5481. Brunel Way (226)

Fade, Jody and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Fade, Jody and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

We are blessed in Bristol to have so many outstanding graffiti artists, and I have to remind myself how privileged we are to be able to enjoy such awesome free art, that most towns and cities in the country simply don’t get to experience. Three of the best artists, Dibz, Jody and Fade combined to give us this amazing Ghostbusters triptych, alongside Ryder, whose piece I will post soon.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

To the left in spooky blue and green colours is writing by Fade, but just to confuse things, he has written DIBZ in a sot of mutual respect thing going on between the artists. Underneath are the letters RDA and RFK, which, if I am honest, I don’t know what they stand for, but are presumably crew names. Great crisp clean letters with a glow of green ghostly ectoplasm.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

In the middle is a piece by Jody, which convinces me that he is one of the most talented and versatile character/portrait artists in Bristol, has painted Slimer, the iconic ghost from the film franchise. The fact that this year Jody has painted a range of pieces including a demon, a hooded woman, a renaissance portrait (using brushes) Barbie and now Slime, simply demonstrates that he can turn his hand to pretty much anything.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

To the right, the letters from Dibz are as perfect as ever. Dibz has been smashing it all year long and shows no signs of slowing down. He is painting so fast that some of his pieces are getting left behind in my archive – an unthinkable state of affairs. Yet another epic wall in this year of epic walls.

5405. Brunel Way (220)

Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Only a few days ago I spoke about how many whole-wall epic collaborations there have been this year, and this huge wall is all the more impressive given that the whole thing was painted by only two artists, Fade and Dibz.

Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Fade appears to be something of a force of nature with both the quality and quantity of pieces he has been painting recently, and he appears to be equally comfortable with writing and characters. I have to confess that I am not 100 percent certain who painted each element of the wall, but I’ll have a go. I think the fox and the MOFO writing in white are by Fade.

Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade and Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

The vampire style character I have a feeling might have been painted by Dibz… it certainly has the crispness and quality that I would associate with his work, although equally, Fade might have crafted it.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

The next section of writing would appear to be by Fade, but having said that it might be by Dibz, doing that thing where he writes another artist’s name. The cartoon duck is fabulous, but I can’t place him.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

The next section of writing is definitely by Dibz… there are very few artists who could replicate  his superb wildstyle graffiti writing.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Rounding off the whole collaboration is a little scene with a cartoon dog and mid-west style farm house painted to perfection. The whole collaboration is utterly awesome and frankly it is difficult to process how they managed to pull it off so well. Bravo!

5397. Brunel Way (219)

Fade, Dibz and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Dibz and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

2023 has been the year of epic collaborations, under Brunel Way, at Dean Lane and at other spots in Bristol as well. Quite why there have been so many collaborations and paint jams this year is not clear, but perhaps it has something to do with being in a post-Covid era where friendships have been refreshed and cemented. Friendships and relationships have perhaps never been so important as we navigate our way through a period of political and social instability with the terrifying backdrop of war, and the biodiversity and climate crises.

Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Fade, Dibz and Rusk have joined up to paint this Pink Panther themed wall. Fade has hit the ground running since arriving in Bristol a few months ago, and is fast becoming a regular presence on the walls of south Bristol. Equally at home painting letters or characters, Fade has created a fabulous Blue Aardvark accompanied by some superb pink writing spelling out FADE, all finished immaculately.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

In the middle of the collaboration is some outstanding writing from Dibz flanked on the left with a beautifully depicted Pink Panther and on the right by Rusk’s Inspector. The blue and pink colour combination once again proving to be an absolute winner.

Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023

Finally, to the right, is the Rusk piece painted in a typically classy style from one of my favourite writers in the city. Rusk’s continuous, joined-up letters are filled with pink and tan colours that fade beautifully, the bottom half of which has a kind of metallic bronze appearance. This is a highly accomplished and enjoyable collaboration from some of Bristol’s very best. We are truly blessed.

 

5382. Dean Lane skate park (623)

Dibz, VZA and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, VZA and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

So far this summer, there have been some magnificent collaborations, occupying large walls, some from the NTS crew, but others that appear to have been stimulated by the return of Fade to Bristol. Fade is clearly an artist who enjoys collaborating. This outstanding wall is by Dibz, VZA (Veeez) and Fade.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

Dibz and Fade have done that thing where they write each other’s name, which, for anyone unfamiliar with their styles could be confusing. Even when writing letters other than DIBZ, Dibz’ style and sharp finish gives him away every time, no signature required. I like the subtle colour transition in the letter fill from blue to red scanning left to right.

VZA, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
VZA, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

The centrepiece is by VZA and features an incredible lay sharp and vibrant alien character that is simply constructed and beautifully executed, making it very easy on the eye. The bright colours make it very difficult to ignore, and it rather steals the show in this collaboration.

Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

To the right, Fade has written DIBZ in colours and a letter style that remind me a little of Scooby Doo, don’t ask me why. Fade seems to enjoy painting characters and backgrounds almost as much as letters, and here he has included some lovely rolling hills and a couple of trees, which he is adding the finishing touches to.

We are spoilt in Bristol to be able to see so many extraordinary and ephemeral pieces of art, and part of the purpose of this blog is to record and share these amazing works for a wider audience that they surely deserve.

5363. Dean Lane skate park (619)

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

Back in old Blighty, but what a disappointment – it has been windy and raining almost constantly since we landed at Heathrow yesterday. I knew we should have gone away for two weeks. The only thing I have missed is the dog, and a ready supply of street/graffiti art to keep me sane.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

This is a remarkable and clever piece from Dibz which has been painted to look like a tag drawn with a marker pen, and just to illustrate the point he has included a character hand with a pen to the right of the writing. The tag-style writing spells out Dibz One, and, as if we needed further evidence, demonstrates the depth of Dibz’ supreme skill.

5358. Dean Lane skate park (618)

Dibz and Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Dibz and Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023

Dibz and Cheo have been at it again, with this outstanding collaboration in Dean Lane. Dibz has provided the writing and Cheo the wonderfully faithful Disney Donald Duck character. What is so clever about the piece is how Dibz has picked up on the lively character of Donald Duck in his writing, really bringing it to life.

Dibz and Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Dibz and Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023

It is so pleasing to see Cheo getting out and painting walls again after what felt like a very long lay-off. In fact I am having some difficulty in keeping up with his work, but have to see that as a good thing really.

Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Fade with a Cheo bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023

We head off to Assisi today, so that’s your lot I’m afraid from a hot and windy Italy.

UPDATE: in the comments, you will see that the Donald Duck is by Fade and not by Cheo, although the bee is still there from a former Cheo piece. All is not as it seems. Any credit above afforded to Cheo needs to be transferred over to Fade, who has been smashing it since his return to the UK.

5327. Dean Lane skate park (611)

Cheo and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Cheo and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023

Cheo has definitely woken up from a reasonably long quiet period, and it would appear that his friend and painting collaborator Dibz has ha something to do with it, at a guess. The two have combined to create this wonderful picture-frame piece featuring a Vaughn Bode lizard by Cheo and tight writing from Dibz.

Cheo and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Cheo and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023

The influence of Vaughn Bode on the graffiti art scene has been quite extraordinary, and continues to be as vibrant now as when the artist himself was alive. Che’s lizard is perfectly drafted with a lot more perspective and depth than some renditions I have seen. The bee, of course, is lovely too. Dibz has gone for some rather more basic writing than we are used to seeing, but it is just so perfectly executed, flawless I would say.  This is a very good collaborative wall from two of Bristol’s finest artists.

5286. Dean Lane skate park (607)

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

This outstanding piece by Dibz was painted alongside Werm and Veeez, both of whom are edging towards the ‘top table’ when it comes to collaborations. I have genuinely run out of things to say about Dibz and the quality and creativity of his work, and am tempted to not write too much more but simply let you enjoy this piece, which is so easy on the eye.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

Dibz’ confidence and talent allow the viewer to wonder at the detail of the piece in the knowledge that absolutely everything is perfectly finished. The addition of pixels and stars embroiders, what is already an outstanding piece of graffiti writing.

5272. Dean Lane skate park (603)

Fade, Turoe and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Fade, Turoe and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

I have been droning on about how the amount of painting activity has increased over the last year or two in Bristol, but associated with this rise has been a commensurate increase in the number of collaborative walls, most of which have a short lifespan due to the high turnover. It is becoming more and more difficult to chronicle street/graffiti art, but I do my best.

Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

This triptych is by Fade, Turoe and Dibz. Starting with Fade on the left – I mentioned yesterday in my first Fade post on Natural Adventures, that we’d be seeing a lot more from the artist, and here is proof of that already. Fade’s work is really crisp, with nice solid fills and great thin black lines and thick black borders. I can’t read the letters in this piece, but it looks like a three letter sequence. This is classy work from someone who has only recently reacquainted himself with spray-painting after a long break.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

In the middle section is a fascinating piece from Turoe, whose mastery of graffiti writing is second to none. The chrome letters, which spell TUROE or as Paul H points DIBZ (although I can read both), have a regularity and uniformity about them, and just the right amount of subtle decoration in the form of white spots. The letters contrast nicely with the diesel-blue bubbly background. Classy stuff.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

Finally, to the right, Dibz does what Dibz does. Reflecting Turoe’s choice of chrome on diesel-blue Dibz shows his utter class with wildstyle writing. I don’t know how he does it, but Dibz is painting incredibly regularly these days – maybe he has a bit more free time on his hands. The clouds accompanying all the pieces on the wall, I think, are by Fade, because they have that flatter look to them that his style has. A very nice collaborative wall.

5267. Dean Lane skate park (602)

Dibz and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

Well, well, well, how nice to see Cheo back again painting on the streets of Bristol. I wonder what has coaxed him out from what feels like a much too long absence, but whatever it is, it is great to see some fresh work from him. This is a superb, how could it be anything else?, collaboration from Dibz and Cheo.

Dibz and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
Dibz and Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023

To fit the collaboration on this wall, Dibz has contracted his style somewhat, and I am not certain his writing says DIBZ, but I can’t quite make out what it does say. Everything about the writing is close to perfect – this guy performs miracles with a spray can. Cheo has painted one of his characters, complete with baseball hat and ski goggles. The t-shirt says Neo Geo, which is lost on me, and of course we have his signature bee – it is great to see Cheo out and about, and I look forward to seeing more from him over the summer.