Just a quick write up of a quick ‘dregs’ piece by Mr Klue. I guess that one of the advantages of being an abstract writer is that it is easier to do a ‘dregs’ piece without it being recognisably so. Some artists use up their dregs to quite disastrous results, but other than being a bit small, this one by Mr Klue has turned out just fine.
Mr Klue, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, July 2022
Sometimes his letters can be so disguised, that they are invisible, but in this one it is possible to make out KLUE. Unsurprisingly the colours are Mr Klue’s favoured one’s, but of course that would be the case, if he was using up old spray cans.
Stephen Quick, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
A west of England paint festival somehow wouldn’t quite feel right without a stencil piece from Bristol’s Stephen Quick. In this piece we have a dog in a space suit, and I have a feeling that the dog ‘Gryffin’ might be A portrait of Stephen Quick’s own dog, which I am sure I have seen somewhere, perhaps on social media. I read that the piece was inspired by a poster advertising the new Buzz Lightyear film. I also read on Stephen Quick’s Instagram post that he was recovering from Covid whilst painting the piece and was very fatigued, not that it shows in the final product.
Stephen Quick, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
I must admit that the piece has grown on me somewhat. When I first saw it, something just didn’t feel quite right, maybe the grey space to the left, I don’t know, but it is a rare thing that I don’t immediately click with one of his pieces. I am glad to say though that on reflection it has grown on me and it is yet another great stencil from the artist, which reminds me, I still haven’t posted his Upfest piece from earlier in the summer yet.
I can’t quite recall if I have ever seen a Fark piece outside Cheltenham, and I don’t think I have, but I might need to check my archives to be sure. This year at the festival, we were treated to three of his offerings, although I think I only photographed two.
Fark, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
I love the simplicity of his work, a classic example of the ‘less is more’ expression. Reminiscent of the Miffy character books, Fark’s birds have a charm all of their own. The message too is simple… ‘be excellent to each other’ – a phrase that could easily have come from #DFTE. This is a warm and peaceful piece and so very easy on the eye.
It would appear that Erviti, a studio artist from Bristol, is really enjoying her street art work, and barely a month goes by without one of her imaginative and creative studies appearing in some spot or other. This time she showed up in the Three Pigs back yard with this vase of lilies.
Erviti, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
Erviti’s message next to the beautiful vase and flowers is loud and clear:
The climate crisis is here, plz panic, act now, thanks.
Sentiments I applaud. We must all redouble our efforts to act now. It is interesting to watch Sunak and Truss both campaign against the green agenda, one dropping the green levy on energy bills (as if it were the problem causing higher prices), and the other wanting to delay the UK’s target of net zero by ten years. What a couple of insufferable muppets.
The genius behind the Cheltenham Paint Festival is Dice 67, and as organiser, he is well within his rights to reserve a premium wall for his own artwork, and I wouldn’t think that anyone would object to that in any way at all.
Dice 67, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
Here, Dice 67 has created a magnificent homage to Killing Joke (the band) which when I first saw it, I thought was was a Harry Potter piece featurng Professor Severus Snape, but the likeness wasn’t there. This is an absolute masterpiece, and demonstrates Dice 67’s development as a street artist, which is quite remarkable.
Sophie Long, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
I sit here writing this morning’s posts listening to the chirp of cicadas, overlooking a small pool which I will be enjoying in a few minutes, with the mountains of Croatia at my back.
I didn’t think I was going to make it to the Cheltenham Paint Festival this year, as my wife was away and I was on dog duty. The solution to the problem was to bring the dog, and I have to say he was unbelievably well behaved the entire time we were there.
The day itself was only a partial success though. Within fifteen minutes of arriving, I managed to drop and break my camera beyond repair, so I had to use my ageing iPhone to take the rest of the pictures, with a fast diminishing battery life. To say I was a bit grumpy was an understatement. That wasn’t the end of the tale of woe though. Last week I received a parking fine for not paying the correct amount in the Cheltenham car park. Grrrr. I put in only one hour by mistake and was there for at least four. So these photographs come to you at great personal cost and not a little irritation.
Sophie Long, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, July 2022
This piece was the first I saw and is by the magnificent Sophie Long. A pair of hammerhead sharks, in great swimming positions, painted in greyscale and blending in perfectly with the grey buffed boards. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this piece is the absence of her signature drips. Perhaps she was trying something new, or perhaps I never got to see the finished piece. I feel that it stands up perfectly well without them.
Sophie Long, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, November 2017
It is great to see another Smak piece, here under Brunel Way, this one complete with a rather fun character. I have a feeling that the character is a rather well know one, used in graffiti, which probably comes originally from comic books, as so many graffiti characters tend to.
Smak, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2022
As you would expect from Smak, both the character and the letters are outstandingly well painted and look great on the prepped red wall.
Weirdly, I had a dream last night about a massive street art festival (walls only), and I had been invited to participate, and Ryder, or was it Smak, was helping me to select a wall and offering advice for how I should go about it. This was brilliant, until it occurred to me that I had left all my paints at home and would have to go and get them. A this point my sub-conscious kicked in and explained to me that I couldn’t possibly go home, because I was on holiday. Alas, my chance to paint a large wall disappeared. Strange things dreams.
Another short one this morning, on account of my vacation. This is a lovely piece from Marckinetic, whose rather unusual style is distinct and recognisable. I like his incorporation of cosmic fills and backgrounds, a technique he obviously seems to enjoy.
Marckinetic, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2022
The turnover on this wall tends to be rather slow, so most things that go up here will most likely be around for at least a month or two. It lends itself to long low pieces, which would suit Marckinetic down to the ground. Another nice piece from this relatively new to Bristol artist.
There was a time when I endeavoured to publish every piece that I found by Mr Draws, however, with the emergence of so many artists in recent years, it has become almost impossible to show that loyalty to some of my favourites of days gone by. Mr Draws still paints them, but I only post maybe one I three, which is a real pity.
Mr Draws, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2022
This one on the M32 roundabout is a real beauty in chrome, with a straightforward design concept… chrome letters, blue caps with drips, a pink ‘electric’ ribbon and a few cracks in the letters for interest. The whole thing is nice to look at and great to see from ‘old faithful’.
I feel it is only fair to myself that I explain that this week’s posts are likely to be rather short, because I am on holiday. As I write, I am accompanied by the sound of church bells ringing, which seems to happen at 9am every morning. Who needs an alarm clock?
Haka, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2022
This is a another fabulous Funnybones piece by Haka, after the genius of the Ahlbergs, author and illustrator of some wonderful children’s books. I believe this is the third Funnybones piece in this spot. I posted the second, and I have a feeling that I have photographed the first, but have yet to publish it. It is all great fun, and long may the tradition last.
Natural adventures 