Tag: Rowdy

5041. Cheltenham Road

Rowdy, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, February 2023
Rowdy, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, February 2023

Rowdy doesn’t paint all that often, so it is always a huge pleasure to see his work when he does. This shop is literally around the corner from where I live, and has recently had a facelift, painted by Rowdy. It had already had the Rowdy treatment before, but this is a serious upgrade.

Rowdy, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, February 2023
Rowdy, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, February 2023

Of course, we have Rowdy’s famous crocodile design, not just one, but a float of them (correct collective noun – a bask, if they are on land). It is the reclining cat, however, on the top panel that steals the show for me, a cat that has appeared sveral times elsewhere in Bristol, which makes me think that I ought to publish a Rowdy gallery sometime soon.

4224. Brunel Way (139)

Painted a little while ago on a column shared with Andy Council is this magnificent crocodile piece from Rowdy. My first photographs of the piece weren’t very good so I have had to delay this post a while until I managed to get something a little better. The light conditions under Brunel Way are always a challenge.

Rowdy, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022
Rowdy, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2022

The bright and contrasting colours of this piece make it stand out, and it certainly grabs your attention, but I am not too sure what the significance of the medieval-style heraldry is all about. The crocodile gives away the artist, and it is always great to see a new Rowdy piece, as they don’t appear all that regularly. This is a fun column piece.

3867. Upfest 2021 75×75 (38)

Nothing from Rowdy for a long while and then two posts in close succession, what joy. Rowdy is held in high regard in Bristol. He is a friend of Banksy and one of the early graffiti artists emerging from the Bristol scene in the 1980s. Probably the biggest public impact that he has made is his trademark crocodile which adorns various buildings around the city.

Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

This magnificent beast for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days festival is the largest and most prominent piece I have seen by Rowdy since his piece in Stokes Croft that came tumbling down with the demolition of buildings around the Carriageworks.

Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

I am very fond of Rowdy’s crocodiles and other crazy creatures and it is fitting that Upfest should honour him with such a large wall, which just happens to be a perfect fit. Wonderful stuff.

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

3853. St Werburghs tunnel (251)

There are goods and there are greats, and Rowdy is a Bristol great. His style might look a little bit ragged and untidy at times, but his ideas and contribution to Bristol modern culture has been incalculable, largely due to his unique crocodiles.

Rowdy, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021
Rowdy, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021

This wonderful example was painted during the Funday Sunday event a few weeks back alongside many other Bristol greats. The trademark crocodile patrols the murky waters while a bad flits by in the moonlight. It doesn’t happen often, so finding a Rowdy piece is always exciting.

3644. Chatterton Square (1)

You don’t often see new Rowdy pieces these days, so when you do it is usually something of a treasure, and this fabulous piece, part of a collaborative wall with Acer One and Andy Council, is up there with the best of them.

Rowdy, Chatterton Square, Bristol, April 2021
Rowdy, Chatterton Square, Bristol, April 2021

Rowdy’s fairly agricultural style of art is so incredibly distinctive and deeply embedded into the DNA of the Bristol street art scene. He is perhaps best known for his crocodiles, but he has produced many characters over the years and this one is a corker. There is something very laid back about his style, unfussy and modest, that makes is interesting and rather loveable. So good to find this wonderful work.

2976. Stapleton Road

You don’t get to see too many pieces on the street from Rowdy these days, so finding one is a bit of a treat. Rowdy is responsible for one of the most iconic characters in Bristol street art, the toothy crocodile. Anyone living in the Stokes Croft area will remember fondly the crocodile on the top of the Carriage Works that looked over North Bristol, sadly knocked down last year.

 

Rowdy, Stapleton Road, Bristol, May 2020
Rowdy, Stapleton Road, Bristol, May 2020

This somewhat smaller beast is modestly tucked away at the foot of a column under the new railway bridge on Stapleton Road, and I only found it because a Face 1st piece opposite it caught my eye as I was driving past the other day. Who doesn’t love a Rowdy crocodile?

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

2813. Stoney Lane

I have known about this piece behind St Werburghs City Farm for quite some time, but because the wall is in a narrow lane it is virtually impossible to photograph, and the wall, hedge and trees behind it make long-distance shots pretty tricky too. Winter does have some upsides and I managed to take these pictures through the leafless trees while perching on a wall (a difficult task as I am not as young as I like to think I am).

Rowdy, Stoney Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Rowdy, Stoney Lane, Bristol, March 2020

This large piece is by Rowdy and might be a collaboration although I am not sure about that. It features some toothy animal-like characters typical of the artist, looking pretty busy, and some mischievous laundry clips. It is a bright and colourful piece which I think might have been here for some time and which probably doesn’t get the exposure and appreciation it deserves.

2328. Wilder Street (34)

The cream always rises to the top they say and this little collaboration from Inkie and Rowdy was put together for this year’s St Paul’s carnival is right up there. It is high-time this wall was repainted and these two have done a great job.

Inkie and Rowdy, Wilder Street, Bristol, July 2019
Inkie and Rowdy, Wilder Street, Bristol, July 2019

The crocodile across the top is the trademark emblem used by Rowdy and can be found all over the city, although a great number of them have sadly disappeared. The writing from Inkie is actually rather beautiful, and I am guessing needs to be read out with a bit of a West Indian lilt. Fine collaboration.

1858. M32 roundabout J3 (102)

Hurrah – I just love it when paint jams are held on this wall. There is clearly some organising that goes on to buff the entire length of wall in a common colour and for all the artists to share a colour scheme. This is the first of several posts from this particular recent gathering and I chose to start with Rowdy, because it is a while since I posted any of his work.

Rowdy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2018
Rowdy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2018

One of the godfathers of Bristol street art, Rowdy shows us the way with a stack of his trademark crocodiles that can be found scattered all over the City. A simple concept stylishly presented and emblematic of the Bristol scene. I love this piece, and just take a look at the detail in the eyes. What does it al mean?

1601. St Werburgs city farm

There are quite a few of these large rocks dotted around Bristol, I think originally strategically placed to stop people illegally parking on curbsides. Several of them have been brightened up by the brilliant artist Rowdy. Best known for his toothy crocodiles, this artist has a knack for turning the mundaine into something interesting.

Rowdy, St Werburghs farm, Bristol, July 2018
Rowdy, St Werburghs farm, Bristol, July 2018

Seeing the world through a different lens is a skill. Helping others to see your visions is a gift, and one that Rowdy exploits with ease. This rat, I’m sure, is a favourite with the thousands of visitors to the city farm, young and old alike. I’ll see if I can dig out some more of his ‘rock works’.