘colonising’ this particular wall – now a firm favourite with local and visiting artists.
Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2025
There is a fluidity to Ments’ work, which comes across in this piece. Everything is carefully thought out, the colours and shapes, and even the scatter of blue shards bursting from left to right. A very classy piece that highlights how much Ments’ absence is felt.
What a strange piece from Daz Cat. A cat and a character, but what brings these two together? I can’t figure out the story at all. I think this is the first cartoon-style figure I have seen of a person like this from Daz Cat.
Daz Cat, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
The character reminds me of Cletus Spuckler from The Simpsons, he has that kind of hillbilly look about him. I love the way that Daz Cat is always pushing his own boundaries, and loves to tell a good story through his art.
A few of the pieces that were painted as part of Werm’s birthday celebration didn’t last more than 24 hours, including a rather striking piece by Zake and some writing by 3F Fino. Fortunately, however, this character piece by DFC 1848 remained untouched.
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
Spot the difference
There are two differences between the two photographs, taken about three minutes apart. Can you see them? Clue, one is on the elephant, the other is not. DFC1848 continues to expand his repertoire, and this elephant is quite a beauty.
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
There is something about the style of this piece that reminds me of 1960s and 1970s TV cartoon shows. It is really nicely painted, with good solid fills, some great three colour shading and a superb thick border. It was really good too to be able to catch up with the artist, just as he was finishing up.
Scrapyardspec, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
When I look through my archives from this summer, I keep finding pieces by Scrapyardspec, and so what you see here on Natural Adventures is only a proportion of the pieces he has painted in Bristol. This one is a relatively recent piece created at a paint jam celebrating Werm’s birthday, and at which I met Scrapy for the first time.
Scrapyardspec, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
The most notable thing about this piece is the inclusion of hair and the addition of rudimentary arms and feet. Scrapyardspec and I discussed his development a little and I think that now he has grown in confidence and has his archetype nailed, he can play around a lot more with his characters and improve as an artist. I am very much looking forward to watching his onward journey.
Pura Decadencia, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
This is a pretty difficult damp wall to paint, but that didn’t stop Pura Decadencia and some friends from giving it a go a few weeks back, and because turnover here is very slow, her work is still there to enjoy.
Pura Decadencia, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
The chrome letters in this piece are accompanied by a red drop shadow and bordered with a thin yellow strip. Each of the letters is split with a red line and little ‘rivets’ either side, giving the look of steel plates hanging together, a device used by quite a lot of writers, and a really effective one. There is a white plasma bolt running through the letters, adding a little bit of extra interest, but not detracting from the big bold letters themselves. Nice work from Pura Decadencia.
It was a sunny day when I took these pictures, and I’m afraid you are stuck with a rather unattractive shadow, cast in the afternoon sunshine. I’m glad I took the pictures when I did though, because the piece was gone by the next time I visited. This is another in a recent spate of pieces by Cort, and I have to say that he is hitting a rich vein of form, in my view at least.
Cort, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2025
Cort plays a lot with his writing, both in his choice of his letters and in his unique styling of each one. Here he spells Kortos, a corruption of his usual Cort, and presents each of his asymmetric letters with a different fill that across the whole piece forms a regular Patton or concept. The beautifully painted letters sit on top of a contrasting yellow and turquoise background. Great work from Cort.
Fade, Jody, Dibz, Cheo and Acid Face with a Brace, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
In Bristol, we are really lucky and get to see a lot of collaborations and paint jams about the place, bringing together local artists who are often joined by visitors, invited or passing through. We get to see all sorts of different styles and levels, and then occasionally a top drawer special production like this one from Fade, Jody, Dibz, Cheo and Acid Face with a Brace.
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
Photographing this production in its entirety was something of a challenge due to its sheer length and some difficult light conditions, with so much open sky above the wall. To start us off on this wall we have a semi-submerged piece by Fade, with the water level cleverly portrayed using different shades of colour above and below the water line, a theme continued by each artist through the production. Some dramatic skies round off Fade’s section nicely.
Jody, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
Next up is a portrait piece by Jody featuring a warrior with a deep fur collar and long sword, so I am imagining a Viking theme going on, although I can’t help feeling that the hairdo doesn’t quite match the machismo of the character.
Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
In the centre and holding the whole production together is a piece of typically brilliant writing from Dibz, again, with the water line running through it and incorporating a wonky long sword. The dramatic skies also continue through this story.
Cheo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
Cheo brings a whole different style to the piece, while faithfully following the Viking idea. His cartoon warrior, wading through the water, is festooned with long blonde hair tied up with red bands. His snarling face is made rather comical with the tilt of his helmet. Of course, a trademark bee, also with a helmet, is in attendance.
Acid Face with a Brace, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2025
Rounding off the production is some more writing from Acid Face with a Brace, whose collaboration with Dibz and Fade in Dean Lane from earlier in the summer is still very much intact. The theme is beautifully embraced by Acid Face with a Brace, and he has included a wave breaking over his letters, mirroring the Fade piece at the other end. Awesomeness all round.
It is crystal clear that Tera doesn’t do things by halves. New to the form of street art, he has picked it up at an alarming rate and is churning out large fantasy character pieces, making significant improvements with his technique every time he paints a wall.
Tera, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
Tera is a tattooist by profession, which comes across in his elaborate designs, but I am amazed at how he has managed to upscale his work from a few square inches to several square feet in size. The fantasy warrior, with three swords, seems well-prepared for any eventuality. The detail in the hands is superb, although the design of the mask and headdress is lost a little (I am being uber-picky). Basically, Tera keeps smashing it, and I suspect he’ll continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Although this piece is unsigned (which in itself is a clue), I have made the pretty safe assumption based on the letter font that it is by Nice One. The piece is a protest piece about the war in Gaza and says ‘Smash Elbit’. Elbit is an international military technology company and defence contractor based in Israel, and clearly central to the annihilation of Gaza and its people.
Nice One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
The bleak piece, which appears like a smashed window, is a reminder that we are all witnesses to a genocide that western democracies have failed to stop, and indeed appear to support. It cannot be that hard to get tough on the Israeli government, can it? Street art once again providing a running commentary of contemporary issues with impact.
Mr Draws has had a very good spell of painting, both in terms of productivity and quality of his work. I have always admired his unpretentious approach to finding the joy in his graffiti writing.
Mr Draws, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
This colourful piece is notable perhaps for its enormous black drop shadow, which gets a little lost without reference lines to the protruding points of the letters DRAWS. The fills have great colours and are nicely sone, and he has added a smily face, which he seems to be rather fond of at the moment. An uplifting piece.
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