5610. Sparke Evans Park (83)

Lupa and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa and Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

It is not so long since Halloween, and this year I seem to have quite a lot of festive pieces to share, and not at the end of November or December. The reason for these more timely posts is that the artists were out a little earlier this year with many painting their Halloween pieces in mid-October. This pair of pieces by Lupa and Desi were painted as part of a large gathering of the RBF crew who were joined on the day by a Birmingham all-female crew called FKB (Full Kulla Burners).

Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

On the left of this pair is a great piece from Lupa, whose carefree approach makes for easy viewing. With her work, I always get the feeling that she is relaxed, and painting within her limits for the sheer joy of it, and I really like that about her work. As usual, Lupa has had a bit of fun with the ‘U’ in her name and has presented her letters in her customary style while adopting the paint jam colours of the day.

Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023
Desi, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, October 2023

To the right, Desi has painted a lovely VEIL piece which seems to be her preference these days – I haven’t seen a DESI for a while. I particularly like the screaming ghost face in the second heart. Great letters and some interesting fills. It is weird that the gold colour has picked out the markings on the wall, almost looking like Desi has painted the markings deliberately, a mechanism that many artists use to give the impression they are painting on a wall instead of on a flat surface. Great work from these two.

5581. M32 Cycle path (231)

Lupa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023

The Resting Bitch Face crew is an all female crew largely, but not exclusively, centred around Bristol. There are quite a few members of the crew, and it is always a joyous occasion when they congregate for a paint jam. This piece, by Lupa, was painted at one of two paint jams over the last month.

Lupa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Lupa, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023

Lupa has a very distinctive style in which she usually makes a feature of the letter ‘U’, which she has done to good effect here. Her letters are large and bold, and everything about her work is quite raw. While there is definitely room for improvement, I am not so sure if that is what Lupa is all about. I get the sense that her work is mostly about joy and happiness and decorating a wall, and that enthusiasm comes across in bucket-loads. A fun and uplifting piece by Lupa.

5410. Purdown (60)

Lupa, Purdown, Bristol, May 2023
Lupa, Purdown, Bristol, May 2023

I feel that, having met Lupa for the second time recently at the Cheltenham Paint Festival, I should really start digging out some of her pieces from my archives, especially as we had a great chat and I felt most honoured that she not only remembered me, but also remembered my name, and thanked me for the recent post I wrote about her piece in Peel Street Green.

Lupa, Purdown, Bristol, May 2023
Lupa, Purdown, Bristol, May 2023

This is a lovely and enduring piece up at Purdown, which I photographed in May, but I think had been there already for a while and was still there when I walked the dog around the site last week. There is a charm and simplicity about Lupa’s work that makes it enjoyable to see, and she manages to give off good vibes – maybe it is the design of the letter ‘U’ with its smiley face, or the large block letters, or the vibrant colours – probably a combination of all these things. I look forward to seeing more of her work, and will continue to mine out old pieces from the archive.

5360. Peel Street Green (15)

Lupa, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023
Lupa, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023

At long last Lupa makes her debut on Natural Adventures, and not before time. I have a whole bunch of pieces by her, but for reasons unknown to anyone, including myself, this is the first here on this blog.

Lupa, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023
Lupa, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023

There is a freedom and joy in Lupa’s work that lifts the heart. In this piece the blue letters are set on a pink background – it’s that winning pink/blue combo working hard once again. The fills create  great sense of depth, with their cosmic appearance, and the white details add interest as well. The three shapes above the ‘U’ have the appearance of a crown, in this appealing piece. I also really like the slightly rough and ready presentation, which allows a freedom of expression, that some more precise and on-point pieces occasionally lack. A great first to share with you.

Lupa has been decorating our walls for a few years with her colourful letters