7088. L Dub (75)

DFC 1848, L Dub, Bristol, June 2025
DFC 1848, L Dub, Bristol, June 2025

I believe that DFC1848 lives in Cheltenham, but that doesn’t seem to stop him making fairly regular visits to Bristol, and this one was to join a paint jam at L Dub a little while back. DFC 1848 started his street art journey painting one or two cartoon characters again and again, building his technique and confidence until now where he seems to paint a huge variety of pieces almost at will.

DFC 1848, L Dub, Bristol, June 2025
DFC 1848, L Dub, Bristol, June 2025

This is a rather brash pink-faced character – some kind of animal (I am not too sure what) wearing a baseball cap with the letters DFC emblazoned on the front. The piece has two borders, a thin black outline, a thick purple border, all set on a chrome background, which adds interest, but I am not sure that it offers the contrast he might have been looking for. Nice shout-outs to DJ Perks and Donz who frequent this spot and who joined him whilst painting this.

7087. Greenbank (162)

Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025
Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025

It looks as if the building work at the development alongside the Bristol to Bath cycle track has ground to a halt, for whatever reason. This has offered a stay of execution for the long hoardings that provide a wonderful spot for graffiti/street artists. Painting on borrowed time. These two pieces from Nice One are a curious pair that bookended existing pieces (I think).

Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025
Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025

Nice One has a wonderful touch that is quite unlike other artists in Bristol. His work looks much more like charcoal sketches or paint brush watercolour sketches, and bring something totally different for us to admire.

Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025
Nice One, Greenbank, Bristol, June 2025

The two pieces are hidden portraits in greyscale that speak of threat and suffering, and I wonder if they are an oblique reference to the appalling situation in Gaza. Both are superbly presented and such unusual examples of artwork at this spot. Although the pieces are not signed, the appearance of an ‘N’ and an ‘e’ give him away. Classy stuff.

7086. Knowle West (5)

Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025
Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025

The collection of artists gathered together for the Knowle West paint jam was really out of the top draw, bringing together a variety of Bristol styles and one or two visitors too. This is a stunner from the outstanding Jody.

Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025
Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025

The only downside to this fabulous new spot is that there are quite a lot of cars to navigate around, and being a residential area, I can’t imagine there being a time when there won’t be parked cars. Some wide-angle shots partially overcome this problem, but not entirely.

Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025
Jody, Knowle West, Bristol, July 2025

Jody has painted a gorgeous portrait piece of a woman with a wonderful feather headdress. There is a calm, ethereal feel to the piece which clearly brings out Jody’s amazing talent. A very fine piece indeed.

7085. Dean Lane skate park (855)

Dirtygypo, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025
Dirtygypo, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025

Wow! This colourful piece by Dirtygypo is difficult not to notice. The letters are splashed with so many colours and great shapes, accompanied by lightening bolts and crowns. The piece is a single-handed festival. I would describe it as a combination piece, as the character at the start is rather well-developed, and adds fun and mischief to the whole piece.

Dirtygypo, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025
Dirtygypo, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025

I have pretty much given up trying to work out what the letters spell, despite many attempts. I can see so many letters and words, but would need to confirm with the artist, who I haven’t yet met. Today I am going for the obvious and guess that it says DIRTY.

7084. Brunel Way (326)

Squarms, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025
Squarms, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025

Visiting artists are very welcome in Bristol and inject excitement and variation into what is already a vibrant community. Squarms visited in July and left a few skeletons about the place for us to find and admire.

Squarms, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025
Squarms, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2025

These skeletons are on the recently buffed columns at the southern end of the Brunel Way Spot, known as Daveside by skaters (Correction, this little area is called Curb Side, a few meters away and across the road from Daveside). These sketched designs of dancing skeletons are most endearing, and capture a sense of energy and fun. The design formula works really well with the black and white bones set on a pink drop shadow. These characters stand out nicely of the grey buff (thank you, Bristol City Council!). More to come from Squarms.

7083. Dean Lane skate park (854)

Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025
Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025

It is always a great pleasure for people like me, who spend a bit of time looking for and critiquing street art, when an artist floods the streets with their work, and Zinso has certainly done that in June and July this year.

Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025
Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025

This is a really nice piece of graffiti writing set on a great splash of blue, masking the underlying graffiti. The light cream letters are nicely shaped with a red border and deeper red drop shadow. The colour combinations are superb. Although I posted a couple of pieces by Zinso a few years ago, his new lease of life has been a revelation.

7082. Peel Street Green (45)

It really isn’t that long ago that Bloem was painting rather basic fingers, cellphones and devilled cherries in some of the less popular spots all around Bristol, but her accelerated progress means that her work is more than comfortable alongside some of the best writers in the city.

Bloem, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2025
Bloem, Peel Street Green, Bristol, July 2025

This is a wonderful and complex combination piece, with some amazing writing and a cartoon-style hand (long nails of course). The weave pattern used to fill her letters is beautifully worked, and very neat and tidy. Every element of the piece has been nicely thought out and has come together really well. This is one of those pieces that actually looks better in a photograph, than it does in situ, perhaps because of its complexity. What a talent.

7081. M32 Spot (206)

Noise, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2025
Noise, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2025

Noise has been painting in Bristol for a little over two years now, and I haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting him. I guess our clocks just aren’t synchronised – I tend to go for my exploratory dog walks at lunchtime or after work usually on weekdays, so I imagine Noise’s paint time pattern doesn’t match… or maybe we just haven’t been at the same place at the same time. It can happen that way.

Noise, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2025
Noise, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2025

This is a big fat piece with big fat letters, which is what Noise does best. His letters are like a visual version of onomatopoeia, in so much as their size and imposition looks like noise to me. Does any of that make sense? The letters are filled with yellow, and some murky muddy colour, I suppose I would describe the piece as mustard noise. Great stuff.

7080. Sparke Evans Park (137)

Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025
Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025

This is a tribute piece, one of many to the late Paroe, on the long wall at Sparke Evans Park. Pekoe’s stylised portrait pieces are no stranger to Natural Adventures and I have observed over the years that emotions underpin her pieces and that is for sure the case here.

Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025
Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025

The woman has a sorrowful expression, somewhat amplified by the tear of sadness. Tears used to be a common feature of Pekoe’s pieces, but of late they have been less common, perhaps reflecting her own happier disposition.

Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025
Pekoe, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2025

This piece is archetypal Pekoe, and that is a wonderful thing. A beautiful portrait with strong features, especially eyes and lips, and some great shading. The wonderful hair is a trademark element of Pekoe’s work which is nicely coloured with green and yellow bands. Another fine portrait piece from Pekoe.

7079. River Avon (88)

Werm and Scrapyardspec, River Avon, Bristol, July 2025
Werm and Scrapyardspec, River Avon, Bristol, July 2025

In my mind, some collaborations were just meant to be, and this magnificent joint venture from Werm and Scrapyardspec is simply awesome. Two utterly different styles, a writer and a character artist, have combined with skilful design and colour sharing to create a piece that just works brilliantly.

Werm and Scrapyardspec, River Avon, Bristol, July 2025
Werm and Scrapyardspec, River Avon, Bristol, July 2025

There is nothing pretentious about this combination piece, just two artists comfortable with what they do where the resulting whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The letters by Werm are nicely executed with straightforward fills and a bold white border. Scrapyardspec’s goofy character replaces the ‘E’ of ‘WERM’ and is integrated into the word with the clever use of an orange border bringing everything into the single piece. Excellent work, full of the joy of street art friendship.