7226. Dean Lane skate park (873)

Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2025
Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2025

It would seem that Taboo doesn’t paint all that often these days, or at least, not in the places that I frequent. Dean Lane Hardcore (DLH) is an annual opportunity for street/graffiti artists to do their stuff in a one-day skate festival atmosphere, and I think that Taboo painted this and one other piece at this year’s DLH.

Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2025
Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2025

Wall space might have been a bit of a premium, who knows, but Taboo has instead painted the floor of the skate park – perhaps with a view to his work being more likely to appear in skate videos. Taboo’s letters are written back to front (nothing is straightforward with this artist) but rather more conventional than his typical anti-style pieces. Great to see his work after a while.

7194. Dean Lane skate park (869)

Chill, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Chill, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025

Chill left Bristol a little over a year ago, having been a prolific member of the PWA crew, so it was wonderful to see this small piece in Dean Lane skate park, which I think was painted for, or at, the Dean Lane Hardcore (DLH) event (an annual skate and music extravaganza).

Chill, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Chill, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025

This piece features two of his cheeky characters side by side with tongues hanging out. That Chill is able to duplicate these faces with such ease demonstrates his skill as an artist and steady can control. I miss these characters.

7186. Dean Lane skate park (867)

Bogat, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Bogat, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025

Bogat only paints occasionally, but his pieces are instantly recognisable and impactful. He is not a ‘high-end’ character artist, but he manages to capture a down-to-earth style, without which the diversity of street art in Bristol would be all the poorer.

Bogat, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Bogat, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025

In this piece, the pink-faced character appears to be snarling a little. There is some nice shading and lines, especially round the cheeks. The ‘Bennie’ hat with the word BOGAT is nicely painted, but it is the zigzag eyes that grab the attention. I think the piece was painted for the Dean Lane Hardcore event held a week or so ago.

6256. Dean Lane skate park (737)

Foksymoron, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2024
Foksymoron, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2024

Living in Bristol (as I do) and tracking down street/graffiti art (as I do) it is impossible not to be familiar with a stylised fox mega-tag that appears in all corners of the city. The foxes are painted by Foksymoron, and this is by far the largest one I have seen yet, in Dean Lane for Dean Lane Hardcore.

Foksymoron, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2024
Foksymoron, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2024

This skate ramp has often been decorated by Feek for the Dean Lane Hardcore event, but not this time, and Foksymoron appears to have done a pretty good job, filling the space. Foxes have a long and studied history in Bristol, and it is great to see so many featured on the street art scene. I have a host of foxes by Foksymoron in my archives, and feel that perhaps I ought to dig them out and post them all together… watch this space

4701. Dean Lane skate park (527)

Ryder, T-Rex, Conrico and Kool hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Ryder, T-Rex, Conrico and Kool hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

This is another offering from the Dean Lane Hardcore (DLH) event a couple of weeks ago, and is an unusual collaboration between T-Rex, Ryder, Conrico and Kool Hand, which makes the whole thing rather special. Entitled ‘All skaters are b*stards’, the collaboration is clearly poking a bit of fun at skaters, at what is at its heart a skating event.

Ryder, T-Rex, Conrico and Kool hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Ryder, T-Rex, Conrico and Kool hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

T-Rex that’s us to one of her classic dinosaurs, with a flying pig in a frying pan overhead by Ryder.  Conrico has reproduced one of his classic Bugs Bunny pieces with the inclusion of a skate board (see below), and the collaboration is hounded off with a Kool Hand Orangutan. The whole piece is a bit of an eclectic gathering, but utterly appropriate for the event. Great to see.

Conrico, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2021
Conrico, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2021

4699. Dean Lane skate park (526)

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

A really quick one this morning. I have to make an unexpected trip and won’t have much time for blogs. This is a pity, because it feels like an age since I last posted anything by Pekoe.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

This piece was painted for the annual Dean Lane Hardcore (DLH) event a couple of weeks ago, when skating, music and spray painting come together in a raucous and fun festival. All a bit loud for me, so I decided not to attend. I don’t mind what the reason for getting Pekoe out to paint, I will always welcome her work.

3130. Dean Lane skate park (342)

Laic217 keeps knocking it out of the park (skate park in this instance). This is a piece that was painted for the Dean Lane Hardcore event a few weeks back and captures the atmosphere and essence of the event brilliantly.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020

The skateboarding skeleton is smoking and drinking and the rather tatty looking skateboard is on fire with the tricks being demonstrated. Somehow, Laic217 has managed to work the perspective of the crouching skeleton in a way that shows the movement and forces while calmly holding a beer can in his left hand.

Laic217 and Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020
Laic217 and Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020

Next to this piece are the three rabbits by Nevergiveup that I posted a few days ago holding up score cards for the achievements of Laic217’s skater. My assessment for the artwork is a 10, 10, 10.

3127. Dean Lane skate park (341)

This is a small quick one from Pekoe painted underneath one of the ramps at Dean Lane skate park around the time of the DLH event. I think that Pejoe has painted a piece here once before and I’ll try and dig it out and add it to the end of this post.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020

This one is a little more multi-coloured in the face than her usual pieces, but you can see that it was probably painted quite quickly, lacking the finesse of some of her other work. It is a lovely piece nonetheless and for once no tears. Nice to see a cheeky little Smak tag thrown in too.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019

3116. Dean Lane skate park (339)

Every year, usually in May I think, there is a special event held at Dean Lane skate park called Dean Lane Hardcore. It is a skating event with live music, where the good, the bad and the ugly of Bristol gather to hang out and have a great time. DLH is also a great time for street artists to show off their talent.

Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020

This piece shows three Nevergiveup rabbits holding up score cards to judge the skaters’ performances. The craziness of these guys reflects well the craziness of the event itself. Beautifully painted and perfectly in context, this little trio is a real winning piece.

1691. Dean Lane skate park (156)

Each year in August there is an event held in Dean Lane skate park called DLH, or Dean Lane Hardcore. It is a fairly crazy affair with skaters, wild music and a lot of booze. Before the event, streetartists come down and do a bit of decorating on the ramps and walls, which ends up looking pretty good on the videos.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

For at least the last two years, and probably longer than that, Feek has taken on the large ramp at the bottom of the park and given it an extreme makeover. I made it to Dean Lane while he was working on the piece, but he disappeared and I never got to meet him which is a pity.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

The monster glaring out of the ramp is brilliantly done and suits the event perfectly his previous years piece was not dissimilar. All good work. Unfortunately, I think this year’s DLH was a bit of a wash out…you can’t skate in the rain.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017