Tag: M32 roundabout

3543. M32 roundabout J3 (287)

When I visit the M32 roundabout, I usually stop for a few moments and take a look at the River Frome as it escapes its culvert and meanders towards the city centre before entering another culvert. This is a magical stretch of river and an oasis for wildlife slap bang alongside the M32 motorway. It was while I was photographing this new piece from Kool Hand that I spotted a kingfisher darting out of the tunnel and along the course of the river. It made my day… actually it made my week.

Kool Hand, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Kool Hand, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

In a way I have Kool Hand to thank for this brush with nature, because If I hadn’t been photographing this piece at exactly the right time, I would have missed the bird. This is a wonderful throw up from Kool Hand featuring his trademark orangutan face with a baseball cap. A good day.

3536. M32 roundabout J3 (286)

Dott Rotten has been spoiling us with his SPOILT pieces of late, and this red and green beauty on the M32 roundabout is an absolute classic. Dott Rotten’s writing style is fairly recognisable, although when he writes other letters it can take me a while to pin him down. However, it is not so much the style that gives him away as the quality of his finishing.

Dott Rotten, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Dott Rotten, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

In that respect, there are some similarities with Rusk’s work which is always so neat and tidy. These joined up letters are brought to life with a light and dark shade of fill with some repeating patterns of dots and boxy segments. What makes it jump out though is the wonderful contrast with the vibrant red backdrop. A lovely piece.

3522. M32 roundabout J3 (285)

Well it looks very much to me like Nightwayss has joined the PWA crew, which is very exciting indeed if it is in fact the case. Here he is sandwiched between Soap and Face 1st, adopting the shared colour scheme in a fine collaboration on the :32 Roundabout.

Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

On the left of the trio is a piece from Soap using the green and pink base colours shared by all three artists. Spelling out his name, Soap has incorporated some gems into the letters, something he recently did in another piece at the M32 Spot. I like it when artists pick up a new theme and run with it for a while.

Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

Another recurring theme that we see from Nightwayss is a good old cassette player/radio adorned with a couple of monkeys. Great to see the PWA label.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

To the right is the third element of the collaboration and the ever-cheerful work from Face 1st. This giggling girl looks to have a fairly gloopy toxic head of hair, which is actually beautifully filled by Face 1st. It is impossible not to like these pieces and the wonderful crew that is Pirate Wall Art.

3509. M32 roundabout J3 (284)

This surely is a collaboration made in heaven. When two artists combine, whose styles somehow mesh together so well, then the outcome is going to be rather special, and this is what happened recently in this fabulous collaboration from Mr Penfold and Zoe Power.

Mr Penfold and Zoe Power, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Mr Penfold and Zoe Power, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

I love this, because both artists have contributed to the whole and there are elements of their work evenly distributed throughout the piece. The colours too are a great combination of their individual preferences. I know that I could identify each of the artist’s contribution, but many looking at it would not. Some great ideas and a superb abstract piece. More, please Mr Penfold and Zoe Power!

3501. M32 roundabout J3 (283)

There are two excellent calligraphy writers in Bristol who stand out and who throw paint at walls on a fairly regular basis. One of them is Todoaciem and the other Stivs – this is a fine piece from the latter.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

I like the way that Stivs has slotted this piece of writing into a rather slim piece of wall, where the embankment rises up to the main roundabout road. The writing that spells out STIVS y nicely constructed, and as well as the regular and disciplined lines, he has also incorporated some embellishment and drips which always adds kudos to a piece. Nicely sited, beautifully painted, great work from Stivs.

3499. M32 Roundabout J3 (282)

Yet another debut artist for Natural Adventures in 2021 – they just keep coming. Lee Roy has been writing for a while, but a recent spate of pieces in Bristol has drawn him to my attention and his unique style is worthy of representation on this blog as part of the vast spectrum of talent in the city.

Lee Roy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Lee Roy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

His work is loud and overt and easy to read. This is a bold statement – Lee Roy was here. His letters are framed within a bounded black background and are in an interesting font that is rather forgiving of irregularity. The fills are intricate and fun which grow on you the more you look at them. Lee Roy describes himself as a ‘lazy writer’ which I think is a little bit too modest and self deprecatory. Look out for more coming soon.

3485. M32 roundabout J3 (281)

This is the second piece I have posted by Smoke Perfume, and it is painted slap bang over his previous piece on this wall which I posted here a few days ago. I was fortunate enough to run across him as he was about half-way through his work.

Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021

There is something rather nice about getting work in progress (WIP) shots, because it gives you an insight into how the artists go about building up their work. Even though I have been trying to teach myself to spray paint, I still find the process counter-intuitive, but that probably stems from the fact that I have no training in art or design whatsoever.

Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

I am not too sure what the letters spell out, but I am pretty certain it is neither Smoke nor Perfume. Rather like the Serm piece next to it, the organic purple and yellow lettering is embellished with white smoky flames. I’ll be on the look-out for more from Smoke Perfume.

3475. M32 roundabout J3 (280)

Many street artists and graffiti writers have dual or multiple personas when they throw paint at a wall. There are many reasons for this, for example sometimes it is to obfuscate their identity as most of this activity isn’t strictly legal, other times it is to separate out professional from personal identities. Here we have an artist who I have met before under a different name, but here he is with his new moniker ‘SERM’.

Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021

I was fortunate enough to bump into SERM when he was half way through painting this piece and we chatted for a little while. It is interesting to see how he works and that the little smoke wisps along the top of the piece are one of the first bits he paints, which is counterintuitive for a non-artist like me.

Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021
Serm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2021

This is a very nice piece of writing with some great colour selections and the yellow 3D shadow works particularly well. I hope this is the first SERM of many.

3469. M32 roundabout J(3) (279)

The story behind this unusual and unsigned piece is that I photographed it a little while ago… I photograph most of the graffiti art that I find, and if I don’t know the artist will keep it in my archive until a moment of good fortune reveals their identity. This was one such piece.

Last week I was doing the rounds and I encountered an artist painting over this piece. Having not met him before I politely introduced myself and asked him what name he painted under, ‘Smoke Perfume’ was his reply. Furthermore he told me that the piece he was painting over, the subject of this post, was also by him. What luck.

Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021

The design of this piece is neat and tidy and the colours have something of a ‘look at me’ quality. The transition of the two red fills is beautifully done with dancing red flames and there is a black splatter surrounding the piece. I don’t yet know what the letters spell out, but I am working on it. I like this very much and there is another piece from Smoke Perfume coming soon to Natural Adventures.

3448. M32 roundabout J3 (278)

Just recently there has been a very welcome spate of PWA collaborations from Soap and Face 1st, including this beauty on the M32 roundabout. These two have a connection, a bit like Sheringham and Shearer, which produces great results, and when they collaborate, they often adopt the same colour scheme as they have done here.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021

To the left is one of those familiar smiling girls with her hair spelling out FACE. There is a lot of decoration and detail in the letters and plenty of the trademark teardrop shapes that Face 1st favours. There is a lot of energy and joy here.

Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021

To the right Soap has continued the colour scheme and letter style to spell out SOAP with one of his mouths in the ‘O’. This is also full of decoration and detail and fully deserves a long look to get the most out of it. The collaboration is a great example of how well these two work together. Bristol would be all the poorer without them.