649. Upfest 2016 (98)

One of the most charming pieces of Upfest 2016 must surely have been this cat and mouse mural by Boe and Irony.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Unfortunately during the festival, I don’t think this piece got as much notice as perhaps it should have done for two reasons. Firstly, the scaffolding remained up until after the festival, and secondly it was tucked away in an area that was slightly off the beaten track. In a way this makes it almost more attractive and exclusive for Bristol street art fans.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I don’t know too much about either of the artists, there wasn’t even a biography in the programme for Boe. I have seen some of Irony’s work on social media before, but this is the first of his works I have seen ‘in the flesh’.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017

Irony describes himself on his Facebook page as a ‘painter, street artist, vandal’. That’s the spirit. Looking at his other works, it is difficult to believe that this London-based artist is self-taught.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017

This piece is so beautifully sprayed, the fur on both the cat and the mouse is amazing, and the electric-blue outline really makes the piece stand out.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017

Who wouldn’t want something like this on the side of their house?

 

 

 

 

552. M32 Roundabout J3 (28)

I have said enough about how great Sled One is, so I’ll not dwell on repeating myself, but simply show you some pictures I took earlier in the Summer of one of his awesome pieces.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016

As with many of his murals, there is a story to be told here, but his stories always seem to be a little obscure, and I’ll be damned if I can figure them out.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016

His cartoon style of creating animals has a dream-like quality to it. Always beautifully sprayed, but something slightly weird in their looks or mannerisms.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016

In this piece we see a cat and a mouse, the latter of which bears a resemblance to the character Scrat from the Ice Age films. The mouse is running off with cheese, but the cat looks like he’s having none of it.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2016

This is a fun piece from Bristol’s best.

549. York Road (1)

There are rewards to be had when making the effort to walk just that little bit further, or turn down a street you’ve not been down before. My reward recently for doing this was to come across this beautiful mural on the front of a small terraced house in Montpelier.

Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
Of course it is by the unmistakable Alex Lucas, who really has stamped her mark all over the area, and added to it’s boho atmosphere. The floral designs are bold and colourful, but for me it is always the little animal characters that I find most enchanting.

Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
There is a mouse ringing the doorbell, probably paying a visit and another mouse perched above the door. Perhaps my favourite of these though is the frog slumped on a brick ledge above the basement well.

Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016
A fantastic work by a brilliant artist/designer. Should you find yourself in Montpelier, it is well worth a visit.

160. Stokes Croft, The Art House

Hardly a day goes by when I don’t stop to take a quick look at this familiar and wonderful piece. It is a constant when all around it is in continual flux.

Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

‘Dandy Lion’ is a private commission, presumably for the householder,  and has commanded great respect from the tagging community over the years; it remains unscathed.

Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Alex Lucas, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

Both the lion and the mouse are delightful. You can see the care and preparation that went into the work on the Lucas Antics website.

8/10