Tag: Portrait

3540. Dean Lane skate park (397)

This recent piece from Nugmoose caused a bit of a stir, because it is really different and unusual and by an artist that we don’t see painting the streets too often. This is actually part of a collaboration with friends Slakarts and Mudra. These three have formed a rather nice partnership and were out painting again a week later on  the other Dean Lane long wall. I stopped on both occasions to chat with the artists, and Nugmoose is a lovely bloke who told me he is quite interested in painting alien encounters and ideas, hence the strange hieroglyphs to the left of the piece.

Nugmoose, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Nugmoose, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021

The colours are so unusual and really help to make this portrait stand out. The lines are clean and simple but the impact very big. Every artist I have shown this piece to have immediately responded with saying how good it is, but you don’t have to take their word for it… take mine.

3533. M32 Spot (109)

It seems that there is barely a spot in Bristol that Pekoe hasn’t painted on over the last week or so, I am finding her work everywhere. This is a quick ‘sketch’ to use her own words, tucked away under the M32.

Pekoe, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2021
Pekoe, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2021

Even in sketch form her work is immediately recognisable and has a way of drawing the viewer in. This time a pink-faced girl with light blue hair fits the bill and delivers brilliantly. This is the first of a batch of several pieces from Pekoe painted in the last week or two- watch this space.

3500. Purdown HAA Battery (18)

Up at Purdown there are several walls painted by Zace, it certainly seems like he enjoys practising his craft on the square concrete walls. Among the customary alien faces is this outstanding manga style profile portrait.

Zace, Purdown, Bristol, February 2021
Zace, Purdown, Bristol, February 2021

This is an eye-catching piece and one that I like a lot. There is a simplicity of composition about the whole piece, but it comes together nicely, and I’d love to see more like this coming out of the rather productive Zace stable. Shame about the mud splatters on the face.

3494. Purdown HAA Battery (17)

This is the third piece by Big Hev that I have posted in recent weeks, which, I think, brings me up to date with her work in Bristol so far although I can’t be certain  about that. Once again this young artist wows us with a big, bold and colourful portrait filling up one of the concrete walls of the battery.

Big Hev, Purdown Battery, Bristol, February 2021
Big Hev, Purdown Battery, Bristol, February 2021

There is a lot to like about this piece, starting with the great colour selections. It is impossible to ignore this piece as you wander around the old WWII buildings. I am full of admiration for artists who get out there and just do their stuff and I wish I had the courage, conviction and talent to join them. Big Hev will improve her technique, but her style identity is already forming, and I am so excited to witness her progress.

3481. M32 Cycle path (109)

Over the last six months we have been fortunate enough in Bristol to witness some absolutely world-class street art and graffiti writing and it is something of a privilege to see, but the highlight of that period for me has been the emergence of a new generation of artists, at the start of their journey, full of the vigour and hope. Some will dabble and then fall by the wayside, others will hit the scene hard and progress and develop over time into firm regulars, others will develop into established and top drawer artists. I am enjoying that emergence of talent, it all starts somewhere, and Big Hev is one of those that makes what I do so worthwhile.

Big Hev, M32 cycle path, Bristol, January 2021
Big Hev, M32 cycle path, Bristol, January 2021

Although her work is quite naive, there is a definite style that is hers and hers alone. The portraits are brightly coloured and the lips full and eyes large. Big Hev already has a good understanding of shading and the contours of the face are blended really nicely with layers of three colours of blue bringing out the features. This is going to be a hugely enjoyable journey as we watch it unfold.

3465. M32 Spot (103)

It seems that every week there is another artist new to the Bristol scene, or at the very least new to me. This bright column piece is by a young lady going by the name of Big Hev, and it is a privilege to witness the start of her journey painting walls.

Big Hev, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2021
Big Hev, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2021

There is something very appealing about this portrait, its simplicity and its bold colours. In time the shading and so traits will come, but I really like the striking nature of this piece, it demands to be looked at and enjoyed. I have found one other of her pieces, but am looking forward to many, many more.

3464. Montpelier Park

The fabulous purple patch that Pekoe seems to be enjoying continues with this wonderful portrait piece in the corner of Montpelier Park. There is a lot of joy in the piece, and it reminds me a little of the kind of portraits that Kid Crayon does… bright and unusual colours and a hat.

Pekoe, Montpelier Park, Bristol, January 2021
Pekoe, Montpelier Park, Bristol, January 2021

I recently visited Montpelier to switch up my walks a little bit and give the dog a bit of variety. It was a fruitful trip and finding this was the jewel in the crown. I knew of its existence, but I didn’t know where in Bristol it was, so I kind of got lucky. Something really likeable about this one and Pekoe seems to be turning out some happy pieces.

3455. St Werburghs tunnel (222)

Pekoe’s portraits just keep getting better and better and seem to flow with the ease of an artist really enjoying their trade. There is something just a little bit special about this one, Maybe it is the RBF T-shirt, maybe it is something else, but it works very well for me.

Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2021
Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2021

The lighting in the tunnel, as I have said countless times, is dreadful, and I had to adjust the colours to be a truer representation, because my original photograph was ‘yellowed out’. No tears on the face of this young lady, but an emphasis on cheeks and lips. Big hair as always and an all-round wonderful portrait piece.

3452. Brunel Way bridge (87)

My last post featured a piece by Pura Decadensia and in researching that piece I was able to hunt down the artist who painted this mysterious portrait under Brunel Way from a few months back. It is by Moño (she quite rightly stresses the ñ) and it was the first piece painted in Bristol by the Fuerteventurian artist.

Moño, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2020
Moño, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2020

I am staggered by how many Spanish artists we have in Bristol now and I’m not quite sure what we’d do without them. Moño swells their ranks and on the evidence of this piece is a superb addition to our city. I believe Moño is a tattoo artist, but this portrait has some lovely features, in particular the hair which is very nicely done indeed. This is an unusual piece, but really ticks all my boxes. I can’t wait to see more of her work.

3405. Dean Lane skate park (375)

Here is yet another banging portrait piece from the lovely Pekoe who is on something of a roll at the moment. If I didn’t already have a gallery of her work then I would certainly have to pull one together based on her last couple of month’s work alone.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

A bold blue face this time, again in a three-quarter profile, and such sumptuous pink lips. The hair is given the pink treatment too with the black lines and multitude of little decorations such as diamonds, hearts and teardrops. This is Pekoe at her commanding best. There is something about this piece that I find rather calming and serene… it might be the closed eyes and the colour selections.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This was another of those pieces that I was lucky enough to find before I knew of its existence through social media and that always makes the discovery a little sweeter. I hope that Pekoe keeps this purple patch going because I am having great fun seeking out her work.