Is this really the fiftieth post from Dean Lane? (Answer…no it is the fifty first…I cocked up) I have at least another fifty pictures in archive that have never made it onto this blog. This is an interesting piece by Mr Draws, which he sprayed on the same evening that the Graffiti Nation exhibition opened in North Street in May.
Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
I stopped for a quick chat with Mr Draws, and he told me that he was playing with the letters of his usual DRAWS lettering, having read about some Russian graffiti artists and the techniques that they use. In this piece, Mr Draws has used the German for ‘draws’ which is ‘zieht’ and then used a 3 and 1 for the first two letters. Playful stuff, and a nice bity of insight into this work. It is nicely executed too with a lovely chrome spray and some good cracks.
I first saw this mural at Upfest 2016, but wasn’t sure who it was by or whether it was a festival piece. It turns out that it is by the magnificent Andrew Burns Colwill and it was not his Upfest piece, but a commission.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Gathorne Road, Bristol, May 2017
Colwill is a truly brilliant artist with a very colourful history, who has just completed a magnificent exhibition entitled ’20/50 Vision: Tomorrow’s Habitat’ at the It’s All 2 Much Gallery in Stokes Croft. The works place some of our most treasured species into future places where all is not as it should be. A global warming/pollution warning to us all.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Gathorne Road, Bristol, May 2017
This piece is altogether more mainstream, and for a marine biologist like me a real treat.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Gathorne Road, Bristol, May 2017
On 20 April each year, there is a legalise marijuana protest, or smoke-in if you like, where weed smokers will overtly disobey the law and rely on the theory of safety in numbers to avoid arrest or prosecution. In the UK, the main ‘celebration’ is held in Hyde Park, but in Bristol there is a parallel exercise held on the Downs.
Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
This piece is dedicated to the 420 campaign and is unmistakably by Kid Crayon, who demonstrates his knowledge of marijuana admirably in this protest work.
Kid Crayon, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
I always like a good political or protest bit of street art, and this one ticks all the boxes. Colourful, illustrative and subversive. The piece remained untagged for a long period in an area where street art tends to have a very short lifespan, possibly indicating a general respect and support from taggers and other artists.
I have no idea who this is by, but it really tickled me when I saw it. This is one of those pieces that you really have to keep your eyes peeled to be able to see. Low down and quite small. A dog on a skateboard. A paste up. What is not to like here?
Unknown, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2017
If anybody might know who the artist is, I would be eternally grateful. Pure class as far as I am concerned.
This is a small piece from Shab down at Deaners from a couple of weeks back. It is a wonderful abstract piece with great eyes…oh those eyes. I discovered another much larger piece by Shab in another part of Bristol, and am itching to go and photograph it.
Shab, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
It is always a pleasure to see his work, every one feels like a little present. I feel very lucky to be able to access the free galleries that are the Bristol walls. My task is to make these treasures accessible for all.
I had had a tip-off, via Stephen Quick’s Instagram feed that he and Hannah Adamaszek would be doing a collaboration at the Tobacco Factory, on the weekend of 13-14 May, so I managed to sneak over on the Saturday to see what they were up to.
Stephen Quick and Hannah Adamaszek, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
What a treat. Stephen had organised for a few established, up and coming and debutant artists to spray the car park bays during what was a bit of a Bedminster festival. This work is really interesting because it brings together two distinct styles into a synthesis that joins them. The subject matter is the same, but the techniques quite different.
Stephen Quick and Hannah Adamaszek, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
Stephen Quick works mostly with stencils and Hannah with freestyle paints and spray. It was interesting watching them concentrating on their respective halves of the collaboration.
Stephen Quick and Hannah Adamaszek, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
It is possible to see that some elements of the original piece obviously didn’t work too well for the artists, so they were removed, for example the purple birds in the background.
Stephen Quick and Hannah Adamaszek, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
I love the work of both of these artists, and I love the way they have collaborated on this piece. Does it work? I am not sure. Has it enhanced their styles or cramped them? On balance, I consider it a triumph, but it brings into sharp perspective the difficulties of working together. A bit like being married I guess…different styles, a collaboration.
Stephen Quick and Hannah Adamaszek, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
For those of you not keen on Laic217’s work, I apologise. I, as you should know by now, am a big fan, and as long as he keeps painting them, and as long as I keep finding them, I will keep posting them.
Laic217, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2017
This is a quick one from a little while back in a narrow cycling alleyway that runs alongside the M32 between the St Pauls and Eastville junctions.
Laic217, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2017
A wall, an obscured face, a bucket hat, a tracksuit, letters…it is all here and all so beautifully done. I’m not at all keen on the yellow background, but I am just being a bit picky.
I haven’t seen much of Epok’s work of late, so it was great to see this trademark piece on the M32 roundabout back in April. His wildstyle writing is always perfectly executed, and the precision and geometry betrays the large amount of care that goes into his works.
Epok, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017
He has made great use of accent colours and patterns in green and white, to make the black and brown lettering stand out. Another high quality piece from one of the best writers in town.
A couple of weeks back, we were blessed. Aspire made a trip back to Bristol, from his new home in London, and while he was here, he sprayed a couple of pieces, one of which was this magnificent pigeon in one of the Stokes Croft arches.
Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2017
Although Aspire himself talked this piece down…’painted with some dregs from a recent job in Bristol this week’, I happen to think it is yet another example of his mastery of his craft.
Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2017
The gold background is inspired, and actually draws the piece closer to the breakdancing Jesus by Cosmo Sarson which has gilt paint stretching high on a wall some 50 metres away.
Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2017
This was not the only spraying Aspire managed on his short trip, and I will be posting about another piece soon. So glad he could make time to brighten up our streets again.
Recently, I have posted quite a few pieces from the magnificent Georgie (artist), including a wonderful Michael Caine portrait in The Bearpit. However, when I took these pictures back in July 2016, I don’t think I really knew too much about her.
Georgie, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
This is a fabulous stencil, impactful and eye-grabbing. The contrast of the grayscale stencil and the bright and colourful background work really effectively for the subject matter of the piece. I am too lazy to find out what it is called, but it seems many of her works have an obvious name. I like this very much.
Natural adventures 