There was no stopping Hemper during the Covid period, but now things have returned to relative normality, his productivity has fallen back considerably, which makes it extra special when he does get out and paint one of his stunning burners.
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
This is a wonderful piece of graffiti writing bursting with colour and energy, spelling out the letters DRAPE, which I am guessing is a shout-out, rather than a tribute. Each letter in this piece has been given a different colour treatment and fill patterns. There is lots to look at and enjoy in this skilfully pulled together writing.
Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
I am mildly hungover following a wonderful wedding party for our niece, in the extraordinary setting of Farnham Castle on the border of Surrey and Hampshire, and am writing this post sitting in the car, waiting to get home back to Bristol. Fast forward a few hours, and I am now completing this post at home, a little later than usual.
Marckinetic, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
This is a fabulous collaborative wall from Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, a duo who have started off 2024 in vigorous fashion. Marckinetic’s disguised FFS letters are written in such a unique style and filled with his wonderful ‘cosmic’ patterning, that they simply couldn’t be by any other artist. Creative and wonderfully presented, his work is always a pleasure to see.
Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Kid Krishna has been on fire this year too, after a relatively quiet period, so much so that I am going to have to gather up several of his early year pieces into a single post soon. The colours of this piece broadly match those used by Marckinetic, and create a feast for the eyes, enhanced by being painted on the black background. The letters CRIE are probably there somewhere. This is a fabulous collaborative wall from these unconventional graffiti writers.
Throughout the winter, Laic217 has been in a good rhythm of painting, and I think that it has a lot to do with teaming up with the PWA. Although this wonderful piece isn’t part of a collaborative wall, it was painted at the same time as an adjacent PWA collaboration.
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
This skull piece draws on so many of Laic217s trademarks, such as the brick wall, which hasn’t made an appearance for a little while, and the wonderful folds in the fabric of the clothes the skeleton is wearing. I don’t think I will ever tire of his work, or lose that spark of excitement I get every time I find one of his pieces.
Having not seen Werm for an eternity, it was really nice to bump into him while he was painting this piece. What made the encounter stranger still was that we had been communicating the day before about a RichT piece that I had posted. Sometimes it is difficult not to believe in coincidence, although I know there is a whole ton of evidence to dismiss it.
Werm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2024
Werm is trying out something a little different in this piece, and has definitely edged away from his ultra-complex wildstyle pieces of the last year or two. The notable thing about this piece is the gently pastel colours softly transitioning across all of the letters in a seemingly random sequence. The strong 3D shadow, green border and trimmings and the black buffed wall help the piece to stand out nicely. A good start to the New Year from Werm.
Ooh! The colours of this wonderful piece by Hypo burst out of the wall and immediately infect the viewer with a sense of optimism and wellbeing (results based on a survey of one!). A sensibly neutral buffed wall add to the sense of energy and excitement generated by this cornucopia of colour.
Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
The letters spell out HYPO as you’d probably expect, with a couple of nice graffiti arrows incorporated. I really like the way that Hypo produces something utterly different with each of his pieces, although there is always an underlying style that seems to permeate through. A delightful piece from Hypo.
Although she has been writing for a little while, Lupa only made her first appearance on Natural Adventures last summer, and I have tried to keep her represented as much as I can. I do feel though that I need to trawl through my archives to dig out some of her older pieces.
Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
This is a lovely green piece of chunky writing that, helped by a thick 3D drop shadow, pops out from the wall. Lupa’s finishing is sometimes a little crude, but in a way that is her style, so it kind of works. In this piece, it is the fills that excel, with a blend of green colours and shapes working very nicely together. Rounded off with a couple of trademark faces, this is a piece full of fun.
I suggested recently that we would be seeing a lot more from Minto in Bristol, because I believe he has moved westwards from London, and so it seems to be, confirmed by another original and captivating piece on the M32 roundabout at the end of last year.
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
The letters MINTO are very well disguised in this piece of multiple characters, I can see at least four of them. There is plenty to look at in the piece, and the paint work is really classy, even Minto’s signature is classy. A really nice imaginative piece, and I expect to see a whole lot more from Minto in 2024.
I was absolutely thrilled to meet Bloem for the first time at the weekend, when she was painting a new piece alongside SUB (yet to appear on these pages) at the M32 Spot at the top end of Stapleton Road. As is always the case with meeting most street artists for the first time, she was nothing like I had imagined and, in my old eyes, so very young.
Bloem, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
This piece is a variation of one that she has painted in this spot before back in June 2023, but even in that short time there has been a definite tightening up and improvement in her can control and technique. The idea is a good one, and so original, you simply don’t see anything like her work from anyone else in Bristol. I am expecting great things from Bloem this year, and hope I am fortunate enough to watch her painting again sometime.
Omie_wan_kenobi, M32 roundbout, Bristol, December 2023
Pekoe’s birthday paint jam in December was a real treat not least because it introduced me to the work of Omie_wan_kenobi for the first time. I have a feeling that I must have seen Omie’s work before, but perhaps it passed me by. I am pleased, however, to be posting this piece now.
Omie_wan_kenobi, M32 roundbout, Bristol, December 2023
This is a wonderful piece of ‘organic’ writing from Omie which is all rather original, with each of the letters OMIE having a rural landscape/nature feel to them. This is a nice way to celebrate Pekoe’s birthday and a great opportunity to showcase work. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more from Omie_wan_kenobi, who I presume is a member of RBF.
Mr Crawls had a very productive end to 2023, and has picked up where he left off already this year, and is collaborating a lot with Mote, which is so good to see. This is a solo piece from December , one of two similar pieces in the area that were probably painted as a pair, the other was sited at the end of St Werburghs tunnel.
Mr Crawls, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Mr Crawls has stayed true to his bird character theme, but has been adapting the subject to great effect lately. This one is a partial skeleton bird – a little bit sinister, but not really. His artwork is all good, with some strong lines and suitable shading which adds depth to the bird’s head. I predict a big year ahead for this relative newcomer who has already made a significant mark on the Bristol scene.
Natural adventures 