Tag: Portrait

4286. Brunel Way (145)

The Bristol Womxn Mural Collective paint jams have become events worth looking forward to in Bristol and always turn up some real gems that offer something slightly different to the usual fare we see on a daily basis.

Raquel Blazquez, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2022
Raquel Blazquez, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2022

This is a gorgeous portrait piece by Raquel Blazquez and is a perfect follow up to the piece she painted in Dean Lane skate park in November 2021. There is a lot of feeling and emotion in this portrait, and how good is it to see this kind of free art in a D.I.Y. skate park, in the middle of a concrete jungle? Seeing fine art pieces in these settings is truly wonderful, and long may these paint jams last. Exquisite work.

Raquel Blazquez, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2021
Raquel Blazquez, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2021

4274. St Werburghs tunnel (281)

It is very easy to get complacent when artists regularly produce great work, which is something I try to guard against. We can take it for granted sometimes without recognising that each piece is a discrete and unique work, we just expect it. I felt this when starting this post, that this was another nice piece from Pekoe, but it is so much more than that, and requires a great deal of thought and effort on her part.

Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2022
Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2022

The piece was painted as the central part of an RBF collaboration with Bnie to her left and Evey to her right. Pekoe has returned to a theme she has used many times before of the portrait having a third (all seeing) eye. I just had a flashback to my biology lessons as a youngster and recalled the pineal body… also known as the third eye. Read up on it if you care to, it is interesting stuff. Great hair and a great piece that has been enhanced with colour correction as the original photograph is very yellow/orange.

4270. Greenbank (27)

In this piece we have something a little different from Kool Hand, different and really interesting. Painted alongside the unforgettable sushi box by Conrico, this is a letter/portrait combo.

Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2022
Kool Hand, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2022

The letters are ‘KH’ for Kool Hand and are being sprayed by the character. The character is unlike anything I have seen from Kool Hand before and may mark a shift in direction for his work. I am excited to see where this development takes us. A work nicely done.

4266. Dean Lane skate park (466)

We are blessed in Bristol to receive a constant stream of fabulous street artists and graffiti writers that come and visit the city and leave behind beautiful presents for us. This is one such example from a short while ago by Asmer art.

AsmerArt, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
AsmerArt, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022

I know nothing about the artist, beyond their Instagram profile that says ‘Czech artist based in London’ but I can spot class when I see it, and this is a very classy piece from an accomplished artist.

AsmerArt, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
AsmerArt, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022

A writing/character combination that works so well and has been executed beautifully, and a seriously compelling image that draws you in to take a closer look. I sincerely hope that it isn’t too long before AsmerArt returns for another trip to Bristol.

4260. St Werburghs tunnel (280)

It was while she was painting this outstanding piece that I met Rozalita for the first time, and it was a great moment, because I have long been an admirer of her work, and it is always nice to make a connection with the artist in person. We chatted for a while about the technique she was using to paint the piece, which is referred to as a doodle grid.

Rozalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
Rozalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022

This piece also marked a departure from her customary carnival and clown themed pieces, for which she has made a name for herself in Bristol. This is a deliberate shift, designed to broaden her portfolio the the aim of picking up some commissions, and making a living from her art.

Rozalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
Rozalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022

This mural is rather unusual, showing two faces in an apparently distressed pose. There is something odd, creepy almost, about the two characters, and I think it has to do with the eyes. It shows how unsettling it is to see representations of faces with eyes without pupils. This is a powerful piece, and could easily represent the horror of the unfolding invasion of the Ukrain by Russia today, even though it was painted a few weeks ago.

4249. Greenbank (24)

It would seem that Rozalita is on something of a mission at the moment, and her work rate is on an exponential growth. But it is not only her work rate that is impressive, but the subject matter of her pieces that is changing dramatically, and this is all fantastic to see.

Rozlita, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2022
Rozlita, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2022

There is so much to like about Rozalita’s work, not only her compositions, but her paintwork itself which looks more like it has been applied with a brush than spray paint. Each component of this piece is wonderful, the portrait and horses in a blue monochrome style and the extraordinary pink orchid flowers framing the piece. Such a great surprise and yet another fine piece coming off the Rozalita conveyor belt lately.

4235. M32 Cycle path (162)

What a wonderful surprise this gorgeous portrait piece was, when I walked along the M32 cycle path shortly after my return from a week away from Bristol. I don’t think I have come across the artist, Syone MTF, before, but if this is anything to go by, I would be keen to see more.

Syone MTF, M32 cycle path, Bristol, February 2022
Syone MTF, M32 cycle path, Bristol, February 2022

In a blue-scale colour palette, this modestly sighted portrait certainly grabs the attention. It is a nicely worked piece moving in the direction of photorealism, but not quite there yet. I would love to see more from the artist and sincerely hope this isn’t a one-off. Eye-catching.

4174. Cumberland Basin

Painted as part of a recent paint jam from the RBF crew (Resting Bitch Face) is this magnificent portrait piece by Pekoe, who seems to be the beating heart of the crew. The whole wall is a cheerful and bright delight and I’ll be posting other pieces in due course.

Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2022
Pekoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2022

The colour scheme is really fresh and up-beat, creating a positive vibe. As always with a Pekoe piece, the facial expression and big hair feature strongly. I’m not too sure about the hunched shoulders and short neck, but otherwise another beauty from Pekoe.

4171. Stokes Croft

This magnificent piece, by Stinkfish, is arguably the most iconic piece of street art in Bristol. This is the second appearance of this mural in Natural Adventures, but a totally legitimate one. The original was painted by Stinkfish some years ago, and at the back end of last year the artist was brought back to the city to refresh this and another of his fine works in Mina Road, St Werburghs.

Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2021
Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2021

The result of this refresh is absolutely stunning, bringing the old piece back to life and restoring a sense of pride in this extraordinary wall. Some may feel that restoring a piece goes a bit against the grain of the lifecycle of street art, but I am not amongst them. In this piece not only has Stinkfish refreshed the black and yellow elements, but he has embellished the piece with his trademark patterns that add so much more to the whole.

Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015
Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015

For comparison I include a picture of the piece from my original post, and even then the piece wasn’t particularly new. It is wonderful to see new life breathed into the old girl.

4168. Dean Lane skate park (451)

Ok, ok, so Christmas was a little time ago now, but I am still so far behind with my posts that this delightful Christmas message from Pekoe in Dean Lane is coming to you a little later than I would have liked. The sentiment is still well-meant though and beautifully delivered.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2021
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2021

I didn’t see nearly as many Christmas pieces this year as I would have expected, so this was a sight for sore eyes. The portrait almost has a comic book look to it, especially with the speech bubble, and the dark colours used for the features add to that school of art. Something almost ‘Lictensteiny’ about it. The three TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) at the end of the Christmas message relate to three of the places Pekoe loves to paint. This piece was the cherry on the top of a very nice Christmas break.