Tag: Dean Lane

3474. Dean Lane skate park (386)

Nina Raines dropped me a message on 17 January to say that she and some friends were going to be repainting the North Street dental surgery, just in case I was able to come along. Unfortunately work is so busy at the moment, it is impossible for me to choose the moments I get to visit spots around Bristol, and the two days this was being painted were chockablock, which was very disappointing. Far from disappointing though was the outstanding piece that Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz painted along the practice wall.

Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

This is one of those collaborations where all three artists have combined their talents in the one piece and it is impossible for me to know who painted which bit, so this is a true fully-integrated collaboration. The 1950s look and feel of the lady with her toothbrush and toothpaste at the ready is inspired and adds a superb splash of colour in this corner between North Street and Dean Lane.

Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

While the lady character is the focal point of the piece, there is so much other interest on this busy wall with the decorative patterns and outlines of children and a tooth fairy. In my view this piece is brilliantly designed and brilliantly executed, and I sincerely hope that the dental surgery are pleased with it. This is a fine landmark in this part of Bedminster.

Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Nina Raines, Phoebe Tonks and Ana Cruz, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Ali Hamish Campbel and Nina Raines, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019
Ali Hamish Campbel and Nina Raines, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019

3454. Dean Lane skate park (385)

I am very much enjoying this little pulse of activity from Laic217, and from all over the city too, what a treat. This is a tidy piece in which he recognises his PAD crew by name, and possibly represents some of them with his skeletal characters… who knows?

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

The black and white skeletons on a magenta background almost look like charcoal sketches and are very nicely done, and he has managed to achieve expressions from expressionless skulls – very clever. His crew (or kru as he calls them) are Cort, Ugar, who seems to have left Bristol, MRB and Zios (I don’t know either of them) Zbok (followmyrabbits) and Laic217 himself. Some great Polish/Hungarian talent there.

3451. Dean Lane skate park (384)

There may be a perception that it is unusual for women to be involved in street art and graffiti art, however, if it is a perception, it is one that I can blow apart right now certainly as far as the Bristol scene goes. This piece on the curved wall is by relative newcomer Pura Decadencia and is a welcome addition to this wall that has been a little stagnant over recent weeks.

Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

I am so glad to have seen this and found out a little bit more about the artist from it, because I have a couple of pieces in my archive that I can now post and attribute to her. The piece itself is a nice bit of writing spelling out PURA on a blue bubble background and some vampire teeth getting stuck into the ‘R’. I think that Pura Decadencia is rather fond of vampire teeth if her Instagram stream is anything to go by. Welcome Pura to Natural Adventures.

3441. Dean Lane skate park (383)

Biers, Bags and a bed! Dean Lane sometimes plays host to the occasional fly-tipper, which I have to confess is a pet hate of mine. The kind of person who thinks that it is OK to simply throw their waste away in the street or on other people’s property are the scum of the earth. Inconsiderate and stupid, I have no time for them – rant over.

Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This is a rather colourful collaboration from No Frills stable mates Biers and Bags. On the left is a really beautifully worked BIERS split into three distinct horizontal frills with serrated edges, which must have taken a bit of time to do. The whole thing is bounded by a bright yellow 3D shadow.

Bags, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Bags, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

The other half of the collaboration is by Bags who is completely under-represented on Natural Adventures. I don’t really know why that is, I have plenty of his pieces in my archives, but rarely post them – I might have to remedy that. Bags has gone for a diagonal split across his letters. The yellow half works really well, but the red half looks like he ran out of paint and the fill resembles that of a throw up, which is a pity. A nice collaboration on one of the best walls in Bristol.

3435. Dean Lane skate park (382)

Another artist having a bit of a spree at the moment is Dott Rotten, whose work is in the top division. Take a look at this piece of graffiti writing from a week or two back and tell me that it isn’t out of the top drawer. This is an artist who is at the top of his game and seems to be enjoying it.

Dott Rotten, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Dott Rotten, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

The writing with his familiar SPOILT letters is nicely worked with two shades of blue, perfect orange outlines and some superb trademark bubbles. The whole piece is lifted up with a deep red 3D shading. This is great graffiti writing.

3429. Dean Lane skate park (381)

This is another wall which I was foolish enough not to photograph in its entirety. It is actually a three-way collaboration between Awkward, Acer One and Benjimagnetic. Sometimes I wonder if I get carried away taking pictures without actually thinking about what I am doing.

Awkward and Acer One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Awkward and Acer One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

On the left-hand side of the wall is a beautiful letter piece from Acer One with the letters TCF bookended by two rather frightening character faces by Awkward. I have seen an Awkward/Benjimagnetic collaboration before, but it is great to see all three artists together.

Benjimagnetic, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Benjimagnetic, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

On the right is the Benjimagnetic contribution and is yet another fine piece from him. I have an awful lot of catching up to do with his pieces and I will try and dig them out of my files when (if ever) there is a lull in street activity.

3426. Dean Lane skate park (380)

This container in Dean Lane seems to have been around forever. I’m really not sure what it contains or why it is there, but it is a surface to paint and that is what matters. The quality of graffiti and street art on this container can be very variable so it is nice when a really good piece like this one from Rusk comes along.

Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

Rusk is an artist/writer whose work I never tire of and who doesn’t paint as much as I’d like him to, although he tends to paint in places that are sometimes out of the way and I don’t get to see those ones. This is a straightforward RUSKI in horizontal graded blues with some nice bubbles in black white and blue. The quality of the lines and fills is of a high standard, which on the uneven face of the container can’t be easy. This is what great graffiti writing looks like.

3423. Dean Lane skate park (379)

I think this is my favourite wall in Dean Lane and it has hosted so many outstanding pieces over the years. Some occupy the whole height and width of the wall, some just the lower or upper portions, some are solo pieces and some collaborations like this one from Slim Pickings and Biers.

Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

On the left is some superb writing from Biers, which appears to spell out BIERY, which is a nice variant of his letters. I like the unruly nature of his writing where uniformity of letters goes out of the window. This is one of those collaborations that share a wall and colour convention.

Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

To the right is the contribution from Slim Pickings whose TES doesn’t quite fit on the wall. The letters are big and bold and the black fill dominant. This is one of those collaborations that you cal look at and say ‘yes’! 

3422. Dean Lane skate park (378)

It would seem that Turoe isn’t quite ready to stop reminding us what a bad year 2020 has been with this ‘Shyte’ piece in Dean Lane. He may be using the same word associated with his recent work but has given it a rather different style this time round.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

The large block letters in black are nicely formed and bounded by a strong lime green outline. The subtle part is in the red clouds across the bottom of the letters and purple accents. Another fine shyte piece from Turoe.

3416. Dean Lane skate park (377)

Benjimagnetic is on fire at the moment, and although I haven’t’ posted many of his recent pieces, they are in the pipeline and I hope to share them all eventually. This one is in Dean Lane skate park on a wall that has seen some wonderful low-key pieces in the past. It is not one of the big ‘statement’ walls but tends to play host to some rather more modest pieces.

Benjimagnetic, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Benjimagnetic, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

I will always own up to having Benjimagnetic dyslexia. I really struggle to make out his letters. However, I suspect Paul H might be able to help, but I think I can see an R an M? And an A? – who knows. His unique style is so recognisable and his ‘ghost’ letters brilliantly disguised. A fine piece of wildstyle writing.