Tag: Portrait

4786. Cumberland Basin

Hika and Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Hika and Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

This is an unexpected collaboration between Hika and Pekoe… unexpected because I don’t really know much about Hika, although I do know all about RBF’s Pekoe. The two have combined nicely and there is much to like about the collaboration.

Hika and Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Hika and Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

Hika’s letters might appear, on first inspection, to be a bit messy, but take a closer look and they are nice and clean with decent fills and a black 3D drop shadow. Some of the embellishments include red squiggles, and some rather nice yellow drips.

Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

Regulars will know how much I admire Pekoe’s work, and this is a lovely portrait piece from her. Perhaps the most unusual thing about this one is the hairstyle. Pekoe’s portraits usually host big hair full of stars and shapes, but this one has a stylish short cut that works really well on the limited height of this space. Beautiful big eyes and a customary tear – great work from Pekoe. All in all, a really nice collaboration from this pair.

4756. Upfest 2022 (53)

Sphiza, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Sphiza, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

There are some paintings at Upfest that you fall in love with at first sight and this magnificent mural by Sphiza is exactly that. From the moment I first saw it, I knew it was something rather special.

Sphiza, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Sphiza, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

In this piece, which makes extraordinary use of colours to create shadings and texture (a bit like a stencil might), Sphiza conveys an important ‘peace’ message via a portrait of a youngster drawing a peace symbol on a sheet of paper. I don’t know very much about Sphiza, and haven’t seen any of her work before, but am especially interested because she is from Porto in Portugal, and regulars will know how much I love the city.

4744. M32 roundabout J3 (432)

DNT, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2022
DNT, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2022

I got super-lucky a couple of weeks ago when I bumped into DNT just as he was finishing off this outstanding piece just outside the M32 roundabout. I didn’t recognise him or his work at first, until we started chatting. What an absolute pleasure it was to meet him, and although I had met him before, he didn’t recognise me. I like his work very much, and it was a privilege to be there just as he was wrapping up.

DNT, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2022
DNT, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2022

The piece, on the side of a food wagon, features a woman in an elaborate headdress with an Aztec or Mayan feel about her. It is an outstanding and vibrant piece, beautifully designed and executed, and knowing who it is by after the event, so obviously a DNT work. Superb work and a red-letter day.

4740. Elton Street (12)

Tanith Gould, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Tanith Gould, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

Tanith Gould was one of four female artists who painted the bill boards on Elton Street recently, adopting the paint jam colours and creating this imaginative portrait piece.

Tanith Gould, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Tanith Gould, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

I am not entirely certain what this thoughtful piece is about, but there is a story here, and the imagery is impactful. This might be the most accomplished piece I have seen from Tanith Gould, and she has certainly earned her place in this prestigious ‘outdoor gallery’

4736. Greenbank (55)

Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022
Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022

The next few posts willl be necessarily quite short, as I am about to take off for my annual fishing trip to Cornwall, and although it is a short break from work, we manage to fill our days, leaving not a lot of time for me to write. At this moment I am packing, ironing, looking for a reel I have lost, having breakfast, walking the dog, dropping my daughter off at school before leaping into the car for the three hour journey.

Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022
Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022

This piece by Conrico is a belter. Everything about it is brilliant; the composition, the weirdness and the execution left me spellbound when I saw it. There are some pieces you see and you forget, there are others that remain in the memory for a long time or forever and this is one of those pieces. Fabulous work from Conrico.

4721. Dean Lane skate park (529)

Qwynto, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Qwynto, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

When you photograph street/graffiti art two or three times a week, every week, you become very used to and familiar with ‘Bristol’ art, even if you can’t identify the artist. That might sound strange, but Bristol art has a look and feel, even across the diverse range of artists and styles, and anything that is not Bristol art, stands out a mile. When I saw this piece, it stood out a mile!

Qwynto, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Qwynto, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

Qwynto is an artist based in the UK, but I am not entirely sure where, but I note he has painted in Haringey and Brighton recently, so I am guessing he is from the south-east of England. He took a trip to Bristol and left behind this wonderful piece. It has something that remind me of Mudra and Kid Crayon, and although there are similarities, there are also differences. His use of colour and tone is fantastic, bringing about a very soft pastel effect, and the writing incorporates a portrait and some other contextual elements, such as the car tyre and plants. This work is right up my street, and I am thrilled that Qwynto visited us in Bristol. Fabulous.

4720. Elton Street (10)

The Hass, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
The Hass, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

What an absolute stunner from The Hass. There is little more to say about it really. The portrait piece is a little bit similar in style to some of the recent pieces by Hazard, combining a photorealistic portrait with repetition and abstract ideas, and some interesting colour tones as well.

The Hass, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
The Hass, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

The more I look at the piece, the more I see. The incomplete portrait tricks your brain into completing it. It is quite incredible to think that this has all been painted with spray cans and not a paint brush in sight. I really don’t know how these guys do it. A masterpiece from The Hass.

4699. Dean Lane skate park (526)

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

A really quick one this morning. I have to make an unexpected trip and won’t have much time for blogs. This is a pity, because it feels like an age since I last posted anything by Pekoe.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2022

This piece was painted for the annual Dean Lane Hardcore (DLH) event a couple of weeks ago, when skating, music and spray painting come together in a raucous and fun festival. All a bit loud for me, so I decided not to attend. I don’t mind what the reason for getting Pekoe out to paint, I will always welcome her work.

4688. Cumberland Basin

Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022
Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022

This piece from Laic217 was painted while I was away on my family summer holiday, but I was more than aware of its existence due to the fact that it was all over the Bristol Instagram feeds that I follow. Of course, on my return home, I made a beeline for the spot in Cumberland Basin.

Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022
Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022

There is something rather striking about the portrait piece, and I have a feeling the background pattern has a lot to do with it. The portrait itself is a classic piece of Laic217 art, disturbing and menacing, with the figure clan in a full mask and goggles. It has a dystopian future feel about it.

4674. M32 roundabout J3 (427)

Merny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2022
Merny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2022

There are few things more tempting for graffiti and street artists than a newly buffed wall, and this one from a week or two back was an open invitation. The tragedy is that the walls are buffed by people as part of a community service order, as punishment for crimes not serious enough to warrant custody. Their work is pointless, and frankly a waste of paint, but nice prep for artists.

Merny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2022
Merny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2022

Quick to take advantage of the backdrop was Merny with this portrait piece including his trademark dot labels. The colours are rather striking and as such the piece grabs your attention. I rather like it, but from conversations with Merny, it would seem he isn’t that impressed with it. In case you missed it, I published a gallery of Merny’s work yesterday, and you can see it here.