Banksy holiday

.

Cave time in garden

dusting off my spray paint cans

a rare occurrence

.

by Scooj

Wordplay

Palindrome poem

rats live on no evil star

remembered from school

.

by Scooj

3067. M32 roundabout J3 (234)

It seems such a pity when a lovely collaboration like this one from I Am Ian and Kid Crayon only lasts a day or so, but this wall has been in high-demand recently and turnover very fast indeed. I have already missed recent Laic217, Kid Crayon and Mr Draws Pieces right here in the last few days. I spoke with Kid Crayon the day after I took this photograph (he was painting a new piece – to come) and he told me that he and I Am Ian had trained together as graphic designers and remained friends and although they have taken slightly different paths they get together occasionally to paint a wall.

I am Ian and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
I am Ian and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

This collaboration is a lot of fun and a time-lapse video from Kid Crayon’s Instagram feed shows how the whole piece came together and is well worth a view. Kid Crayon has woken up and is painting like a mad thing which can only be great news. I am less familiar with I Am Ian’s work, but that is because he rarely hits the streets with his art. Their last collaboration was a fabulous piece in St Werburghs tunnel. There is so much to love about this.

Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020
Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020

 

2765. M32 Spot (58)

Finding a piece like this magnificent collaboration from PWA artists Soap and Face 1st gives me such tremendous pleasure and confirms for me that the time I spend finding, photographing and writing about street art is time very well spent. These two are capable of creating some magical images and there is a real sense of fun and mischief about these ones.

Soap, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020
Soap, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020

First up is a sword–swallowing act from Soap in which his mouth character lends itself to a different take on visualising this dangerous act. There are many things to admire here, such as the garland of flowers and the carefully thought out use of blue tones, I particularly like the swirl patterns in the shading.

Joining the two elements of the collaboration is a lovely splat pattern, but it is difficult to be sure which of these two painted it.

Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020
Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020

On the right is one of my favourite Face 1st pieces ever, and that is a very high bar. There is something so joyful about these two giggling girls mischievously spraying each other with paint and there is a balance to it reminiscent of yin and yang. What Face 1st lacks in sharp, crisp lines he more than makes up for in heart and soul. His work speaks to me.

Soap and Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020
Soap and Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020

On the one-way top end of Stapleton Road, it would be nice to think that drivers would glance to their right and admire this free art to cheer up their lives, but I bet most wouldn’t even notice it.

Board games

 

Two wicker baskets

filled with childhood adventures

it’s hard to let go.

 

by Scooj

2259. Thomas Street (4)

DNT is on something of a roll at the moment, painting all spare corners in the Stokes Croft area, which is very much his ‘manor’. This piece is typical of his work using plenty of colour and shapes to create a recogniasble form, in this case a screaming monster face.

DNT, Thomas Street, Bristol, June 2019
DNT, Thomas Street, Bristol, June 2019

I like his style which is quite distinct and unlike other artists in Bristol. It is almost like a stained glass structure, with panels of different colours coming together to make a whole where the individual constituent parts on their own wouldn’t make any sense. It would appear that DNT has found his summer mojo and is enjoying his art at the moment.

Pooped

.

It’s a young man’s game

playing five-a-side football

just can’t give it up.

.

by Scooj

1823. M32 roundabout J3 (100)

The nice thing about going through archives is finding little gems, like this one from Nevla. As well as his cartoon characters, what I like about Nevla’s work is his messages which are almost always positive as in this piece ‘fun, not anger’.

Nevla, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2018
Nevla, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2018

In a troubled world it is all too easy to snipe from the sidelines or always take a cynical slant on things, but every now and again it is great to come up for air and see the good in things and be positive. Nevla has a lot of what I could do with!

Incidentally I cannot recommend the book ‘Coming up for Air’ by George Orwell highly enough. My stepfather suggested I read it (and a whole bunch of other books) a few years ago. A great book and not one you hear much about.

617. Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare (6)

My trip to Weston-super-Mare last summer was a bit of a treat for me. I managed to grab 20 minutes away from the family who wanted to sit on the beach and eat ice creams, and decided to take a little peek in the Tropicana. The small anteroom, it turns out, is something of a museum honouring JPS and PZY. I’m not so sure how this came about, but there is a lot of their work there.

JPS, Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare, August 2016
JPS, Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare, August 2016

This is one of the smaller stencils, highlighting the lateral thinking that JPS often applies to his smaller pieces. A small hole in the wall becomes an object for lifting by two fork lift trucks. It is a witty and fun piece, which offsets some of his darker themes. More to come from this treasure trove.

Trivial

 

Humpty Dumpty good

old egg, fell off the wall and

broke his leg…dear chap.

 

by Scooj