6301. M32 roundabout J3 (617)

Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024

You’ve got to grab the opportunities when you can, and that applies equally to artists as it does to me. Kid Crayon and I Am Ian have been out and about a few times this summer, and knowing that they are busy people, it is great to see them painting walls and enjoying themselves.

Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024

This recent collaboration on the M32 roundabout wall showcases their artistic skills beautifully. kid Crayon has produced one of his light-hearted writing/character combinations, which I have to say is really good. It is always nice to see the floating crayon, KC’s signature symbol, in front of the character’s mouth. There is a little shout-out to the Gums and Tongue crew on the character’s baseball cap.

I Am Ian, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
I Am Ian, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024

I don’t think I have ever seen any writing from I Am Ian, I don’t think it is his thing, but his characters are always interesting and usually humorous. This rather forlorn character at least is able to comment ‘What a beautiful day!!! I Am Ian’s pieces are often accompanied with the words ‘sit up’, although I am not entirely sure of their significance. A wonderful collaboration from these two fabulous artists.

6300. Sparke Evans Park (102)

Kid Krishna, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, August 2024
Kid Krishna, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, August 2024

I haven’t featured Kid Krishna’s very much over the last few months. That doesn’t mean to say he hasn’t been painting, he has, it just shows how difficult it is for me to keep up with the volume of wonderful artwork being produced in Bristol on a daily basis. I might have to do a catch-up collection of Kid Krishna’s work, just to put things right.

Kid Krishna, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, August 2024
Kid Krishna, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, August 2024

This is a striking and quite unusual combination piece by Kid Krishna with his graffiti writing (which might spell out CRIE – it usually does) and a muscular skeleton, who I think it is Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise. The two parts of the piece are juxtaposed creating quite a special look. It feels good to get back on the Kid Krishna merry-go-round.

6299. St Werburghs tunnel (438)

Bloem, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2024
Bloem, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2024

Ah, what a joy it is to witness the genesis of a graffiti writer. I believe that this is only the second piece of graffiti writing that Bloem has painted, and her artistic skills are such that you simply wouldn’t know that was the case.

Bloem, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2024
Bloem, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2024

This piece of writing is clean and tight, with fabulous colours and a nicely buffed background to help the whole thing stand out, and stand out it does. Her letters are very nicely arranged, beautifully filled and finished off with a decent 3D drop shadow and tidy border. I like the shout-out to Sub, who painted the wall opposite. Bravo!

6298. Cumberland Basin

Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

I like the way that Werm is constantly trying to find new ways to present his letters, and explores different looks, while retaining his essential style. This piece takes him into the realms of bilateral symmetry of his letters WERM, which works surprisingly well.

Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

The letter colours contrast strongly with the green background, helping the piece to stand out… it will not be ignored. There is something quite mesmerising about the symmetry, and I like the direction this idea is taking. The left-hand side is stretched a little bit, knocking the symmetry out a fraction, but this is all something that Werm can work on and improve. Great new innovation from Werm.

6297. M32 roundabout J3 (616)

Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024

Two things I really enjoy about Mr Crawls’ work are his desire to grow and develop his ideas, while underpinning them with his magic style and the frequency with which he paints, constantly keeping the interest going in locations all over the city.

Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2024

I haven’t seen anything quite like this from Mr Crawls before, although the head, hat and chrome background are reasonably familiar themes. It is the bottom half of thee piece that introduces a whole new aspect that is different and one which it will be interesting to see if he replicates or uses again. Definitely an eye-catching design in a great spot.

6296. Muriel Alleyway (7)

Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024
Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024

Painted on a sunny and warm day at Bristol’s smallest street art festival, this is a debut piece (in Bristol) by Ailish Beadle, who had only moved to Bristol a few days previously. It was great to be able to chat to her and welcome her to the city and its art scene.

Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024
Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024

Ailish Beadle was refreshing/reimagining a piece that had been painted here before by Rtiiika, but which had been tagged and abused. She was able to breathe new life into the great words in her own illustration style, which as it turns out is rather good and totally in keeping with the Bristol Mural Collective’s ‘look’.

Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024
Ailish Beadle, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, August 2024

A rather nice touch, and nod to the original piece, is the incorporation of the smiley face. The words in red in the centre are complemented perfectly with an array of designs and patterns in black and a sprinkling of dots, creating plenty of energy and movement. I very much look forward top seeing more from Ailish Beadle on the streets of Bristol.

Rtiiika, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021
Rtiiika, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021

6295. Upfest 2024 (50)

Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024
Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024

I think that this might be one of my favourite pieces from Upfest 2024. I have always been a big fan of trompe l’oeil work and love pieces that make use of, and incorporate, the space they are painted in. This pair of murals by Palestinian artist Taqi Spateen delivers in spadefuls on both counts.

Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, May 2024
Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, May 2024

Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to stop and chat with the artist when he was painting this piece, as I would have liked to have complimented him directly on creating such a charming scene in this little corner at the end of North Street.

Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024
Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024

The girl on the left-hand archway is stretching on her tiptoes to reach an unreasonably high door knocker, with a door lock above it, totally out of reach. The girl’s beautiful clothes are wonderfully painted, with all the folds and textures so well observed. The shadows cast by the wall and by the girl add to the illusion of depth.

Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024
Taqi Spateen, Upfest 2024, North Street, Bristol, June 2024

The boy on the right has something of a stiffer challenge, attempting to scale his door on a rope, so that he can reach the four locks, using the bunch of keys hanging off his backpack. That we can’t see either of the children’s faces adds to the mystery.

The murals would appear to be some kind of metaphor about inaccessibility and hopelessness, but also about a determination in the face of adversity. My guess would be that the war in Gaza is very much behind the piece, although I might be reading too much into it. Whatever it is about, they are a truly magnificent pair of murals, worth a trip to Bedminster alone.

6294. Upfest 2024 (49)

Ejits, Upfest 2024, Greville Smyth Park, Bristol, May 2024
Ejits, Upfest 2024, Greville Smyth Park, Bristol, May 2024

A few weeks after Ejits painted this piece for Upfest, I was fortunate enough to meet her while she was painting a larger wall at the Cheltenham Paint Festival. She told me a little bit about her style and that she uses brushes for her work, because although she uses spray paint, her can control is not up to it for fine detail.

Ejits, Upfest 2024, Greville Smyth Park, Bristol, May 2024
Ejits, Upfest 2024, Greville Smyth Park, Bristol, May 2024

This is the second farting character piece I have posted in a matter of days, the other one was by Pl8o, this one however is a farting unicorn, farting rainbows, as they do. I have a feeling that Beep Monkey painted a rainbow-farting unicorn a few years ago. Obviously it is a thing. Ejits has painted this beautifully over a challenging wall with plenty of different textures to contend with. Neat, tidy, fun and cute… nice work all round.

Beep Monkey, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Beep Monkey, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

6293. Upfest 2024 (48)

Billy, Upfest 2024, Myrtle Street, Bristol, May 2024
Billy, Upfest 2024, Myrtle Street, Bristol, May 2024

Being a young parent can be tough for anyone, but Billy and Merny managed admirably while Billy was painting this wonderful mural at Upfest this year. Merny was on dad duty around the corner selling merchandise, allowing mum to complete her work. Merny completed his piece a few days later.

Billy, Upfest 2024, Myrtle Street, Bristol, May 2024
Billy, Upfest 2024, Myrtle Street, Bristol, May 2024

Billy has painted a repeating puffin mural on this car park wall, which is difficult to photograph without obstructions (cars). Each puffin has a different and uplifting symbol in its middle, and each is painted in a different colour palette. A really nice piece adjacent to a school, so age appropriate too. Great work from Billy.

6292. Upfest 2024 (47)

Angus, Upfest 2024, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2024
Angus, Upfest 2024, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2024

Angus is a Bristol street artist who has been delighting locals and visitors alike for years and is an ever-present at each Upfest festival. He is an artist who is constantly looking for the next idea, having moved on from spray painting to mosaics, which he has now refined using small building blocks like Lego. Note to self… need to do an Angus gallery.

Angus, Upfest 2024, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2024
Angus, Upfest 2024, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2024

This piece, on a wall that Angus has decorated before, is a retro arcade game piece, and he has replaced Nintendo logo with his name in the same style. The blocky nature of the building blocks gives the impression that the piece is pixelated, just like the games looked in the early days. Brilliant stuff from Angus.