River Avon – Natural adventures

5234. River Avon (44)

A lush scene, photographed at the beginning of this rather glorious spell of weather we are having. This is not, however, the first time I have photographed this piece, but I never got round to posting it, so I thought I’d have another go. It is, of course, by the tireless Werm.

I rather like the way that the encroachment of greenery complements the greens in the piece, and that the purples and oranges almost resemble flower petals. Spelling out WERM, the letters are beautifully crafted and filled, and demonstrate just how quickly this artist has developed and keeps improving.

5173. River Avon (42)

Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, April 2023

Laic217 has awoken from a little bit of a winter slumber, and what a joy it is to see his work appearing on the streets again. I must have found this one pretty quickly after he had painted it, because I hadn’t seen it on any social media when I stumbled across it.

This piece demonstrates the impact of colours against greyscale. We see one of Laic217’s skeleton characters complete with textured clothes, a neck chain and baseball cap all painted in black, greys and white. The portrait piece is brought alive with the addition of rainbow colours on the character’s lightweight sunglasses, changing the whole dynamic of the piece – imagine how it would look without the splash of colour. Clever work from Laic217.

5114. River Avon (41)

I recently took a Japanese friend of mine for a second guided tour of some of Bristol’s spots, and we brought the dog with us this time. The tour started at Sparke Evans Park, then along the river to Temple Meads Station before returning on the south side of the river via the Paintworks. A decent walk, taking in some great street and graffiti art.

Although I have known about this Haka piece for a while, I simply haven’t walked past it since it was painted, probably because it is just a little bit far for my normal lunchtime rambles. It is a stunning Gruffalo piece, continuing his theme of children’s picture book characters, in particular those authored by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. This one is a real beauty. Haka really is on the crest of an inspiration wave at the moment, and long may it last.

5086. River Avon (40)

This magnificent piece by Werm was painted some time ago, but the light conditions were never right each time I photographed it, with dappled sun and shade being the main culprit. Recently, on an overcast day, I managed to catch it in its full glory. The wide-angle setting on my iPhone has also made capturing pieces in narrow spaces a whole lot easier.

Werm has come so far in a relatively short space of time, and this is a really high-quality graffiti writing and character combination. The intricate letters, spelling WERM are perfectly balanced with a superb Top Cat character, an absolute favourite when I was growing up. I am glad I persisted with this fine piece from Werm.

5072. River Avon (39)

Mote, River Avon, Bristol, February 2023

It is nice to see a Mote piece by the River Avon, demonstrating that he really does get out and about to share his art with the citizens of Bristol. This monster piece follows a recent theme in his work of rather more organic characters with wobbly outlines, rather than the clean lines of his earlier works.

I think that Mote’s work lends itself well to illustration, and I wonder if that would ever be a direction he might consider. This particular toothy monster isn’t his best, in my opinion, but is another part of his growing menagerie.

4977. River Avon (38)

Soap, River Avon, Bristol, December 2022

This piece by Soap, was so good, I had to photograph it twice. The first time I tried, the results were terrible on account of strong sun and shade scattered over the piece. I made sure that my return visit was on an overcast day, with some better images.

Soap likes painting this character, which I think might be based on the cartoon character Ice King from the animated TV series Adventure Time, although I am not completely sure about that. This creation is a thing of beauty, and not only features the chrcter, but also spells out SOAP. A few gems thrown in for good measure, this is a masterclass in contemporary writing from Soap.

4907. River Avon (37)

Werm, River Avon, Bristol, December 2022

The paint on this piece was only a day old when I sauntered past it the day before yesterday, and I can’t tell you how pleased I was to find it, as I haven’t seen very many Christmas pieces this year, certainly not compared to normal, although there was a late burst from the Resting Bitch Face crew in St Werburghs Tunnel this week.

Werm seems to love the walls alongside the River Avon, and there are several of his pieces down there to enjoy. His letters are really beautifully constructed and painted in festive colours, and it is amazing to think how much progress he has made over the last couple of years. The addition of Father Christmas is an extra bonus, and perfect for a Christmas post. Season’s greetings all, Ho! Ho! Ho!

4860. River Avon (36)

Zake, River Avon, Bristol, November 2022

I should know by now, not to bother with going down to Sparke Evans Park and the River Avon on sunny days. The results are always patchy at best. But there is another school of thought that says always photograph what you can when you see it, because it might not be there the next time you visit. I don’t know if this lovely portrait piece by Zake falls into that category, as I haven’t been back to take a look.

Zake has been enjoying himself recently with these rather more cartoon style pieces that still contain his mastery of light and shade, but have introduced a little bit more in terms of character and emotion. This is a fabulous piece painted alongside PWA crew mates.

4827. River Avon (35)

Chill, River Avon, Bristol, November 2022

I really should know, by now, not to visit Sparke Evans Park or the River Avon on a sunny day. It makes photography nigh on impossible. This was my second attempt at photographing this piece, after the sun had moved a little, and the foliage that was casting a shadow was out of the way. Still, the light was reflecting off the piece a little too much for my liking.

There isn’t too much I can say about Chill that I haven’t said before. The tattooist inspired designs in black and white are pretty unique in Bristol, and I haven’t seen anything quite like them anywhere else either. I like the way Chill incorporates flowers into his pieces, marrying up urban culture with a love for nature. Another fine piece from Chill.

4821. River Avon (34)

Tack Jucker, River Avon, Bristol November 2022

This magnificent pipe-smoking monkey by Tack Jucker, must be one of the most overlooked pieces in Bristol. It is on a warehouse door and is incredibly feint. I don’t know if it has always been this way or whether it has been bleached by the sun. I don’t even know how long it has been there, but am please to have spotted it.

Photographing street art is all the more gratifying for the surprises that you encounter, and this piece definitely fell into that category. Had it been painted on a buffed background, it would have been much more noticeable, but instead, it simply blends into the graffiti swirl and remains hidden. Tack Jucker is a great artist, and finding his work is always a genuine pleasure. Gallery coming soon…

	Matt on Jay
	scooj on Jay
	Curious Cappuccino on Jay
	scooj on Jay
	Curious Cappuccino on 5278. Weston-super-Mare

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