Tag: Portrait

3274. M32 Cycle path (82)

Happy Haloween folks – although I’m never quite sure whether Haloween is supposed to be happy or scary – I’m still a bit old fashioned and struggle a bit with the commercialisation of this pagan festival, but then again isn’t it the same with Christmas? I digress…

I have done something a little unusual today, I am posting a piece that I only photographed this morning. This is a rare occurrence mainly because of the processes I have to go through to prepare my blog posts and the time I have available to do it. I tend to line up photographs in batches and upload them onto wordpress which means I can write the blogs from my iPad if necessary. But today I have seen something amazing and I have a moment of time to bump my queue with this outstanding Haloween piece by Smak painted only yesterday.

Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2020
Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2020

This was one of those wonderful discoveries. I had been to the recycling centre (tip) and on my home stopped off at St Werburghs tunnel and then on to the M32 Spot and cycle path just on the off chance that there might be something new… and there was lots, but right up there with the very best discoveries was this magnificent horror ventriloquist’s dummy by Smak.

Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2020
Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2020

I have had a little Google play and I think that the puppet might be Billy from the film Dead Silence, but not being fond of the horror film genre (I get scared tooo easily) I can’t be too certain. The portrait is masterfully painted and care and attention have been given not only to the subject but also to the background.

Finding this made my day.

Scary Haloween…

3254. John Street (9)

And so on to the ninth archway in the John Street open-air gallery and this magnificent portrait piece by Hazard. My understanding is that this was her second attempt after she had had to buff over her first one for being controversial. This disappoints me a little because art is an expression and reflection of our lives and times and we shouldn’t hide away from difficult issues, otherwise where would we be? China? North Korea? On the upside however, Hazard has rewarded us with this outstanding portrait of Jeff Knight, a Big Issue vendor and big character in Stokes Croft.

Hazard, John Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hazard, John Street, Bristol, September 2020

I love Jeff. He is one of the brilliant things about living in Bristol. He greets everyone in the street with a big smile and kind words irrespective of who they are or what they look like. This piece is not the first piece of street art to feature Jeff, John D’oh sprayed a fabulous stencil of him a few years ago. Hazard’s portrait is an honest representation and skillfully painted. In this one archway we have two legends of Bristol street culture.

John D'oh, North Street, Bristol, June 2016
John D’oh, North Street, Bristol, June 2016

3246. Brunel Way bridge (62)

This is the second piece I have posted by Mudra, but it was the first that I photographed, and as with any first discovery I am rather fond of this modest piece. Bold and yet subtle colours have been used to create this funny looking portrait of a moustached man.

Mudra, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2020
Mudra, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2020

There is something aboout the simplicity of the piece that makes it all rather interesting. In particular, I can’t keep my eyes off the dark pink nose. Like the last piece I posted, this one also has a little @ with a hat, which I am assuming is Mudra’s tag. Lovely stuff from the Bristol newcomer.

3238. Brunel Way bridge (61)

It is always a pleasure meeting an artist for the first time and I was lucky enough to catch Mudra, just as he had finished this unusual and striking piece. This young artist has recently moved to Bristol from Bournemouth (I think that is what he said) and lives locally, hence choosing this spot. This is one of two recent pieces by Mudra and I will be posting the other one soon.

Mudra, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2020
Mudra, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2020

Most interestingly it seems that Mudra and Slakarts have been in contact with each other, and if they get together we could be in for some mouthwatering collaborations… I’m keeping my fingers crossed. This style of portrait falls into the Slakarts/Lobe arena which is really rather exciting.

I like the bold colours and solid fills, and I haven’t seen so much pink in a piece since Stupid Stupid Meathole was active a year or two ago. Particularly interest.ing is the little icon, a bit like an @ with a hat. I am guessing that this is like a signature for the artist. It is always great to report on artists breaking through into the Bristol scene. Look out for more from Mudra.

3229. M32 roundabout J3 (255)

What an absolutely amazing sight awaited a couple of weeks back on the M32 roundabout. I check the roundabout about once or twice a week, usually on the off chance that there might be something new, and sometimes because I have seen something on social media and need to check it out. This was definitely one that fell into the former category and was a lovely surprise.

Void One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2020
Void One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2020

The portrait is by Void One, an artist I don’t really know who I think is from Birmingham. I think, looking at his website, that his thing is 3D writing and you can see a little bit of that clutched in the hand of his character. Incidentally, I think (but am guessing really) that the character is a self-portrait.

Void One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2020
Void One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2020

This is really rather different from the usual fare we see on the roundabout and most welcome it is too. The whole piece is set off nicely with a silhouette cityscape in the background and dark night time colours. I believe that he might also have painted the tenth and final archway in John Street, so I will have to get myself down there before too long. Always a real pleasure seeing work from a visiting artist.

3226. John Street (5)

When have I not liked a Kid Crayon piece? An easy answer… never. Some double negatives there, but what I am saying is that I love Kid Crayon’s work and this Archway piece in John Street is a real gem.

Kid Crayon, John Street, Bristol, September 2020
Kid Crayon, John Street, Bristol, September 2020

This open air gallery of ten archways is a fantastic showcase for some of Bristol’s great street artists and Kid Crayon has seized the opportunity and come up with this piece that resembles a stained-glass window. Crayon, cat, cup and cactus, are all here in this portrait piece set in front of a blue glass window. Absolutely wonderful.

3215. John Street (4)

Kosc is and artist whose black and white portraits are in complete contrast with his other street art work that goes under a different name. He keeps these personas separate and I respect that and will do the same. This is the fourth archway piece that I have posted from this amazing street gallery in John Street. If you live in Bristol, it really is worth seeking out.

Kosc, John Street, Bristol, September 2020
Kosc, John Street, Bristol, September 2020

The portrait (thank you Paul) is of an Australian gangster called De Gracy who was picked up by police in Sydney and his mugshot photograph taken, alongside another gangster called Edward Dalton. I guess Kosc chose this portrait because it works well with light and dark shades and shows off his skills. This is a striking addition to the Archways in John Street.

3196. Jamaica Street (22)

I have been meaning to photograph this wonderful portrait by Hazard for quite some time, but the door to Jamaica Street Stores is rarely kept open for long enough to grab a picture. With the coronavirus restrictions in place, the door is kept open to aid ventilation and I grabbed my chance to dive in and take a couple of snaps.

Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020

This is so typically Hazard and couldn’t possibly be by anyone else although it does share some characteristics with Jody’s work, such as a female portrait and plento of delicious flowers. I haven’t eaten at the Jamaica Street Stores, but in preparing this post I glanced at the menu, and I don’t think it’ll be too long before I bring the family down for a meal (restrictions permitting).

Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020

There is a lovely contrast in the piece between the grayscale (tinged with yellow/golden reflected light) face and the surrounding colourful flowers. This is a fine Hazard piece that I am pleased at last to have captured.

3176. Dean Lane skate park (352)

I don’t know very much at all about Dream Safari, the artist who painted this Einstein piece at Dean Lane. From his Instagram account I know that he specialises in characters and portrait murals, but beyond that I don’t know much more other than it took him six hours to get to Bristol to paint this, so obviously not local then.

Dream Safari, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020
Dream Safari, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020

Einstein is being a naughty chap with a tab of something on his tongue. At this point I have to confess my ignorance about recreational drugs, so am unable to say too much more about what is going on here. The portrait is nicely worked in grey scale, apart from the obvious splashes of colour. Great to see visiting artists as always.

3150. Belmont Street (1)

When I get the time, which isn’t often, I like to wander away from the ‘sure thing’ spots where I know I will find street art and take a punt on places where I might get lucky. I got very lucky in Belmont Street with this wonderful piece from Silent Hobo, which was adjacent to another much larger piece by him (to come). The whole wall dates back to March 2017, and yes, it has taken me this long to find it.

Silent Hobo, Belmont Street, Bristol, July 2020
Silent Hobo, Belmont Street, Bristol, July 2020

The girl on the left is, I think, a portrait of the artist’s daughter and on his Instagram feed he called her his ‘little Bee’, and she is finely dressed in a bee costume. I haven’t often seen portrait work like this frrom Silent Hobo, as it tends usually to be more cartoony in style, I think that this is magnificent.

Silent Hobo, Belmont Street, Bristol, July 2020
Silent Hobo, Belmont Street, Bristol, July 2020

To the right of little Bee is a girl sitting with a cat in an altogether more recognisable style. Silent Hobo has such a talent for portraying young people, their clothes, their postures andd their emotions via expressions. There is nearly always a sense of calm in his work that rubs off on the viewer. This section of wall is masterful and was well worth waiting for. It looks so fresh, it is hard to believe it is over three years old.