Tag: Face

4245. Brunel Way (142)

This is absolutely amazing. This column piece is by yet another new artist on the Bristol scene, Morag, and it absolutely ticks all my boxes. Beautifully executed, with a unique style and endearing expression. There are so many things it reminds me of… Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures and Thomas the tank engine faces, for example.

Morag, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2022
Morag, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2022

This particular piece is the second one I have found in Bristol so far and I will be posting the other one very soon. I am not usually so fond of circular column pieces because they are so difficult to photograph, but this one can be forgiven because it is just so good and original. I am really looking to seeing from Morag this year – we need great creative stuff like this.

4243. Brunel Way (141)

It feels like Maybe has slowed down just a tad with his frequency of work, but the quality has certainly improved since his early pieces first started appearing on the columns under Brunel Way.

Maybe, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2021
Maybe, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2021

This is a fine piece of two faces, one smoking a cigarette and the other a face in the smoke. The composition is thoughtful and tells a story, and the soft colours typical of the work of the artist. I recently published a gallery of Maybe’s work, so if you like this piece, the gallery is certainly worth a squint. One of the finds of 2021.

4233. Dean Lane skate park (459)

This is the first piece I am posting that I photographed after my return from a week away in France, and already my February 2022 folder is bursting at the seams from pieces painted over a seven or eight day period. Bristol has, more than ever in my experience, so many artists painting regularly that it is simply impossible to keep on top of them. There are also a great many new entrants popping up, probably drawn to Bristol because of its graffiti culture.

Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2022
Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2022

Of course Zake is hardly a new entrant to the Bristol street art scene, but I still consider him to be relatively recent, with his early pieces still decorating some of the pillars under the M32 motorway. This is a gorgeous double face piece, which is so unmistakably ‘Zake’ in design and execution. His work just goes from strength to strength with each new piece he paints. This was one of two recent collaborative walls painted with fellow Spaniard Varo.

4219. Windmill Hill (3)

I got distracted by and then sucked into my archives recently, and when that happens I invariably find photographs of pieces that really ought to have been posted, but for some unfathomable reason never did. This wonderful ‘extra’ piece was painted by My Dog Sighs in 2019 when he was painting a collaboration with Curtis Hilton on Windmill Hill.

My Dog Sighs, Windmill Hill, Bristol, April 2019
My Dog Sighs, Windmill Hill, Bristol, April 2019

The ephemeral faces on the wall are unmistakably the work of My Dog Sighs, and really demonstrate the depth of talent the artist has, from subtle pieces like this to high-end bold pieces adorning the entire sides of buildings. Finding little hidden gems like this one is always a joy for people like me.

My Dog Sighs, Windmill Hill, Bristol, April 2019
My Dog Sighs, Windmill Hill, Bristol, April 2019

4217. M32 roundabout (381)

I have a feeling that (at the time of writing this post) three of the entrances to the tunnels under the M32 roundabout feature pieces by Slakarts. I haven’t checked the fourth for a little while and maybe he has gone for the full set, I don’t know. This one is on the St Werburghs side and is rather a charming little piece.

Slakarts,M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Slakarts,M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022

It is a privilege to have watched Slakarts evolve and develop his trademark character  over the last few years into a much more sophisticated base element which he has been experimenting with. This piece is the new basic model, but it is so much stronger than it was, say a year ago. The thick neat black lines remain, but the features have improved. I am really enjoying the new directions and improvements Slakarts is adding to his work.

4211. M32 Spot (131)

The arrival in Bristol of Veee has been most welcome. By arrival I guess I mean that he is visiting the city more frequently and leaving his distinctive mega tags in various spots, including this one at the M32 Spot. He has become something of an honorary resident.

Veee, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2022
Veee, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2022

There is a certain charm about his ‘face’ pieces that in their simplicity convey so much more than first meets the eye, and the bold and contrasting colours he has chosen for this one work really well, on an elevation that few people will ever see. Seeing Veee’s pieces over the last few months has certainly brought a smile to my face.

4193. M32 roundabout J3 (380)

Alas! This piece from Face 1st didn’t last very long, and certainly not as long as it deserved, but that is street art, and everyone knows it. Face 1st continues to be one of our most productive artists in Bristol, and I probably need to update his gallery, because it quickly gets out of date.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022

The piece tucked away to the left of the river side wall of the roundabout is a full blown writing and face combination. The striking colours attract the eye and the girl’s laughing demeanour is compelling. Face 1st has been using this form of block writing quite a lot recently, and I would say he is enjoying it. I love the clever touch of weaving the girl’s hair through the block letters. A wonderful piece from Face 1st.

4183. Dean Lane skate park (453)

There were so many original and interesting pieces that appeared during a Bristol Womxn Mural Collective Dean Lane paint jam back in November that I simply have to keep returning to my archive to dig them out to share.

Moonface, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2021
Moonface, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2021

This Beauty was painted by Hana Moonface whose stunning illustrations can be viewed on her Instagram feed. The gold and black colours work well and there is a serenity in the face that is calming. Definitely an unusual piece to find in a spot more used to tags and throwups. Looking forward to seeing the collective at work again soon, perhaps in the spring.

4177. M32 roundabout J3 (377)

There is no stopping Face 1st, and indeed there has been no stopping him for several years now, he is a machine. Whether he is painting with his PWA crew or solo, he brings a sense of fun, mischief and happiness through his work.

Face 1st, M32 roundbout, Bristol, January 2022
Face 1st, M32 roundbout, Bristol, January 2022

This is a lovely portrait piece, on the M32 roundabout, of one of his laughing girls with flowers in her hair. The splatted mouth and background are ideas that Face 1st has been using a lot lately, and are becoming identifiers for his work (as if they aren’t recognisable enough). This one is a real beauty.

4154. M32 roundabout J3 (374)

In the last few months, Slakarts has had a bit of a renaissance and what fun it has been. His familiar portrait pieces have been given more body and depth and are all the better for it.

Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021

This is a perfect example of his newer work, where the character is lifted off the wall rather than being flat. Depth is an important development in street art work, and Slakarts is achieving it in bucket loads at the moment. An all round lovely piece.