Tag: Graffiti

3377. Ashley Road (21)

Shutters have become a much prominent feature of the city this year because of the increased frequency that shops have had to remain closed due to a sequence of lockdowns and restrictions. This has offered up an opportunity for street artists to either paint new shutters, or for older shutters to be appreciated by a wider public. I guess I am looking for a silver lining to this terrible pandemic… clutching at straws maybe.

Pekoe, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2020
Pekoe, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2020

Anyhoo, this is a wonderful addition to the shutter pieces from Pekoe, who has hit a bit of a purple patch lately. I love this portrait, the way it fills the space so perfectly, slightly off-centre and the face is in three-quarters profile, which I love. The woman’s black hair and decorations are particularly nicely done. I think that this is my favourite shutter piece of the year. Bravo! Pekoe.

3376. St Luke’s Road (1)

The great thing about visiting areas of Bristol one doesn’t normally go to is that you open your eyes to a whole new culture and architectural environment. So when visiting Totterdown to photograph the new Banksy recently, I was exposed to quite a few pieces and murals that I had been aware of but had never seen. One row of houses in particular caught the eye due to the very large murals on their garden-facing walls, which could be viewed from the road below. The row of houses is on St Luke’s Road.

Gage Graphics, St Luke's Road, Bristol, December 2020
Gage Graphics, St Luke’s Road, Bristol, December 2020

The artist of this mural (along with several others) is Gage Graphics aka Ollie Gillard and who writes graffiti under the name Serif. This is an outstanding mural that shows a section cut through the ground, exposing different rock strata that lead up to the root system of a tree. The tree is bending in an autumn breeze and fits perfectly between two windows. All the while a milky daytime full moon looks on. What a wonderful thing to have on your house, and a fabulous gift for the citizens of the area to enjoy.

3375. M32 roundabout J3 (270)

My heart sings when I find a new Rusk piece, especially when I discover it without knowing about it in advance. It feels like quite a long time since I last saw one of his pieces of graffiti writing so this was a real bonus.

Rusk, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Rusk, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020

The colour scheme in this one works incredibly in my view with the green matched with the yellow and oranges, and the way he has integrated them is so easy on the eye. Surprisingly, the pink and black 3D shadow works really well too – who’d have thought? Some expert white highlights and blue drips finish the piece nicely.  A pleasure.

3374. St Werburghs tunnel (213)

Slakarts has been very busy lately, especially with his three-quarter cartoony profile throw up pieces, so it was great to come across this rather more traditional-looking piece from him in the tunnel recently.

Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020

Slakarts’ work is very distinct and rather different from most of the character pieces you see around Bristol. This particular face is rather austere and serious and contains some nice detail, such as the lines around the eyes. Some great shading and spots round this piece off nicely. I definitely feel a Slakarts gallery coming on very soon.

3372. Ashton Road

What an absolutely gorgeous piece, and what a lovely way to decorate a corner wall. The work is by Rich T and is exactly the kind of piece that brings light, colour and joy to a grey, dull space. The act of chucking a bit of paint on a wall (albeit extremely skilfully) can raise the spirits of an area.

Rich T, Ashton Road, Bristol, December 2020
Rich T, Ashton Road, Bristol, December 2020

Rich T specialises in these stylised flower pieces and turns out something that looks amazing and so professional (if you know what I mean). He recently collaborated with Mr Penfold, and there would appear to be some influences incorporated into this piece. A stunner and if you should happen to be passing, well worth stopping by and taking a good look.

3371. Dean Lane skate park (370)

I feel that DJ Perks is a little under-represented in Natural Adventures, but that might be because I don’t get down to L Dub as often as I’d like to where he tends to do most of his pieces. Every once in a while he comes to Dean Lane and treats us with one of his ‘PERKS’ works.

DJ Perks, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
DJ Perks, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This is a really nicely done piece with thin sharp lines around the edges of his letters. I’d be interested to know what cap he uses to get such fine lines. The horizontal fill is looking really good with two tones separated with a blue line with a bit of a cloud effect going on. This is accomplished writing and shows how much DJ Perks is improving with each new piece.

3370. Cumberland Basin

Over the last couple of years, there has barely been a moment when Rezwonk hasn’t had a new piece somewhere in the city, but of late he has slowed down a little, working on other projects I have no doubt.

Rezwonk, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020
Rezwonk, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020

This is a lovely colourful piece from the long wall adjacent to the Create Centre which reminds us just what a prodigious talent Rezwonk is. Great letter styling with some interesting drips thrown in too. A curious mix of colours, but he seems to pull it off just fine.

3369. Dean Lane skate park (369)

These tight collaborations from Dibz and Shade One are becoming something of a feature in Dean Lane this year, and it has been a genuine privilege to see and photograph them.

Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

The precise graffiti writing from Dibz paired with the stylised portraits from Shade One have a crispness and professional look about them. The walls are always nicely prepped and the work carefully done.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

On the left, the black and white writing from Dibz is so sharp and painted to appear like a sticker, along with all the surrounding ‘shout outs’. Note the little fold over on the far left, a trick repeated in the top right-hand corner of Shade One’s contribution.

Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

Shade One creates these amazing portraits that have a sophisticated comic book feel about them. What lies behind those eyes? I love the shirt collar too. Overall another excellent production from this pairing.

3368. M32 roundabout J3 (269)

One of the pleasures of photographing street art and graffiti is that you get to meet many artists as they paint their creations. Most will make time for a quick chat, and over time you become acquaintances and sometimes friends. This was the first time I had met Any and indeed it was the first time I had seen his work in Bristol, which is not all that surprising as he has only recently come to Bristol from Poland. It is great to welcome yet another artist from Poland to join the merry throng in Bristol.

Any, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2020
Any, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2020

Any is a graffiti writer who freestyles his work, which means that he paints from his head rather than a sketch in a black book. He said that it gives him freedom. I like the way that he has prepped the wall first and has taken care with this bright piece. The short word ‘ANY’ means that his pieces can take on an abstract look and I rather like that. There are some elements that are similar to Benjimagnetic’s work, particularly the triangles with single-line outlines.

Any, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Any, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020

Although this was the first piece I have seen by Any, I have noticed a couple more in the Stokes Croft area, which leads me to believe he probably lives in North Bristol somewhere. Welcome to the city of street art.

3367. Brigstocke Road

Finding one Sepr piece is always a treat but to find three is like Christmas coming early, and Christmas certainly came early for me a week or two back. I had taken the dog for a road walk – it is way to muddy in most of the parks at the moment and I was weaving around aimlessly in St Paul’s when I came across Dicky’s Barbershop and these three new pieces.

Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020
Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020

Each of the window shutters and the door shutter has a different prime colour piece on it. The door in the centre on a yellow background has a lady with an umbrella petting her dog who is upright on his hind legs.

Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020
Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020

On the left of the door is the blue panel in which a man is sitting and reading a book while a little bird is perching on the top of the book and pooping on the man’s toes.

Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020
Sepr, Brigstocke Road, Bristol, December 2020

The third panel, to the right of the door is set on a red background and hosts another man sitting cross-legged listening to music on his earphones while two birds flutter around him, looking like they are enjoying the music too.

Quite what any of this has to do with a barbershop I don’t know, but it brightens the place up no end.