Tag: Face

2903. Star and Garter (5)

When I find pieces by Tasha Bee in my archive it only reinforces my sadness that it has been quite some while since I last saw a new piece by her. She has been busy with other projects, but I hope her absence from the street art scene is only temporary.

Tasha Bee, Star and Garter, Bristol, November 2018
Tasha Bee, Star and Garter, Bristol, November 2018

This piece on the wall of the Star and Garter from November 2018 is truly beautiful. Her style is instantly recognisable and often solemn, although there is the slightest hint of cheekyness in this girls face – or is that just me? Great colours and so typically Tasha Bee.

 

2897. Bedminster

I don’t quite remember exactly the name of the road that this stunning Feoflip piece is in, but it is in Bedminster off East Street I think. Just one of the amazing legacy of works left behind by the artist during and after Upfest 2016. I like everything about this artist – his style and soft colour choices, his attention to finding the right spot and his adventurous spirit.

Feoflip, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017
Feoflip, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017

This Picassoesque face in grey shades on the mustard yellow background works perfectly on the red brick wall. Feoflip seems to have developed a technique that generates splatty thin lines that create the detail in his work and give it a really interesting texture. Unlike any other artist I have seen, Feoflip’s unique style works really well for me. I do hope he returns to Bristol before too long.

2896. Hepburn Road (15)

Tucked away in a lane not usually associated with Kid Crayon was this rather unusual two-tone piece from July 2017. One of the things that I would often associate with Kid Crayon is his abundant use of colour, so this was something of a change.

Kid Crayon, Hepburn Road, Bristol, July 2017
Kid Crayon, Hepburn Road, Bristol, July 2017

My guess is that this was a quick one that was more for his own amusement than for public display. I love finding works like this, because they show another side of an artist and the range and diversity of their work. Without the signature, this would be quite difficult to identify as a KC piece. I’m not sure what the speech bubble says, but it looks like ‘wired’ to me. Does it refer to KC himself or to the character of the piece?

2887. The Carriageworks (40)

This is something of an iconic piece at The Carriageworks by DNT and Hoax, and possibly other collaborators. The wall can be dated as pre-2019 because it has been behind protective scaffolding due to the development of the site for a long time now.

DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016
DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016

The figure is by DNT and he has produced something similar since in Hepburn Road. I think that the beautiful patchwork background is by Hoax or maybe Sheva or maybe the whole thing is by DNT. This uncertainty might be the reason I never published these pictures before.

DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016
DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016

I think it is a beautiful piece and in some way really represents this area well. It is a great pity that this wonderful wall has been lost to street artists, but I guess it has ever been thus.

DNT, Hepburn Road, Bristol, August 2017
DNT, Hepburn Road, Bristol, August 2017

MGB stands for Matchbox Gallery, a little gallery shop that DNT used to run in Stokes Croft.

2872. Montpelier bridge

On the footbridge over the railway that divides St Werburghs and Montpelier is this lovely panel piece by Lobe. I had no idea it was here and can’t tell you how old it is, but it looks pretty fresh to me, and if it is old, has weathered pretty well.

Lobe, Montpelier, Bristol, April 2020
Lobe, Montpelier, Bristol, April 2020

I think that finding pieces that you don’t know about is by far the most rewarding for a street art hunter (incidentally a phrase I dislike – it has the ring of ‘trainspotter’ about it), and when it is by an artist you admire that makes it a little more special. Lobe has managed to get the piece to fit the space perfectly, and some thought has gone into it. Great hair and hat. Love the piece… perhaps she should to more here.

2870. Stokes Croft

This piece, in the heart of Stokes Croft came as a complete surprise to me on one of my Covid-19 dog walks last week. It is by the wonderful Pekoe and painted over one of her previous pieces here, and from that I can guess that this is one of her favoured spots.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2020
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2020

There is always a lot of emotion in Pekoe’s pieces, sometimes happy, often sad, but this one look different particularly downcast. Maybe the sadness is reflective of the Coronavirus pandemic and all the baggage that comes with it.

All the trademarks are here, a colourful face, big hair in multi-colours with lots of symbols in it and a tear. Another fine piece from Pekoe.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018

2838. Dean Lane skate park (296)

Each of my next few street/graffiti art posts is going to begin something like ‘another trip back in time’ and this one is no exception. I cannot think for the life of me why I never posted this gorgeous piece from Tasha Bee (Keep it Colourful), but what a pleasure to do so now, especially when she has put the brakes on her street art work lately.

Tasha Bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019
Tasha Bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019

This one is from June 2019 at Dean Lane, and is a real beauty so typical of her stylised faces work. I miss her soulful faces and hope that when all this Covid-19 thing is behind us she will pick up her spray cans and paint the town red.

2832. Lower Ashley Road (21)

There is a whole shed-load of development going on at this eastern end of Lower Ashley Road, and in fact there are some protestors camping in the three remaining maple trees just behind this hoarding who are fighting to stop the developers from felling them – you can read more about this on the Bristol Tree Forum. For street art photographers, hoardings are usually good news, albeit temporary, but the developments rarely are.

Face 1st, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020
Face 1st, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2020

This hoarding wasn’t up for long before the great and the good got to action and Face 1st was always going to make his mark on this inviting opportunity. This is a classsic Face 1st piece with the hair of the smiling girl spelling out FACE. I would think that he can probably paint these with his eyes closed. Always such a pleasure to see his work.

2823. St Werburghs tunnel (159)

There are an increasing number of topical pieces appearing on the streets at the moment, and if nothing else, street artists are fantastic chroniclers of the social, political and economic landscape. There is plenty of material out there to inspire their work at the moment, although it is unclear whether they will be able to physically paint. I suspect that some will continue.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020

This piece by Face 1st in the tunnel perhaps epitomises and encapsulates our fears in graphic form of the terrible Coronavirus. Britain is in shock this morning when all that we hold sacred, our ability and desire to socialise, has been taken away. We are not yet commanded to remain in out homes, but it is only a matter of time. The death rate in the UK is disturbingly high and the next three months or so are goinng to be very testing.

Throughout, this blog will continue come what may…I have so much archive material that I can at last share with you all.

2820. M32 Spot (62)

This little area of columns at the M32 Spot is very much favoured by Zake and there are a few of his pieces that have remained here for about a year untouched by taggers or other artists – quite unusual really and perhaps a gesture to his unusual face pieces.

Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2020
Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2020

The inclusion of a portion of neck lends itself well to spraying character portraits on these narrow columns and Zake has perfected the art. The absence of pupils gives Zake’s pieces a ghostly appearance that is a little unsettling, which combined with humorous expressions leaves the viewer on edge slightly. I like his work and am pleased that he has started painting again after a quiet winter period.