It is a great time of year for street art because although there is not a huge amount of action (something of a relief for me I can tell you) on the streets it is a time when artists are doing their ‘first piece of the new year/decade’ and it somehow feels a bit like a fresh start.
Pekoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, January 2020
This new one from Pekoe on the M32 cycle path is a fresh and clean start to the year. Of course the portrait piece wouldn’t be a Pekoe work without the big hair, and what magnificent hair with a crown, hearts and face concealed in it. A wonderful way to kick off January.
I have already posted a very striking Upfest piece by Brighton-based Mazcan but this one slipped a little under my radar until I recently started sorting through another batch of pieces from last year’s festival.
Mazcan, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
This is a superb work that looks like it has just dropped off the page of a rather dark comic strip book. There is drama and movement in the way the hair sweeps across the portrait… what is going on here? Her eyes give nothing away. Lovely piece.
This is not a new wall, in fact it was painted round about this time last year if I remember correctly, just before Upfest 2018. I am posting it now because at last I have managed to get a clean shot of it without cars parked directly in front of it, a rare privilege indeed.
Inkie, Gathorne Road, Bristol, July 2019
The piece is obviously by Inkie, and is a straight refresh of a similar piece by the artist that was here before. There is a little hint of Cheba too on the left, with a bit of cosmic background. What is strange about this piece is that it is unfinished, and it would seem that after such a long tiime it is unlikely ever to be finished. The lettering around the word bread is not completely filled or outlined and the leafy sketch at the bottom of the piece also appears to be unfinished. It is a bit naughty of Inkie to leave it like this, and I hope that if it was a commission that the bakery got a discount.
Inkie, Gathorne Road, Bristol, July 2019
In the bottom right of the piece we have a beautiful trademark Inkie girl with hair, a motif that is probably most recognisable as being by Inkie. Pleased to have posted this one at last, and even though it is unfinished, we can all move on.
As someone who loves the work of Face 1st, I can honestly say that I don’t think that this is one of his best pieces. Admittedly it has been a bit tagged over the face which detracts from it a bit, but overall it doesn’t have the heart of some of his recent pieces.
Face 1st, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2019
What it does have though is hair, and the hair in this one is in a slightly different style from his usual work and much more obviously spells out FACE. Everyone has good and not so good days, and I know Face 1st can do better, but I am always charmed by his work, and even his ‘could do better’ stuff is great in my book.
I don’t often venture too far down Hepburn Road, but am very glad indeed that I did so on this occasion, because I was greeted by this wonderful protrait by Pekoe. The observant among you will also notice the oil drum has been decorated by Ryder.
Pekoe, Hepburn Road, Bristol, July 2019
Pekoe seems to be producing quite a lot of work at the moment and with each piece there are surprises and improvements. In this one she has made a great effort with decorating the hair in a style that resembles a nimber of PWA artists. I like what she has done with the lips and the eye, using white to create the effect of reflections. A little gem from this Bristol artist.
Sandwiched between Soap on the left and Zake on the right is this lovely piece by Tasha Bee. I haven’t seen much of her work recently, so had a little ferret around in my archive to pull this one out from my first and thus far only trip to Lawrence Hill roundabout.
Tasha Bee, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, February 2019
I particularly like the character’s hair in this one, which appears to have symbols from the zodiac although none that I recognise. As with most of her work, there is something calming about this one. Consistently interesting and good.
I haven’t posted much by Tasha Bee lately, not because she hasn’t been painting, but more because I haven’t been able to get out much over the past fortnight. This one is under the M32 in the wet-weather DIY skate park, known as the M32 Spot.
Tasha Bee, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2019
Sprayed on one of the ramps rather than on a wall, this is another of her calm, soulful trademark figures with beautifully decorated hair. Recently she has been working or her writing which from the Instagram shots I have seen is really exciting. Unfortunately I’ve not seen any yet… it’s a turnover thing.
