Tag: Design

408. Old Bread Street (7)

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
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, 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.

Sorry about the water on the lens!

404. Upfest 2016 (37)

Well there’s a story to tell here. For such a long time I thought this Bristol-based street artist was called Fois, after all, most of his pieces contained the word, and many of the Bristol writers use their names, or corruptions of them and paint under those names…Deamze, Sled One, Epok, Soker, Inkie, and so on. Well not this artist.

Kleiner Shames, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kleiner Shames, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The last time I featured him on this blog, I had established that he was actually called Kleiner Shames, Jimmy Kleiner Shames. Once again it was Instagram that came to my rescue. Then it gets a whole lot better. Kleiner Shames recently cleared out his studio because he is moving to London (booo!) and was offering some studio paintings for sale. I ended up buying two from him – he is an exceptional talent and I love his work. He is such a decent bloke, he even offered to deliver the pictures in person.

Kleiner Shames, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kleiner Shames, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The piece he did for Upfest contains everything you would expect; architectural features, diagonal lines, hands, pastel colours and a wonderful retro feel. I wish him well with his move to London and hope he’ll be back in Bristol to brighten up our walls. We’ll miss him…Fois forever.

324. Dean Lane skate park (13)

This is a curious piece…a cat with a fish tail. It was created on the same day as this work by ObjectØØØ and posted as a short film on her Instagram account. Her work is really beautiful, and in addition to her designs, she takes to the streets every so often. I think Dean Lane is a place she enjoys working…I think I have seen two or three of her pieces there.

Annikapixie, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2016
Annikapixie, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2016

This particular work, I guess, was done fairly quickly, but I know she has done some rather more substantial pieces recently. Her Instagram account is a busy place, and she can usually be found sticking out her tongue at every possible opportunity. A breath of fresh air.

 

 

323. City Road (2)

Another winning bird, this time a Blue Jay – not a native of Britain – by Aspire. I have run out of things to say about Aspire’s work. It is simply fabulous, and I am lucky to have such a talented artist in the neighbourhood.

Aspire and Mr Klue, City Road, Bristol, March 2016
Aspire and Mr Klue, City Road, Bristol, March 2016

Accompanying him on this occasion is the unmistakable work of Mr Klue. The swirling pattern working off the right hand side of the bird. Two great local artists keeping things fresh.

288. Cheltenham Road, the Little Shop

It has been a little while since I last posted anything by Alex Lucas. This wonderful piece has decorated the Little Shop for a few years now and sits right on the cusp of Cheltenham Road and Stokes Croft – both street names appear in the featured image.

Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2015

In this commissioned mural Lucas does what she does so very well. Rabbits. Wonderful line drawings of rabbits interspersed with what appear to be pineapples. This junction with Ashley Road is really at the heart of Bohemian Bristol and there is barely a building without some kind of street art decorating it. I have the pleasure of walking this way to work every day (in the Summer at least) and never tire of this Lucas work.

Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, December 2015

The left hand side of the building is part of the 123 Space – a gallery which is linked to the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft (PRSC) next door. The 123 Space is a place for the local art community to create, connect, dream and build together. The Facebook page is here.

 

244. Old Bread Street (2)

This has been a mystery for far too long, but yesterday I cracked it. This fantastic piece, and genuinely one of my absolute favourites, is a collaboration by Tom Deams (Deamze) – more about him in his rather excellent website – and Georgina Anton, a Bristol-based artist with early roots in graffiti. Her biography can be found here.

Deamze and Georgina Anton, Old Bread Street, Bristol, November 2015
Deamze and Georgina Anton, Old Bread Street, Bristol, November 2015

There is something so clean and soothing about this burner. The proportions are fantastic, the lettering wonderful, the word ‘utopia’ just seems to work and the design filling the letters is beautiful. It was unsigned, and so it has been very hard to identify. It was only yesterday that I caught a glimpse of the piece in Deamze’s portfolio that I was able to find out more. The piece has long since gone, but at least I can now sleep easy at night.

215. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (8)

You can probably tell by now that I am clearing through my December backlog of images. Here is another one by Mr Klue. Mr Klue (Klue Wone) is a Bristol based designer and illustrator whose work is turning up everywhere at the moment. This is a particularly colourful piece that typifies his excellent selection of colours and shades and presents his swirling patterns with soft angular corners.

Mr Klue, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Mr Klue, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

Mr Klue’s work is so original and distinctive, and it is nice to see some abstract stuff adorning Bristol’s walls. His website is here.

169. West Street

I am still coming across street art that was created during Upfest 2015, and on my walk yesterday I found this wonderful piece by Gemma Compton.

Gemma Compton, West Street, Bristol, April 2016
Gemma Compton, West Street, Bristol, April 2016

Compton is an artist and fashion designer who is based in Bristol, and another graduate from UWE (University of the West of England). A lot of her work incorporates wildlife and birds in particular. She has an interesting website that shows off her extensive work. Street art is clearly not her main focus, which is a pity, as this is rather good.

7/10

160. Stokes Croft, The Art House

Hardly a day goes by when I don’t stop to take a quick look at this familiar and wonderful piece. It is a constant when all around it is in continual flux.

Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

‘Dandy Lion’ is a private commission, presumably for the householder,  and has commanded great respect from the tagging community over the years; it remains unscathed.

Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

Both the lion and the mouse are delightful. You can see the care and preparation that went into the work on the Lucas Antics website.

8/10

157. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (5)

Slap bang next to the Tom Miller piece posted on 13 March 2016, is a striking collaboration by two Bristol street artists not yet featured on my blog, Mr. Sle7en and Klue.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Mr Sle7en and Klue, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2016

I have seen works by both of them, but only recently worked out who they are. The top part, a rather typical three-eyed character is by Sle7en (Luke Sleven), who describes himself as a ‘freelance artist, illustrator, painter, muralist, aerosol alchemist, and all round artisan’. The lower part is by Klue (Klue Wone), an artist, illustrator and designer, whose wall pieces are very distinctive, with colourful angular swirls mingling to form beautiful freestyle designs.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2016
Tom Miller, Mr Sle7en and Klue, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2016

There will be more from these two to come.

7/10