Tag: Dinosaur

2579. Gloucester Road, CoLAB

I was on a mission to buy a couple of birthday presents a week or two back, and was running out of options (and time) so I took a stroll up Gloucester Road to see what I could find, as my usual ‘sure thing’ the Guild on Park Street had somewhat let me down. One of the shops I visited a couple of times was CoLAB, a shop that sells art from local artists. This particular shop also has strong links with the street art scene and stocks a range of books published by Tangent on the subject.

On my second trip into the shop, which sealed the deal on a rather nice print of the Carriageworks (with the Iconic Sweet Toof and Rawdy crocodile), I noticed this little alcove that looked a little bit like an ex-changing room (not an exchanging room, that might be something completely diffierent). Hurrah, the unmistakable work of Andy Council.

Andy Council, Gloucester Road CoLAB, Bristol, February
Andy Council, Gloucester Road CoLAB, Bristol, February

I don’t usually post indoor art in Natural Adventures, but just occassionally…

I suspect, looking at the wear and tear on this piece it might have been done some time ago. In true Andy Council style it features a bunch of dinosaurs that are constructed out of small houses and includes the Clifton Suspension Bridge, just for good measure. His work is inextricably linked with his home city and his identity can be found all over the place. A great find in a great shop that I will visit more frequently I’m sure.

2468. Dean Lane skate park (250)

It always feels a little unusual finding a T-Rex piece in Dean Lane probably because she doesn’t paint here as often as in North Bristol, so coming across this rather nicely done piece of writing was a pleasant surprise.

T-Rex, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019
T-Rex, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019

This piece oozes with confidence and competence. The letters are beautifully done, the character dinosaur with its cheeky grin, the leopard spot and giraffesque fills in the letters and the 3D blue shadowing are all masterfully created with what appears to be total ease. She really is a fabulous writer and we are lucky to have her brightening up the streets of Bristol.

2453. Cheltenham 2018 (2)

Whether it is a large piece or a small one, Chinagirl Tile never ceases to amaze with her imaginative and often slightly subversive ceramic tiles. I think this must be one of my favourites and I loved it from the first second I saw it. Created for the Cheltenham Paint Festival 2018 this striking dinosaur piece takes centre stage in one of the town’s car parks.

Chinagirl Tile, Paint festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019
Chinagirl Tile, Paint festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019

The dinosaur is enormous and one of the larger pieces I have seen by Chinagirl Tile. It is genuinely a fabulous work of art and Cheltenham are lucky to have it as a piece of public artwork. I cannot imagine how long this might have taken Chinagirl to design, fashion, glaze and fire, let alone bringing it over here from Austria where she is based, but it was definitely worth it.

Chinagirl Tile, Paint festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019
Chinagirl Tile, Paint festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019

An additional part of the overall piece is a ceramic listing of ‘rules for girls who want to become street artists’ with the words ‘BRING A DINOSAUR’ written over the top of it. Skill, charm, wit, placement, patience, dedication… this piece has it all. Bravo.

2196. St Werburghs tunnel (78)

I’ve not posted anything by T-Rex for a little while now, but was lucky enough to come across this wonderful piece in St Werburghs tunnel recently. It was painted during quite a large paint jam a week or so ago alongside work by other RAW artists.

T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019
T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019

Having just bought some spray paint and tried out a little in my garden, I can’t begin to explain how difficult this is and what exceptional talent and experience is needed to produce a piece like this one. The shapes of the letters, the incredible fill patterns and sharp lines, not to mention the expressive dinosaur, are so well worked. I don’t really understand how these guys do it. T-Rex, I doff my cap. The sooner I pack away my paint the better.

1814. Upfest 2018 (74)

I am not entirely certain that this is an official Upfest piece, but failure to include it would not be in the spirit of my Upfest write ups. It is a cheeky shutter piece by T-Rex a local artist whose ‘graffiti partner’ Ryder sprayed his trademark tag on the left hand wall of the shop in the feature image.

T-Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
T-Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

T-Rex’s dinosaurs are a familiar site in Bristol and at Upfest too and add humour and a lighthearted touch. One of the things I love about these three characters is how the eyes give them each completely different personalities/emotions. Looking left to right, the first looks wary, the second fed up and the third agressive. A bit of fun.

1754. Armada Place (13)

Things in the Stokes Croft area have been a bit slow compared with some of the other spots in town, so it was nice to spot this quick collaboration between Ryder and T-Rex. These two nearly always paint together, and their comfortable friendship comes across in all their pieces.

Ryder and T-Rex, Armada Place, Bristol, September 2018
Ryder and T-Rex, Armada Place, Bristol, September 2018

I can’t quite work out where the white lines came from and the writing – I think it says ‘Spray summit innit’, and although it looks slightly incongruous I think it is part of the piece and not a tag. Fun stuff from these two.

1564. King William Street

What a fine addition to the main drag of North Street from Andy Council. A fresh piece, which I hope will remain for Upfest 2018 from one of the most identifiable Bristol street artists. I understand the artist whose work previously occupied this spot was not overjoyed, but I think I know whose work I’d rather see.

Andy Council, King William Street, Bristol, June 2018
Andy Council, King William Street, Bristol, June 2018

This piece is similar in shape and size to one of his that I posted a few weeks ago on West Street. The subject is of a dinosaur although I’m not exactly sure which one – it looks like one of the ones with a bird-like tail. Typical of his work, we see the whole creation is composed of architectural building blocks and common with Andy Council’s pieces, there is the inclusion of the Clifton suspension bridge. The red billowing smoke adds movement to the whole piece. More fine work from Andy.

1527. M32 roundabout J3 (85)

Adjacent to the M32 roundabout is a little side road where I like to park when I photograph street art in the area. There are always one or two caravans parked up here too, generally occupied by homeless people. Actually this is becoming quite a big issue in Bristol at the moment, as there are an awful lot of these old caravans appearing all over the city being used as temporary homes. The homeless suituation in the UK is reaching crisis point and austerity continues to hit the marginalised hardest.

Ryder and T-Rex, M32, Bristol, May 2018
Ryder and T-Rex, M32, Bristol, May 2018

On the upside, the caravans are used as canvases for many of the street artists as the ‘owners’ really don’t seem to mind the decoration. On this one we have a rather nice quick collaboration from T-Rex and Ryder. There is real movement in that dinosaur.

1372. Newfoundland Street (2)

I am still a little baffled that it has taken me so long to become aware of this hoarding. This is the second piece I am posting from this spot and it is by the irrepressible Andy Council.

Andy Council, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018
Andy Council, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018

Andy Council has very cleverly managed to stretch out a Tyrannosaurus Rex horizontally to keep it within the confines of the hoarding, by positioning it leaning forward. As with his work, the whole is made up of architectural building blocks, some of them Bristol landmarks, to create this colourful and wonderous beast.

Andy Council, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018
Andy Council, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018

I expect this one to be around for a while because the development behind will probably take a year at the very least to complete, and it doesn’t yet look like it has even begun.

1355. North Street Green (10)

I recently took a few work colleagues on a guided street art tour to Bedminster as part of an organisational event designed to share skills, learn more about the work we do and to get to know each other better and the city we live in as part of a wellbeing initiative. The tour was very oversubscribed, and I may have to run some more. It was something of a success and all the participants told me that they had really enjoyed it.

Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2018
Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2018

What luck it was then that we came across one of Bristol’s most well known street artists at work, just finishing off a new work as part of his nomination as Upfest artist of the month for March in the build up to Upfest 2018, Andy Council.

Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, March 2018
Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, March 2018

His style and presentation should come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog. He has created a wonderful dinosaur, a stegosaurus type I think, which is composed of architectural features, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge on the head of the beast. I stopped for a quick chat with Andy, but it was the coldest day of the year so far and I felt I needed to keep the tour moving. It was nice to be able to show people an artist at work, and even better that it was Andy Council.