Comical

.

On a frosted bank

a seagull is worm charming

webbed feet marking time

.

by Scooj

5508. Brunel Way 230

Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023

I am in Cleethorpes. This is something I never imagined I would say. I am here for work, and of course using the opportunity to find some street art and photograph a door or two. Watch this space in a month or two. This wall that Mr Crawls has chosen was painted three times in the space of a week, having been unpainted for months before that.

Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
Mr Crawls, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023

I really like this one from Mr Crawls, a return to the gull character in parrot colours. It is really well finished with sharp lines. What is new is the signature, it is the first time I have seen one, and now he seems to be sticking with it. We have seen a gull, a goose and a parrot. Does Mr Crawls have some more birds in his closet?

5365. Sparke Evans Park (73)

Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023

In the spring of this year, I became aware of some seagull (these days simply known as gulls) portraits appearing in most of the north Bristol graffiti spots. I haven’t posted any until now, because I wasn’t sure who was responsible for them. It turns out (with thanks to Paul H) that the artist is called Mr Crawls.

Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Crawls, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, June 2023

The gull, which has a very pleasing design formed out of a couple of circles, fits into the kind of mega-tag category, in which the basic design changes little from piece to piece, and the stamp/brand becomes highly recognisable – other artists who do this include TES (Slim Pickings), Asre and Mr Underbite. The gull looks like he is a little worse for wear, and rather American in his fishing-style bucket hat. Expect to see more from Mr Crawls.

5291. Weston-super-Mare

Andy Council, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Andy Council, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

I remember being rather annoyed with myself that I hadn’t found this wonderful piece by Andy Council painted for Weston Wallz, when I visited last year, but patience is a virtue, we are told, and finding it this year felt like an extra special prize.

Andy Council, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Andy Council, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

The seagull scene is painted in Andy Council’s distinctive component style, where the whole image is made up of component parts, that on their own don’t much look like anything we recognise, but when stitched together present a remarkable form. The gull is eating chips (quelle surprise) and on the other side a trademark ammonite is holding an ice cream in its tentacles. Superb seaside fare from Andy Council.

3590. M32 roundabout J3 (299)

This piece was part of an ASK paint jam that I believe had been organised to celebrate Sled One’s birthday. What a great way to spend the day, painting with your friends and being creatively active. This is a classic surreal character piece from Sled One and illustrates perfectly his extraordinary ability to tell stories with his art.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

A seaside scene in which a crab is eating a mint choc-chip ice cream, or at least was, but the ice cream has toppled off and has been replaced by seagull poop, which is all rather disgusting. The gull, not content with providing his own Mr Whippy, is also breaking wind. Charming. The characters are beautifully painted, and the crab shadow lifts the whole piece from the wall. Fabulous, seaside humour.

3552. Lucky Lane (3)

There are little gifts out there, left behind by artists, all that’s left to do is get out there and find them. Part of my love of photographing and writing about street art is making little discoveries and opening my eyes and looking, not simply seeing. I have been down this lane a couple of times and it is off the beaten track a bit, but my most recent visit was well rewarded with this fabulous saxophone-playing seagull by Sean Sepr. How brilliant is that?

Sepr, Lucky Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Sepr, Lucky Lane, Bristol, March 2021

Painted on a clean wall and captured on a gorgeous day, this piece screams out happiness and a carefree feeling, something that has been difficult to find over the last year. For a few moments I was absorbed by this outstanding and humorous piece from Sepr, and allowed to forget about other matters. I have no idea how old this piece is, but it looked pretty fresh to me.