Tag: Life

7751. M32 Cycle path (312)

John D'oh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026
John D’oh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026

With a playful variation on one of John D’oh’s sayings, this piece reminds us that ‘life is like ice cream, enjoy it before it melts away’. Advice I have not always been very good at heeding, spending too much of my time dwelling in the past or the future, and forgetting to enjoy the moment.

John D'oh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026
John D’oh, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026

In this great column stencil piece, we see a youth in a hoodie enjoying a ’99’ while a gull above plans its angle of attach. This is a rather more accurate street scene than many might believe. Gulls (although many species are protected under law), can be a real pest, and frequently raid holidaymakers’ ice creams or fish and chips while wandering along a promenade. Fun stuff from John D’oh.

7737. M32 roundabout J2 (29)

John D'oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, May 2026
John D’oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, May 2026

Time for another jaunt back to John D’oh’s personal outdoor gallery underneath the M32. This time he presents us with a catchphrase or ‘wisdom’ that he has used before, but with a different accompanying scene.

John D'oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, May 2026
John D’oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, May 2026

The stencil piece shows a young boy with a backpack, kneeling down in front of a cat with a dead rat hanging from its mouth. A scene not unfamiliar to anyone who knows or has owned cats. The caption says “Enjoy life, it has an expiration date”. In terms of the artwork, although it is a single-colour stencil, I love the intricate patterning of the cat fur, and the creases in the boy’s trousers. A nicely worked and presented piece.

A dog’s life

.

When I work you sleep

when I am sleeping you sleep

other times you eat

.

by Scooj

Hourglass

.

How much time is left

I ponder on it often

unhealthy pursuit

.

by Scooj

  • written at 5.40 this morning when I awoke and had trouble getting back to sleep.

Pillar of life – 30 Days Wild (15/30)

Groyne pillar, Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, June 2024
Groyne pillar, Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, June 2024

.

Clinging for dear life

rough barnacles and seaweed

a giver of life

.

by Scooj

  • 30 Days Wild is an initiative organised by the Wildlife Trusts. It is an annual challenge event, for those who choose to participate, to do one ‘wild’ thing a day throughout the month of June. I will try to write a nature haiku every day if I can, as my contribution to this celebration of wildlife and biodiversity. I did this back in 2015 and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.

Lifebelt

.

On the horizon

reduced hours, then retirement

getting my life back

.

by Scooj

Nature

.

The soil we stand on

food and drink, the air we breathe

habitats, wildlife

.

we are dependent on it

it is dependent on us

3913. Brunel Way (120)

Aha! This is a brilliant piece from Daz Cat, with an awful lot more going on than the usual portrait of a cat that the artist usually serves up. Here we have a story ‘life’s not a race’ and it would seem that it was inspired by Daz Cat’s observations that some of the people around him are keen to grow up too quickly, or perhaps more quickly than he is. The tortoise is a common metaphor for such a commentary. Daz Cat considers this one of his best pieces to date, and I must say that I don’t disagree.

Daz Cat, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2021
Daz Cat, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2021

Larger than his more common portrait pieces, this story is framed nicely and contains an industrial (dark) backdrop, in front of which the cat (a self-portrait of sorts) sits contentedly and rather eccentrically on/in the back of a tortoise. The ski goggles are a nice touch and something Daz Cat has painted before. A classic piece from this young artist who recently has stepped up a level.

Taxi man

.

I shouldn’t complain

we brought them into this world

driving, our reward

.

by Scooj

Death eater

.

Organic terrace

a consumer of decay

from death springs new life

.

by Scooj