Tag: Elton Street

5919. Elton Street (29)

Beth Kirby, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
Beth Kirby, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

Only a few days ago I was saying what a rarity it is to see nudes depicted in street art in Bristol, so it is something of a special piece indeed that manages to survive the noise. This is a stunning piece by Beth Kirby on the side of the Lost Horizons Arts Centre.

Beth Kirby, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
Beth Kirby, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

The piece is painted ladder height above the pavement, and so tagging or censorship of the piece would take a determined individual indeed. I am not sure what materials have been used to paint the piece, but it has a sketchbook line drawing feel to it. Beautiful stuff, and a wonderful tribute piece. You can read more about Beth Kirby on her wonderful website.

5898. Elton Street (28)

Used Pencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
UsedPencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

The ‘gallery’ in Elton Street, on the side of the Lost Horizons Arts Centre, is always worth a look. There are five or six framed boards raised above the street (ladders required for the artists), curated by the Arts Centre, and which are rarely, if ever, tagged or overpainted. This board, on the end of the building has been painted by Used Pencil, a Bristol artist whose work I have only once seen before at Upfest 2022.

Used Pencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
UsedPencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

This piece is painted with a combination of spray paint and brushes, which helps to give it that texture and detail, and you can find a video of its creation on Used Pencil’s Instagram feed. It is a piece that is easy on the eye and has a kind of mystical feel to it. Although the style is recognisable from his Upfest piece, the subject matter is quite different.

Usedpencil, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Usedpencil, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

5713. Elton Street (27)

Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

I am not sure that I have come across Prefab77 before, but as a massive fan of the North East band Prefab Sprout, I can’t help liking this artist simply because of his name. In addition to this large piece in Elton Street, Prefab77 also left a smaller one in Leonard Lane, perhaps during a single visit to Bristol.

Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

The black and white piece is really clever, looking like a collage of words and images stuck to the wall. It is actually a composite of stencils to create this ‘scrapbook’ appearance. A busy piece with lots to look at, Prerfab77 has brought us something rather special.

5654. Elton Street (26)

Mr Penfold, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Penfold, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

Mr Penfold’s work seems to be only occasional these days, so it is always a genuine pleasure when I find one. This is a recent piece, painted alongside friends Billy and Merny, making up part of the outdoor gallery on the side of Lost Horizons.

Mr Penfold, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Mr Penfold, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

Mr Penfold’s highly designed abstract work translates really well from the studio to large outdoor ‘canvasses’, which cannot necessarily be said for many abstract artists. I would say at this point, though, that we probably don’t have our fair share of abstract street artists in Bristol, and it is a genre that could do with a bit of a boost. Slakarts is definitely moving in that direction, but generally abstract artists are few and far between. Mr Penfold has painted his distinctive large, colourful and solid shapes on a black background, making our eyes do the hard work, dancing from one shap or colour to another. A lovely piece from the artist.

5631. Elton Street (25)

Billy, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Billy, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

I have a deep fondness for Billy’s work. There is something comforting about her childlike naive style. Charming stuff, but there is often a low-level undercurrent of contemporary commentary – not in this piece though. This is straight and simple, it is a dog with funny hair.

Billy, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Billy, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

I think that Billy would make a fantastic illustrator of children’s books, as the uncomplicated images contain a narrative, which could relate very easily to a story book story. This piece was painted as part of a paint jam alongside painting friends, Merny and Mr Penfold, among others.

5621. Elton Street (24)

Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

On the side of the Lost Horizons Arts Centre there are some framed panels which are curated by the Centre, and I think that Bnie has a lot to do with that curation. Most of the panels were refreshed about three weeks ago, and this one from Merny is particularly fun.

Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
Merny, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023

Merny says “jelly! Get over it!” – you’ve got to laugh, really. The jelly, which is sitting on a pink plate, is brilliantly painted, demonstrating an understanding of colour, shading and portraying translucence that few artists manage. To do it in his naive style is even more remarkable. Break-out labels finish the piece nicely, a piece which I think combines fun, mischief and talent in equal measure. Jelly – get over it!

5236. Elton Street (23)

Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

I don’t know where Wispa (@willow_the_wispa) lives, but she seems to pop up all over the country and indeed in other countries, which gives me the impression that she is constantly on the move. On the upside, it means that she comes to visit her Bristol RBF friends reasonably regularly and leaves something for us all to enjoy.

Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

This is a wonderful mash-up of stylised throw-ups and tagging finished in a neat, tidy and deliberate way. Sanitising this kind of artwork isn’t easy, and Wispa has done it brilliantly. At first glance it might look like a mess, but it is in fact a really classy piece from a great writer. I already look forward to her next visit.

5172. Elton Street (22)

Fishlock and Fyona Finn, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2022
Fishlock and Fyona Finn, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2022

Following on immediately from the previous post featuring Katie Fishlock, here is a piece that she painted, in collaboration with Fyona Finn back in April 2022, a year ago. Once again we see a bold statement accompanied by a carefully crafted illustration.

Fishlock and Fyona Finn, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2022
Fishlock and Fyona Finn, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2022

Fishlock’s style seems to be very much about the message and arresting imageryto help drive it home. Some clever wordplay is at work here and the phrase can be read as ‘Love is expansive’ or a rather more pessimistic version ‘Love is expensive’. I suspect both are true statements, and that is the point. I don’t know which artist did which bit of this piece, but as a collaboration it works perfectly. Maybe we’ll have another chapter in April 2024.

5171. Elton Street (21)

Fishhlock, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Fishhlock, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

I go to great lengths to try and keep my street art/graffiti posts fresh by mixing up the locations and artists each time I post. Today I am making an exception, posting not only the same artist, Katie Fishlock, in two consecutive posts, but also in the same spot, Elton street.

Fishhlock, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Fishhlock, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

I am not particularly familiar with Fishlock’s work, although the next post is a piece by her from last year. I think she is mostly a designer and illustrator working in the studio, who from time to time paints murals. Her messages are usually pretty hard-hitting, and this particular phrase is something she has been working on in her designs. Really eye-catching and interesting. A simple message very tidily delivered.

5164. Elton Street (20)

Vozie, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Vozie, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

Who knew? Vozie can do portrait pieces. I have not been following Vozie for all that long, maybe a year now, but this is the first piece that I have seen that isn’t her exquisite writing. Surprises like this are what makes photographing and documenting street art so pleasurable.

Vozie, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Vozie, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

The portrait, with psychedelic colours and designs, is beautifully structured and finished, with the hair and eyes being particular highlights. It is incredible how different artists bring different things to portraits, for example, this piece could be compared to Pekoe’s work, any yet their styles are so utterly different. Great to see something totally different from Vozie.