I can’t believe that today is the last day of January… I swear that time is accelerating, or at least that is how it feels (it is my age you know). I recollect that Stivs told me a long time ago that he and Mest had shared a flat for a while, which might account for this coming together to paint this collaborative wall.
Stivs has been smashing it consistently for a long time, and his current penchant for painting characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is a very welcome theme. A fun fact – did you know that ponds and lakes up and down the country (particularly in the south) are populated with terrapins (a non-native species) which were purchased by children and families thanks to the power of the movie franchise, as adorable exotic little pets. Little terrapins grow into big terrapins, and as these creatures outgrew their tanks, people released them into the wild (an illegal act without a licence). Some survived and have adapted to their new environment, and that is why you might spot them if you keep your eyes open.
I have always liked the simplicity of Mest’s writing, and although he doesn’t paint all that often, he manages to retain his style and technique with ease. The letters, in an informal font, are nicely proportioned and filled without being fussy. There is a very nicely done drop shadow, which again is delivered without fuss. What lifts the piece, in my view, is the way the greys work with the background colour and the fabulous interface created with the subtle green border. A fine collaboration.
Natural adventures 