3428. M32 cycle path (101)

Yet another in the series of Turoe pieces expressing the awful 2020 that now is thankfully behind us. I goofed when photographing this and forgot to take a picture of both words together. It says Shite Times, and confirms the experience that most of us had last year. (I shan’t get into the utter balls-up that Brexit always was going to be and alas is becoming – that’ll be a shite decade at least).

Turoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2020

Another font style and some lovely creative touches like the clouds of colour along the bottom make this a classy piece. The letters are nice and clean in chrome with black highlights and the chrome works very nicely with the purple outline and background.

Turoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2020

Turoe is definitely making up for lost time after a year during which ill health prevented him getting out from some time. I think we will look at these ‘Shite’ pieces as ones that define 2020 both for the artist and for the nation.

3387. Dean Lane skate park (372)

There is just enough time to squeeze in another post from Turoe featuring one of his end-of-year “shite year” pieces before this trying 2020 finally comes to an end. The pain has been relentless, but I have a sense that things will start to ease for all of us over the coming months. Scars will be left, and we will never forget 2020, but we will move on, and it will pass… we need to make time and space to turn our attention to more pressing (yes more pressing) issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This one from Turoe in Dean Lane is another very nicely crafted burner, and there is absolutely no doubting Turoe’s talent. I have noticed that one of the No Frills (crew) trademarks is these bubble backgrounds, which several other members also use. I feel that these “shite (shyte)” pieces will act as a reminder for archivists, when we review 2020 in years to come.

3365. M32 roundabout J3 (268)

Well this just about sums it up – another in the series of ‘Shite Year’ pieces by Turoe, this time on the M32 roundabout. When I first saw this piece I was a little bit miffed because it had been painted over a wonderful EAT collaboration piece from January this year, but then I thought, hey, it is about time something new was painted here.

Turoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020

The way the two halves of the piece have been written gives the impression that this is a collaboration between two artists, but it is in fact the work of a single artist.

Turoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020

Since returning to painting after a period away, there has been no stopping Turoe, and there are more pieces from this theme still to come. Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that next year brings a little more joy and peace. At least Trump won’t be in power to destabilise things further.

SPZero76 and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2020
SPZero76 and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2020