A really short one today, written last night, while trying to sort out the impacts from our cancelled flight home to Bristol, and packing etc. Mote has done a wonderful thing with this large, rather cuddly monster, complete with four legs and an underslung jaw with a couple of goofy teeth.
The fills are dreamy and the design quirky and unique. There is something very loveable about this monster, and the execution is top drawer.
More from Mote, who isn’t showing any signs of slowing down at the moment. This piece is another in his series of bird monsters and fits the square concrete slab perfectly. One of the aspects of Mote’s work that I really like is the clarity and crispness. The fills are solid, with nice patterns, and his black borders and details are always sharp. I imagine that there is a perfectionist in there somewhere.
This bird monster has a green bill and pink eyelids, which stand out against the blues and purples of the rest of the bird. Even though it is not so long ago that I published a gallery of his work, I have to keep on my toes with updating it. The production line of pieces continues.
There is no doubt about it, Mote is in a very rich vein of form, not only with productivity, but also with his series of bird monsters, which appear to have inspired him greatly, and which I must say are rather appealing. I also like the way that Mote has grown the range of formats, from thin columns to squares to landscape orientation.
Mote has drawn on nature itself, recognising the delineation between a bird’s face and the rest of its plumage, more apparent in some species than in others, for example parrots and vultures. There is some interesting fill work in the two halves of green, reversing the drip colours, and some of the drips falling out of the monster’s face and on to the floor. I have loads more to post from Mote, just from June, let alone pieces that are loitering in my archive.
I simply can’t keep up, not with Mote and not with any other artists either. Whilst it might sound like a complaint, it is not really a bad thing because it signifies a thriving street art and graffiti writing culture in Bristol… as if we didn’t know that already.
Mote himself, has really been on full throttle lately and this piece on the M32 roundabout is part of his series of bird monsters, that he seems to be particularly keen on at the moment. In these bird pieces, Mote creates a delineation between the face and beak/bill and the rest of the bird, defined by different colour schemes. There is a lot to like about these giant ‘doodles’ and they have become very much a part of the furniture in the city.
After a short pause, Mote has been hitting the streets hard and with larger and ever more complex pieces. This delightful monster, part of as series of ‘birds’, is tucked away in the passageway on the long curved wall at Cumberland Basin.
Mote doesn’t need to sign his work, as it is so distinctive and original, but he tends to do so with a little upturned crown – here in green at the bottom of the piece. The bird monster is in three main colour blocks, which complement each other nicely. Mote rarely uses prime colours, tending to stick with softer pastel shades, creating a more modest offering than some of the artwork in Bristol. Improving with every new piece, Mote is firmly establishing himself on the Bristol street art scene.
I have a very busy day ahead today, so I only have time to do a really quick couple of posts. When I last met Mote a couple of weeks back, he was rediscovering his mojo, after a quiet period. These monsters in my favourite Moon Street are evidence of his newly rediscovered enthusiasm.
Mote has not only been painting with a high frequency, but he has also been visiting a few new spots too. I believe this is his first piece in Moon Street, and he has filled the space here with a nice cheeky quick one.
This is a cheeky little piece by Enn Kay, on a small ramp at the southern end of the Daveside DIY skate park. Somehow Enn Kay manages to create a really soft finish to some of his pieces, and I don’t know how he does it. Maybe it is the pastel colours or his shading skills.
I have a feeling that the monster character was painted on a pre-existing abstract piece, although it is possible that Enn Kay painted the background as well, but it doesn’t really fit with his style. It is always good to see his monster pieces about the place. Barp!
An endearing bird monster thing painted by Mote on the hoarding behind Temple Meads Station. Mote is tireless and his imagination limitless, which is a good thing for those of us who like to find his work dotted around the City.
This rather forlorn creature is nicely composed, and the soft tones work well together. I am guessing that this might have been here a while because it proceeds his wobbly monsters, which started appearing in February this year. Another one for the collection.
Some artists are so prolific, that the only way for me to keep up with them is to post several pieces at once, and so I present to you a series of column pieces under Brunel Way by monster specialist, Mote.
This first piece is one of his more recent productions, incorporating three wobbly-lined monsters, stacked like a totem pole. The wobbly lines are a recent introduction in his work introduced this year, which give him freedom to be a little bit more creative. I am still sitting on the fence about them, because his original USP was based on the clean lines and bold curves. These might take a little bit of getting used to.
It is difficult to date some of these pieces, because although I photographed them in February (some of them not for the first time), several have been around for quite a while. I think this one, which looks like a bit of a monster mash-up, is relatively recent.
This column piece, with the big eye and wonky teeth, has been around for quite a while, but is surprisingly intact, because these columns are a favourite with taggers.
Another one that might date from the back end of last year is this purple gentle and rather goofy giant. The poor thing doesn’t look in the greatest condition, and has a pot-belly not too dissimilar to my own.
Finally, this is a small piece at the southernmost end of this stretch of columns and is probably the oldest piece in this selection. It obviously pre-dates the new bit of wall that has been added as part of the Daveside DIY skate park extension. Phew… I hope you have had your fill of Mote for now.
Saor’s unannounced visits to Bristol usually culminate in a first class production, and this recent one in Dean Lane fits the pattern perfectly. The piece is exactly as you’d expect from Saor – beautifully thought out and designed and executed with extraordinary precision.
This piece spells out SAOR and incorporates the toothy monster face that the artist refined when painting under the name Flava136. This really is a first-rate work and incorporates so many nice little touches. I love the granite-effect patterned shapes, which really add an extra level to the piece.
While he was in the area, Saor also painted this mega-tag just around the corner. I love it when artists leave behind a few ‘extras’ when they visit.
Natural adventures 