7241. Leonard Lane (50)

Alex Arnell, Leonard Lane, Bristol, October 2025
Alex Arnell, Leonard Lane, Bristol, October 2025

Every once in a while, Alex Arnell makes a visit to Bristol, and when he does, he seems to gravitate towards Leonard Lane, an ancient narrow lane that used to be the boundary of the old city wall. Over the years it has been a favourite ‘safe spot’ for graffiti and street artists, although recently many of the walls have been buffed, perhaps in an effort to tidy up the lane.

Alex Arnell, Leonard Lane, Bristol, October 2025
Alex Arnell, Leonard Lane, Bristol, October 2025

Alex Arnell, whose characters are grotesque and nightmarish, has cleverly painted eight panes of glass on this window, with one screaming skeletal character in each. This is outstanding placement and use of an existing feature, although the owners of the window might argue with that. Alex Arnell’s scribbled style is pretty unique and negates the need for a signature. On this trip he left a few pieces, so watch this space for more.

Phantom opera

.

Nightmare too vivid

heart racing, thorax thumping

light on, reset, calm

.

by Scooj

  • Writing this in the depth of the night to distract myself from the horror of my dreams. Too unsettled to return to sleep.

Ikea

.

Where nightmares come true

slowly shoppers shuffle

off to the gallows.

by Scooj

Nightmare

.

Everywhere I look

I see the ragged remnants

of my waking dreams.

.

by Scooj

Night visitors

 

Vagabonds and thieves

shady felons of the night;

clothes hang from a door.

 

by Scooj

 

* Guess who didn’t sleep too well last night?

Night visitor

 

At four forty nine

the stairs creak and I wake up

a nightmare enters.

 

by Scooj

267. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (13)

On my return from a short break away from Bristol a week ago, I was welcomed home with this typically bizarre and busy piece by Tom Miller.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016

His works often include details of facial features, and an eye and mouth are the prominent features here. His works are visceral and organic, and you see different details each time you look at them. He talks about his style using the created word ‘imaginite’ which describes what metaphysical imagination would look like in solid form.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016
Tom Miller detail, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016

His works tend to be much more in the fine art category than ‘street’ but he has been masterful in transitioning between the two. There is something about his pieces that sets the pulse racing…an overload of colour and strangely warped familiarity. Dreamlike.

Nightmare

 

Sitting bolt upright

in bed, too frightened to sleep;

shadows leave the room.

 

by Scooj

(Un)real

 

Night terrors replay

in my mind; so vivid and

frightening and strange.

 

by Scooj

But it was a nightmare

 

It was not a bad

dream; our night time visitor

dropped ‘Bun’ in the loo.

 

by Scooj