Mr June was one of the lead artists at Upfest 2016, and he had the privilege of painting a large wall, previously occupied by Dan Kitchener, on the side of the Salvation Army building in Church Street.
Mr June, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Trained as a graphic designer, Mr June took to the streets as a graffiti artist in 1985, and his preference for combining his love of typography, graffiti and abstract art come together beautifully in this mesmerising piece.
Mr June, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
This is definitely one for the fans of large, bold designs that have an almost architectural feel to them. His use of colours is first rate, and the overall impression is impactful.
I love the high-end quality of the work produced by Zase and Dekor. Always highly designed and thought out, their pieces always contain a story picture and a wildstyle ‘Zase’. This magnificent wall sprayed for Upfest is no exception.
Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
It reminds me a little of a piece they did at Deaners a short while before Upfest, which might have been a fun practise run.
Zase, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Dekor was rather quiet and focussed at Upfest, but Zase was happy to have a good chat while he was working. I asked whether he would be happy to do an interview for my blog, which he agreed to do, but of course I haven’t got round to it yet. Watch this space.
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
There is something very clean about their work, and the stories contained in them really play a large part. Zase produces these amazing 3D wildstyle writing which are a little like puzzles to unravel, but once you get your eye in are really pleasing.
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
They workm on a lot of commissions, which is why it is so good to see them at Upfest, and at Deaners during July.
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Another large wall, this time a little out of the way on Dean Lane. This is one of the most awkward walls to photograph, let alone spray, but Inkie has done a commanding job of this one.
Inkie, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The large piece is on the side of the South Bank Club and features a trademark Inkie portrait. The whole thing is a Bristol as Bristol can be, with a rather nice reference to the Clifton Suspension Bridge on the left hand side.
Inkie, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I think the character at the top of the piece is a fairly effeminate looking Isambard Kindom Brunel.
Inkie, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The character at the bottom of the piece might be a self portrait, but I am not sure really. The whole thing is really impressive, and I was fortunate enough to catch up with Inkie while he was just finishing off the job. Inkie and Bristol are utterly interlinked, and we are lucky to have him around.
Inkie, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The observant will notice an Angus piece just to the bottom left of the picture.
This is another photograph that goes back a fair old way, but I am glad to say the building has remained unaltered. This is what the front of a house looks like when the owner is a hugely talented designer…I am of course referring to Alex Lucas whose pieces can be found all around the Montpelier area of Bristol.
Alex Lucas, Picton Street, Bristol, March 2016
The building, which doubles up as a little shop, is a famous landmark in Montpelier and features dozens of floral patterns and little birds. It is reminiscent of Victorian wallpaper, with a modern twist. I have just noticed that there appears to be a ghost of ‘Smilie’ in the reflection of the window…or maybe I am just seeing things.
This is one of the best walls in Moon Street (Stokes Croat even). It stands out, is a great size, and allows only for one piece at a time, giving the artist space to frame the piece nicely. Mr Klue is, I would suggest, the best abstract street artist in Bristol – instantly recognisable and very easy on the eye.
Mr Klue, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016Mr Klue seems to be comfortable working alone, or working in collaboration with others, and I have many examples of both in this blog. Consistently good, and some of his more recent work is looking very interesting indeed. I just have to get out and find it.
Tucked over to one side of the Bearpit, near the Premier Inn Hotel, I found this rather nice collaboration between Jee See and Mr Klue. In this piece we see the typical styles of each of these street artists. Mr Klue treats us to his swirling patterns in rich purples and lilacs, while Jee See offers a stencil of a girl with a revolutionary Castro look about her – a stencil I have seen repeatedly about Bristol.
Mr Klue and Jee See, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2016I’m not sure if this piece is still there as I took the picture some time ago, and it is in a bit of The Bearpit I rarely visit. More from both to follow in time.
Mr Klue and Jee See, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2016
This really is an astonishing wall by Kleiner Shames. It is outstanding not only in its sheer scale, but also in the colours and designs incorporated. The mural seems to be telling several stories.I love Kleiner Shames’ work, indeed I have some of it hanging on my walls at home. Rather than string out a laboured description of each photograph I will simply show them below as a series of pictures, taken from left to right of the mural. Simply superb work.
Kleiner Shames, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016Kleiner Shames, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016Kleiner Shames, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016Kleiner Shames, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016Kleiner Shames, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016
Deep in the heart of Montpelier (Alex Lucas land) there is a recent, and rather small, addition to the street art landscape. A hare and a purple baloon, which might be a reference to her work with the Ribena Colouring Cafe in Covent Garden.
Alex Lucas, Picton Mews, Bristol, September 2016It has been a while since I have seen any of her new work, but as one of Bristol’s most in-demand artist/designer/street artists, I guess she has less time for pieces like this. I like this very much. It is playful and very slightly anarchic, but beautifully done. It would be great to see more of Alex’s work around the place to brighten up our days.
Every now and then I begin to think I know quite a lot about street art in Bristol. I write about it every day, and feature dozens of different artists in this blog. And then…I visit one of my favourite sites and see this, and realise I have so much more to learn.
Mr Penfold, Old Bread Street, Bristol, September 2016
It is always exciting coming across a new artist, but also a little threatening…how could I have missed them? Who are they? Are they local? Many doubts begin to challenge your knowledge and credibility. Then I have the light-bulb moment…I am doing this for fun, not to be judged. This is not work, it is a passion, and learning and discovery are my companions on this journey. I didn’t know anything about Mr Penfold (Tim Gresham), before I saw this, maybe I should have done but I have never seen his work before. This piece is so different and eye-catching, I had to find out more and write about it.
Mr Penfold, Old Bread Street, Bristol, September 2016
Mr Penfold (thirty-something) is originally from Cambridge, now based in Bristol, and works using various media and surfaces. Clearly a disciplined designer, he applies his talents to graphics, advertising, painting and street art. His work is very distinctive, and appears to draw on what I consider to be quite an ’80s and ’90s look. On reading his Facebook page I see that he has done another recent piece near where I work, so watch this space for more Mr Penfold.
Natural adventures 