6776. River Avon (79)

Grimes, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025
Grimes, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025

Grimes is my graffiti writer of the moment. He is turning out some quite miraculous pieces that are bursting with energy and colour. As if to prove that he is far from a ‘one-trick pony’, he has produced this rather more sober piece, squeezed into a tight space alongside the River Avon.

Grimes, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025
Grimes, River Avon, Bristol, February 2025

The beautifully designed letters spell out GRIME, and have taken on some earthy colours; greens, browns and greys. Grimes has included some cool fills on some of the letters, but generally the decoration is toned-down. There are no highlights, and so the letters remain flat on the wall and there is little 3D effect achieved. This is a well executed piece, which may well have been a ‘quick one’ by the artist, but is beautifully finished nonetheless.

6337. Greenbank (132)

Grimes, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2024
Grimes, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2024

Grimes has been smashing it all summer with his colourful and energetic pieces, and this one on the long hoarding at Greenbank simply adds another to his expanding portfolio. Sadly, we’re now entering the last days of the Raj with this particular spot, as the development of the site is nearing completion. It will be a sad day when the hoarding comes down, but illustrative of the temporary nature of street/graffiti art.

Grimes, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2024
Grimes, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2024

The letters in ‘fruits of the forest’ colours spell out GRIME, and as ever have an incredible sense of movement about them. There is something rather lyrical about Grimes’ writing, if that makes any sense at all, like visual poetry. Another great piece from Grimes, and surely about time for a gallery?

6260. Leonard Lane (48)

Grimes, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2024
Grimes, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2024

He gets absolutely everywhere, does Grimes, and what a delightful thing that is. He has even made it into the narrow Leonard Lane with this fine chrome piece. You might spot some double yellow lines, that could possibly be the most useless yellow lines in the country, given that it is a dead end, incredibly narrow and if a driver was stupid enough to drive into the lane, they might never get back out again.

Grimes, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2024
Grimes, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2024

Even when he paints in a single colour, Grimes manages to generate great energy from the form of his letters and in this case some orange ‘flame’ decorations around the perimeter. The letters spell out GRIME and are beautifully finished with a decent 3D drop shadow border. Still more to come from this relative newcomer to Bristol.

2895. Raleigh Road vector (30)

This long piece is a bit of a monster and unusually garish for Soker. It has the appearance of a huge washing up session with the grimey green slime getting a bit of a clean up from the bubbly water. The SOKER will come clean.

Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2019
Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2019

Painted in February last year, the piece would have been one of the last to appear on this particular wall, because not long after the hoardings were removed and the block of flats inhabited. Previously the empty lot had been a wonderful spot and was used every year by Upfest. Another loss to the Bristol street art community, but at least the housing provided looks like it was appropriately affordable.