A collection of amazing faces by Bristol street artist Face 1st
Instagram: @face1st_uk
All photographs taken by Scooj
Face 1st
Tag: Face F1st
1727. M32 roundabout J3 (93)
Face 1st (F1st) is the master of getting his work squeezed into just about every corner of Bristol. At any one time, the M32 roundabout must play host to four or five of his pieces, which is pretty impressive really. I would hate to see his monthly spend on spray cans.
This is a return to his more ‘traditional’ style of a pretty face incorporated into some beautifully decorated letters which usually spell out FACE, but in this instance I’m not sure about that. It is always great to see work by one of my absolute favourite Bristol artists.
1700. M32 roundabout J3 (92)
A serendipitous meeting. I had a couple of hours to race around Bristol seeking out any new works before going away on my summer holiday in mid-August, and the last port of call before packing up the car and heading for Gatwick was the M32 roundabout.
As I approached the southern wall I could see Tasha Bee at work, which in itself was very exciting because I have recently become more aware of her work and have been keen to meet the artist. I struck up a conversation with her and could see that she was contributing to a collaboration with PWA’s Soap and Face F1st. I said that I was sorry to have missed them because I would like to meet them both, whereupon she told me that they were sitting on the grass bank right behind me. Hurrah! I stopped for a chat with them all (I hope I didn’t interfere too much with their work) and Face 1st let me have a flick through his black book which felt like a real privilege.
Soap and Face F1st had pretty much finished their pieces and were watching on and advising Tasha Bee as she completed hers. I love the way that the cross motif has been shared by Soap and FF, and I am seriously enjoying the full figure work that the latter is producing at the moment. The girl with the face is emerging and coming to life.
Sadly I never got to see the the finished piece which got buffed over within a few days, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of meeting three lovely artists and seeing them at work. We’ll meet again…
1432. Moon Street (45)
I do like Face F1st’s work, a lot, he is so typically ‘Bristol’. It is difficult to explain what I mean by that, but I know what I mean, so that is ok. This is just a small piece in Moon Street, but it is wonderfully expressive.
There is not too much more to say about this little gem other than to take a look and enjoy it.
1407. M32 Roundabout J3 (72)
He keeps on painting them and I just keep on writing about them – this is another nice piece at the M32 by Face F1st. My first impression about this piece though it that it looks a little hurried…the lines are not very clean and the white surround looks like the work of a bomber.
The face, as with all his pieces, is simple and charming and provides the focal point for the rest of the decoration. Normally, the surrounding patterns spell out FACE, but I can’t see it in this piece. Not his best work, but worth including, I felt. I snapped up two more of his pieces on my way to work this morning.
1358. Moon Street (41)
One of my favourite streets and one of my favourite artists – the perfect match. This is a lovely piece by Face F1st, who is probably one of Bristol’s most consistently prolific artists on the street at the moment.
This is a large work, with all his characteristic swirls and figure of eights worked into a pattern and the letters FACE book-ending the face in the middle. Sadly this fine work lasted less than a week.
1244. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (32)
I see an awful lot of Face F1st’s work dotted around the Stokes Croft area and at the M32 roundabout, but this is the first piece I have seen where he has a message for us all. And the message is quite clear – ‘no ads on free walls’. What he is referring to is the increase in street art in this area that is advertising events in the local area. I have to say I have quite a lot of sympathy with him.
The face is angry, which again is quite unusual for this artist. The rest of the piece is colourful and bright and the word Face can be made out in the writing. An artist whose work I continue to enjoy, especially when it has this bit of edge to it.
1221. City Road (6)
The truth about Face F1st is that I simply can’t keep up with him at the moment, he is being so incredibly productive. Another thing about his work is that it is largely confined to Stokes Croft and the M32 roundabout. I think I have only ever seen one piece of his in Bedminster.
In this piece we see Face F1st using some rather more upbeat colours compared with the sober tones he usually uses. I’m afraid that the focus in the feature photograph is really poor, and I might have to replace the picture when I next get a chance. I really like this piece.
1206. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (29)
This is an extraordinary three piece collaboration by Face F1st and Soap from the PWA crew (Pirate Wall Art). I have featured Face F1st many, many times on this blog, and recently Soap has made a reappearance. Now the two have combined to create these three masterful pieces.
From left to right, the first has a Face F1st face resting atop a soap pair of mouths, which when viewed differently also make the eyes of a skull face. The top face in this piece is very large and the whole thing is clean and has little in the way of detailed work.
The middle piece is more colourful and offers more embelishments and detail. This time the Face F1st part sits beneath the Soap.
The third part of the collaboration is more similar to the middle piece, showing more in the way of detail and decoration. I particularly like the bubbles and patterns in the hair of the Face F1st piece. Another interesting feature is the way that Face F1st has sprayed three circles in the centre of the eyes, those large eyes, which seems to add complexity to the emotion of the face. A lovely collaboration.
1173. Ashley Road (15)
This is the first of two tribute pieces in this exact location by Face F1st honouring Minty. My research about Minty has yeilded nothing, but his name has cropped up on a few pieces in recent times.
So this is a departure for Face F1st who normally writes FACE and incorporates the face into the lettering. The letters M I N T Y are more aggular and do not lend themselves to the incorporation of a face so well. Instead the face is added on to the end of the piece. I don’t think I have ever been disappointed by Face F1st’s work and this is another lovely piece.
Natural adventures 