Greenbank – Page 8 – Natural adventures

6014. Greenbank (117)

‘Wanted – dead or alive – Leggy O’Lootin’ so says the ‘poster’ by Roo. This sepia tinted piece is a clever and really rather touching portrait of a giraffe that has obviously been up to no good. The way Roo has painted him makes me feel rather sorry and sympathetic for him.

Roo has been active in Bristol so far this year, and long may it last. Her strong cartoon pieces are pretty much always respected and can remain intact for a very long time, which is testimony to the respect other artists have for her work. This piece is so original as well as being great fun.

6010. Greenbank (116)

Some artists are content to stick with what they know and play safe, others are constantly pushing the boundaries, and Laic217 has undergone something of an epiphany recently, taking his distinctive style into new and unexpected places, and as an observer, I am enjoying the trip.

This outstanding portrait piece on the long hoarding at Greenbank features a man holding a miniature trumpet, all in greyscale except for the instrument. The piece is not signed, but there are some telltale signs that this is by Laic217, namely the unusual proportions of the character’s head, and more obviously the folds of material in his clothes, a speciality perfected by Laic217. This is a wonderful piece.

6006. Greenbank (115)

We are lucky that SkyHigh and Roo appear to have a strong association with Bristol – I believe that they have family here. This is good, because every time they come to visit, they drop a couple of pieces, which mixes things up nicely.

This is a beauty from SkyHigh in which he has spelled out his name with several optional variations in how you choose to read it. The block letters, each in a different font/style, have loads of depth to them and are displayed in different orientations creating a kind of 3D collage effect. The tried and trusted pink and blue combination is a winner, and is augmented with some splashes of yellow in the form of smiley ‘stickers’. Tidy.

5937. Greenbank (114)

This is a throwback piece to last June, which has remained dormant in my archives, because at the time of photographing the piece the artist was unknown to me. Since then, the artist’s identity has emerged and is known as j9449j, which is a bit of a mouthful. This is great news, because I have several more pieces in the archives to share and I really like their work.

The abstract piece hints at a rural landscape, certainly there are some organic forms in the piece. This artwork is so original, at least in the context of street art, that it is difficult to assess against any normal criteria or conventions. For example the small additional piece to the right works perfectly as a counterbalance to the larger piece on the left, There are some lovely shapes and patterns and a carefully thought out colour palette. Enjoyable and unusual stuff from j9449j.

5908. Greenbank (113)

Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2024

You might have sensed my excitement a few posts ago with the return of Rozalita (Rozilitaa), and here she is again with another outstanding portrait piece, in the same venue, and again featuring Frida Cahlo, who has come to represent so much about female art, strength and vulnerability.

This time, the portrait is painted in shades of blue and turquoise, which contrasts brilliantly with the four surrounding orange flowers. There is a lot of passion and emotion in Rozalita’s work which works hard to combine people with the natural world. This is another belter, and there is still more to come soon.

5902. Greenbank (112)

Rozalita returns! This is exceptional news. After a long lay-off, in part down to travelling, during which time I wondered whether she might abandon her street art altogether, she has returned in style, with several pieces in short succession. This is how to announce your return. In another name change (from Rosalita to Rozalita (Rhozi) to Rozilitaa) she has hit the ground running with a bolder presence, and a sense of confidence that hasn’t always been obvious from her work.

This portrait piece, I believe of Frida Kahlo, is bursting with passion, where the determination and status of the subject, looking skywards, is beautifully presented. The white border accentuates the pose and creates an aura that is augmented by the burst of energy of flowers and decoration in the background. Without the border, the piece could be at risk of being busy, but its presence is masterful. This is brilliant in my view, and what a way to make a comeback. I bloody love this piece!

5896. Greenbank (111)

Over the last few months Werm has calmed his pieces a little, from the highly complex and technically brilliant pieces into something slightly easier on the eye, and this piece, for me, represents a mature approach from an artist who doesn’t need to impress any more, but rather, can concentrate on creating a thing of beauty.

The colour palette for this piece seems to work really well, and Werm has blended the fill colours expertly. The orange border and accompaniments augment the writing perfectly, the test of which is to imagine the piece without that splash of colour, rendering it greatly diminished. I like and welcome this new direction from Werm, and greatly admire this piece.

5883. Greenbank (110)

Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024

Mind 49 is establishing himself as something of a new force in Bristol street art and graffiti writing, expanding his range and pushing boundaries with every new piece he creates. He is perhaps better known for his portrait pieces, that seem to capture the subject in an unconventional pose, but he has been working on his writing too recently.

This recent piece, on the ever-diminishing hoarding which borders the Chocolate Factory development, demonstrates perfectly Mind 49’s writing style. Spelling out MInD, the letters are beautifully filled with a beautifully selected set of soft colours, which abut with one another with lines, stars and circles. Great drop-shadows, borders and decorations finish the job off nicely. We are lucky to have Mind 49 hitting a bit of a purple patch… long may it last.

5874. Greenbank (108)

Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024

Laic217 seems to have a plethora of ways to surprise me. Often his pieces appear unannounced, and so discovering them definitely feels special, but what surprised me with this piece is that it immediately took me back to some of the very earliest pieces of his that I started photographing a few years back.

The character, for once, not a skull, is wearing a bucket hat with a satanic protection mask strapped to it. To the right of the portrait is a letter ‘L’ for Laic which has been hollowed out and blocked with a deep 3D drop shadow.

The face, with its harsh features, could only be by Laic217. I don’t know what it is about his style, but it is quite unique. Looking at the close up, it almost looks like it has been painted on a canvas with brushes, and maybe that is what gives Laic217 his uniqueness. This is yet another awesome piece from one of Bristol’s very best street artists.

5861. Greenbank (107)

Knife, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024

I have a very busy week ahead, so apologise in advance for any disruption to my usual rhythm. I start with a trip to Nottingham today and tomorrow and am in London on Thursday, delivering workshops, which is both time-intensive and exhausting. Managing expectations.

A graffiti writer, who has emerged over the last year or so is Knife, I don’t yet know they are or if they use social media, so for the time being I shall use their writing moniker.

I have seen Knife’s work in quite a few of the spots I visit, and felt it was about time I posted a piece. I think that Knife paints solo, at least I haven’t yet noticed any patterns of painting with anyone else, which makes me think that the artist is fairly new to Bristol. This is a really nicely executed piece, clean and tidy letters with a straightforward three colour fill, nothing too fancy or pretentious. Even though the wall hasn’t been buffed, the graffiti writing is eye-catching, and this is a solid debut piece (on Natural Adventures) from Knife. Expect more to follow.

	paulh121 on Banded Damoiselle
	hitandrun1964 on 7710. Stillhouse Lane –…
	Laura Newhampshire on 7711. Greenway Bush Lane…
	Wes Vinglun (aka) Ni… on 7710. Stillhouse Lane –…
	scooj on 7708. M32 roundabout J2 (…

	Sheree on Banded Damoiselle
	Sheree on 7713. Exeter Road – Upfe…
	paulh121 on Banded Damoiselle
	hitandrun1964 on 7710. Stillhouse Lane –…
	Laura Newhampshire on 7711. Greenway Bush Lane…

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