3027. Dean Lane skate park (328)

The turnover in Dean Lane is very high at the moment and if you blink, you will miss things and over the last few weeks I have certainly missed quite a bit here and elsewhere. Fortunately I was in the fight place at the right time to find this nice piece from Kool Hand.

Kool Hand, Dean Lane, Bristol. June 2020
Kool Hand, Dean Lane, Bristol. June 2020

Regular readers will probably recognise this orange orangutan(?) character that seems to be a particular favourite of Kool Hand. As part of his development as an artist, he has added some squiggle fills to what would normally be a solid fill. These squiggles give the face more depth and character and it looks like a bit of practise using new techniques to me, which is great to see.

 

 

 

3020. Dean Lane skate park (326)

The lock down easing has in my view been far to rapid and aggressively in favour of the economy, and I fear that we will pay for it further down the line, however these things are finely balanced. One of the upsides has been the productivity of street artists whose collective energy was paused for three months. Now, I simply can’t keep up. Many pieces are gone by the time I go to photograph them. I got this one by Hire though and glad that I did.

Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020

As always, the spiky medieval style, that reminds me of a battle in full swing with swords and pikes clashing, spells out HIRE. The blended orange fills are very nicely done, and I rather like the (deliberate) fragmented white edging… an unusual touch. Oh, so much great art to share, but it is difficult to do it on two posts a day.

3012. Dean Lane skate park (325)

It feels like the lock down has energised and inspired Soge in a significant way. Firstly, the sheer number of pieces he has sprayed over the last three weeks or so is mind-boggling and secondly he seems to have raised his game in terms of creativity and quality. He has a new lease of life.

Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020

This is a magnificent piece, which is lucky because it is a brave artist who would paint over the Epok and Piro collaboration masterpiece that occupied this wall and half of which sits above Soge’s work. The writing is first class and he has again used the crosshatch inside the O of SOGE which is a lovely touch. It looks like the beaver is becoming a thing, which I am really pleased about. I am a big fan of writing/character combinations. I love this piece.

2998. Dean Lane skate park (324)

I have a feeling that this is the first piece from Turoe One post-lock down easing or at least if it isn’t then I have missed something. Situated in one of his favourite spots, at the left hand end of the first wall in Dean Lane, this is a striking and well executed piece.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

Such is the turnover at Dean Lane at the moment that this didn’t last too long, and even some of the bigger pieces there are being over painted. This is what happens when you restrain artistic talent for months, there is a surge of activity. It is difficult for folk like me to keep up. This Turoe One burner is a high quality piece from an experienced hand.

2997. Dean Lane skate park (323)

This pair of rabbits from Nevergiveup in Dean Lane appeared alongside at least two other bunny pieces by the artist at the end of May just as lock down restrictions were easing.

Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

With every new rabbit, Nevergiveup is improving and fine-tuning his technique and adding subtle decorative motifs. If you take a look back at some of his work from two years ago, it is possible to see the dramatic improvement. These are a lovely pair.

2993. Dean Lane skate park (322)

This is the second of three large recent pieces by Taboo that appeared at the back end of May. Unfortunately, the third and largest had been overpainted by the time I got to it, such is the high turnover of work at the moment.

Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

I’m not sure if it is just me or what, but the piece seems to say ABOO without the T… maybe he just ran out of space or the T and A are conflated. Big letters, a snake and a skull give me all I would need from a large burner like this. Great work.

2985. Dean Lane skate park (321)

It took me a second trip to this wall in Dean Lane to get some decent photographs. The first effort was marred by a large shadow cast across the left hand side of the piece, and that simply wouldn’t do. The stunning work is a collaboration between 3Dom and Sepr.

3Dom and Sepr, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020
3Dom and Sepr, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020

The easing of restrictions from lock down a couple of weeks back led to an upsurge in high quality pieces, and it has been difficult to keep on top of them, this though is one that is likely to stay for a while. The writing is by 3Dom and the elephant and mouse by Sepr.

3Dom and Sepr, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020
3Dom and Sepr, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020

I have seen similar writing from 3Dom before, there was something very similar on the side of a van I recall. It is easy to forget that he is as talented at graffiti writing as he is at free-form street art. The elephant and mouse is typically humorous and warm from Sepr, who has a talent for telling great stories with his art work. This collaboration is a real gem.

3Dom, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018
3Dom, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018

2981. Dean Lane skate park (320)

This is the first of several new pieces from Soge, who seems to have been really busy since the lock down restrictions eased. His style is similar to his compatriot Hire’s, but perhaps slightly less jagged.

Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

Soge has knocked it out of the park with this piece. The SOGE writing is incredibly detailed and decorated with stars and bubbles. The background is a perfect colour for the main colours of the piece and the whole thing is very easy on the eye. You can see a little 2020 hidden in the letters too.

Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

Something a bit new, or that I haven’t been aware of before is that Soge has started to include characters with his work, and to the right of this piece is a little Beaver with a speech bubble saying ‘I love furlough’. I’m not sure why the beaver has an axe with a bleeding blade, but it adds a little bit of edge to the cute character. This is a really nice piece from Soge.

2979. Dean Lane skate park (319)

Some pieces are so unexpected and so awesome that when you see them one is met with surprise and a little bit of confusion, and so it was for me when I came across this unbelievable geometric abstract collaboration from Piro and Epok in Dean Lane.

Piro and Epok, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Piro and Epok, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

This very classy piece is what I would term a true collaboration, where it is impossible to unpick which bits were done by which artist. The piece is composed of three overlapping large triangles each with a different fill incorporating all sorts of designs, softened with a few circles. This is a really unusual piece for Dean Lane and is something one might expect to see at a street art festival. Perhaps it was created in lieu of Upfest this year. Pure joy.

2978. Dean Lane skate park (318)

For me, the best thing about the relaxation of lock down restrictions has not been my own personal freedoms… I have changed virtually nothing, but the appearance of Laic217 back on our streets with a vigour that is unparalleled. I have found five new Laic217 pieces in a fortnight, so expect more soon.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

This vibrant red skull-face is clutching a spray can in its jaws set on a background of green cheeseplant-type leaves. I think that Laic217 needs to practice his leaf forms a little bit more (says the biologist in me) and look forward to more of this kind of background. Bold and interesting your face’ it is impossible not to see this striking piece. Bravo!