433. Upfest 2016 (49)

Seeing Bristol street artists’ work at Upfest just felt right. In amongst all the exotic invitees to the festival were the artists that put Bristol on the map in the first place. If there wasn’t a street art scene here in the first place then there would be no festival.

Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

This cheeky piece by Kid Crayon is yet another great work by one of my favourite Bristol street artists. I read, I think on KC’s Instagram feed, that he was not happy with the piece and that the sun had played havoc with his spray cans. Havoc or not, KC never fails to please, with his bright colours and Picassoesque ‘blue’ figures. Keep them coming!

293. M32 roundabout J3 (13)

Some time in Early June, a whole bunch of ASK and Lost Souls spent a day or two refreshing the walls at the M32. I love it when these guys do this, because there tends to be a common thread – for example a colour scheme – throughout the collaborative get-together. This is the first of several posts from this gathering.

Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016
Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016

This was the first time I have seen Kid Crayon and SPZero 76 working together, but curiously I have seen them collaborate since (another post soon). It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I am a massive fan of Kid Crayon, and this is a lovely example of his work, purple face and crayon making a return.

SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016
SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016

The SPZero 76 piece depicts a mask (I’m not sure if it is African or Pacific) which is a common feature in so many of his works. On this occasion he has done some other work with another artist, so had a busy day.

Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016
Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016

Detail for those who enjoy such things, firstly with Kid Crayon

SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016
SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016

And secondly with SPZero 76. Looking forward to blogging about the rest of this wall.

256. Moon Street (13)

This is a collaboration, or at least two pieces that were completed simultaneously, between Kid Crayon and Subtle. I have posted a great deal of Kid Crayon’s works, and once again he appears to have dispensed with his trademark crayon in favour of a spray can.

Kid Crayon and Subtle, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016
Kid Crayon and Subtle, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016

I know little about Subtle, and can’t think that I have seen his stuff before, or if I have, I haven’t registered it. This is a decent wildstyle burner. Both pieces have been in place for a month, and thus far respected by taggers. This seems to happen a lot with Kid Crayon’s work, it is rarely defaced.

Subtle, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016
Subtle, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016

As a combination these work well. I am a big fan of Kid Crayon, so these get a big ‘high-five’ from me.

Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016
Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016

 

 

211. Johnny Ball Lane

For many people reading this, the name Johnny Ball conjurs up images of a children’s TV presenter, and it is difficult to wipe that image. This lane I presume is named after a different Johnny Ball. Some time ago I snapped this unusual Kid Crayon wheatpaste, before I knew who he was. There is something simple and charming about it and it declares his presence on the street art map.

Kid Crayon, Johnny Ball Lane, Bristol, August 2015
Kid Crayon, Johnny Ball Lane, Bristol, August 2015

Unlike other works he has done, there is no portrait, but the different coloured eyes are there. I really do like his work, it is unusual, there is nobody else who does it quite like this. The poster has long since gone.

197, Stokes Croft, PR Solicitors

I have had this picture in my archive for a while, but simply never got round to publishing it. I love the piece, but the photograph is not very good, slightly blurred and so I have held back. It is by Kid Crayon though, and I do so very much like his work, so the time has come.

Kid Crayon, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015
Kid Crayon, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015

Kid Crayon’s wheatpastes are really curious. His style is quite unique, and it is difficult to see who might have influenced him. Not that it really matters. I really like his stuff, and am always pleased to uncover another work. I saw a new one last week and will post about it soon.

156. Moon Street (8)

Quick Weird One

Well, as I said yesterday, I have a large backlog of street art to upload at the moment, but what a sweet pleasure it is for me. Here is another wonderfully colourful piece by the amazing Kid Crayon.

Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

Another spray job, demonstrating his versatility between techniques…many of his works are wheatpastes. I appreciate that his works are not everyone’s cup of tea, but me they have a hint of the surreal about them, blended with Picasso and Gauguin…but let’s refocus for a moment, this is street art and Kid Crayon is, in my view, a master.

Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

I am expecting a new wheatpaste from him soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

8/10

124. The Bearpit (1)

Variously called The Bearpit, Bearpit, Bear Pit or Bear-pit…I will stick with the first.

This space has recently undergone something of a transformation, thanks largely to The Bearpit Improvement Group, and provides some excellent permitted gallery space to upcoming and established street artists in Bristol. Once something of a ‘no-go’ area it is fast becoming a ‘somewhere to go’ place, especially for me…expect lots of blogs from here.

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2015
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2015

I’ll start with a piece by one of my favourite Bristol artists – Kid Crayon. I saw this vibrant piece earlier this week walking in to work and was chuffed to bits to see it. It was not so long ago one of his wheatpastes, that I have featured before, was cleared away and I have missed it, but this new work more than makes up for it.

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2015
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2015

I’ll be looking out for more of KCs work, but more often than not it finds me.

8/10

80. Marsh Street

It is easy to work out that Bristol has been shaped, historically, physically and culturally, by the River Frome and the freshwater environment. Street names are the biggest clue. Here we have Marsh Street, but there are many other watery names, including Broadmead, Quay Street, Wade Street, Broad Weir and Ferry Street to name only a few.

Kid Crayon, March Street, Bristol, December 2015
Kid Crayon, March Street, Bristol, December 2015

I digress. This is yet another Kid Crayon whestpaste in a street that has very little other graffiti. It is a reasonably uninteresting street for pedestrians and street artists alike.

Kid Crayon, March Street, Bristol, December 2015
Kid Crayon, March Street, Bristol, December 2015

I was pleased to have found this work, because it is one of several that KC has themed with the two red stripes on the face. I’m not sure what the stripes represent and maybe I’ll never know. They make an appearance also on the faces of the characters from the mural in Fairfax Street.

Another unusual but likable work.

7.5/10

65. Fairfax Street

I have been sorting through a few pictures of Bristol’s street art that I have taken recently, and there really is a lot of the stuff, and such variety. In October, I came across an unusual work by one of Bristol’s most prolific artists, Kid Crayon.

Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015
Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015

What is interesting about this mural is that it is a departure from his wheatpaste work, which I have featured many times in my posts.

Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015
Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015

It can be quite difficult to get decent shots of this mural because it is on the wall of a small private car park, and there are usually cars parked up against the wall. I really like this mural and will seek out more of his paintings.

Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015
Kid Crayon, Fairfax Street, Bristol, October 2015

 

58. Mark Lane.

Another weird and wacky wheatpaste from Kid Crayon that I posted some time ago to illustrate a haiku, before I started posting about street art.

Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, July 2015
Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, July 2015

I really am warming up to his uncomfortable portraits and his choice of spots. It is strange, but until you start looking for his works you simply don’t see them, or if you do, they don’t seem to register. They are all over Bristol, and I have several more lined up to post.

Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, October 2015
Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, October 2015

I see this boy/man eating cheese most days, and it always makes me smile.

Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, October 2015
Kid Crayon, Mark Lane, Bristol, October 2015

8/10