SkyHigh

5080. Cumberland Basin

SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

Back to the here and now, I bring you this magnificent large piece from the visiting SkyHigh. Although it was only painted a few days ago, it has already been painted over, which I have to say I find a little disrespectful, but I guess most graffiti writers don’t know how long the piece they are overpainting has been there. Some though are resentful and malicious and deliberately target work superior to their own to exert some kind of childish power… when that happens we are all losers.

Sky High has absolutely nailed his style of writing, choosing different block styles for each letter of the word. He also manages to keep everything so clean and tight, even down to the white frame for this piece.

The colour selections are great and there is an element of symmetry in their deployment. I particularly like the style of the ‘Y’, which I think is probably the most challenging letter technically in the piece. I’m already looking forward to his next visit to Bristol (with Roo, of course).

4490. Cumberland Basin

I am told you make your own luck, but I am not so sure, sometimes you just get lucky, and my chance encounter with SkyHigh and Roo down at Cumberland Basin while walking the dog a couple of weeks back, was a real lucky bonus.

SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022

SkyHigh paints with an intensity and concentration that does not lend itself to chit chat, and so while he got on with the job of painting this stunner, I had a nice conversation with Roo, largely about dogs, not something I would have imagined doing four or five years ago. How curious our life pathways are.

This piece from SkyHigh is an absolute jewel, with so much detail and interest in every letter. It seems that there is no limit to his talent, and it was amazing to watch him spray the folds in the letter ‘i’, to create a 3D look of paper. Each of the letters is meticulously and lovingly created to leave us with this masterpiece (not a word I use often). SkyHigh and Roo will always be very welcome visitors to Bristol.

3984. Brunel Way (124)

This is happening with a comforting regularity and in my view it is definitely great news… SkyHigh has been visiting Bristol again and left us with this utterly amazing piece that on a near epic scale. The wall on this concrete support is pretty high and this is piece is larger than it looks.

SkyHigh, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2021

Using his block letters that he seems to run off with consummate ease, including a smiley sticker and ‘Hello my name is’ badge, Sky High has written ‘Smile More Often’ which is the name of a London crew and this piece is not dissimilar to one painted by SkyHigh in Leake Street in 2020.

There is so much to like in the detail of this piece, but it is also SkyHigh’s finishing that is admirable, he really is a perfectionist, and his work always stands out from the crowd. Keep coming back, Bristol needs you.

A gallery of outstanding graffiti writing and street art from SkyHigh

all photographs by Scooj

SkyHigh, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2021

SkyHigh, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21

SkyHigh and Roo, Upfest 2016, Bristol, July 2016

SkyHigh, Upfest 2016, Bristol, July 2016

SkyHigh, Shoreditch, London, November 2018

SkyHigh, Paint Festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019

SkyHigh, Leake Street, London, July 2019

SkyHigh, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018

SkyHigh, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2018

SkyHigh, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2016

Sky High, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2016

3910. Dean Lane skate park (424)

There are times when you get lucky, right? And I got so lucky with this early evening ‘dog walk’ in Bedminster and Dean Lane in particular, as SkyHigh was just finishing off this remarkable block graffiti writing piece, that he is so well known for.

I don’t know what we in Bristol have done to deserve this, but this is the second visit by SkyHigh in as many months. We chatted for a while, as he tidied up the piece and it became blindingly obvious that I was in the presence of a perfectionist. Every small blemish was addressed and made good.

The block letters have become second nature for the artist and he makes what looks terribly complicated, simple… he paints with the confidence and ease of someone at the top of their game. I love the inclusion of the ‘Hello my name is’ sticker in the letter ‘I’, a common icon in street art. Another stunner from the London artist.

3873. Upfest 2021 75×75 (40)

This is such a wonderful piece on one of the most tricky walls to photograph in Bedminster (and there are a great many of them), but SkyHigh has worked with it rather than against it, and told me all about it when I met him while painting it.

SkyHigh, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21

The wall is in front of a little green which has been planted with trees, so photographing the full wall can only be achieved from the sides or through the trees. Taking this into account, SkyHigh has introduced a woodland scene as a backdrop and added a beautiful Bristol fox.

The block letters spell out SKYHIGH and are painted in a vibrant blue colour that contrasts brilliantly with the woodland greens and browns.

The whole scene might be a little more visible in the winter when the young trees have shed their leaves. I don’t think it really matters though because of the way the artist has approached the piece and incorporated the trees as part of the overall effect.

SkyHigh is a highly skilled artist and demonstrates this with the stunning fox portrait to the right hand side of the piece, one of the best street art foxes I have seen. SkyHigh is always, always welcome in Bristol.

3834. Greenbank (12)

It was most gratifying to see this lovely piece from SkyHigh at Greenbank, which he rattled off while he was in town painting his Upfest mural. I met him when he was painting the Upfest piece and he asked me where he could paint a little extra one, and so I pointed him in the direction of Greenbank and hey presto! here it is. I haven’t posted his Upfest piece yet, because none of my pictures so far are up to much.

SkyHigh, apart from being a really nice bloke is an immensely talented writer and wildlife artist, and we are blessed that he has visited Bristol a few times over the years, but to see his best work you need to go to London and Leake Street in particular. The niche that he has perfected is creating his SkyHigh moniker with block letters, each designed differently, giving a kind of collage effect. This is a supreme piece of graffiti writing from one of the masters of his craft.

2497. Cheltenham 2018 (4)

Going to Cheltenham for the first time this September was such a treat, especially because so many pieces from last year (2018) were still intact, including this extraordinary and brilliant piece by SkyHigh.

I have seen SkyHigh’s work in London and in Bristol, but I think this piece in Cheltenham is as good as any other that I have seen. I can’t quite be sure that it isn’t a collaboration, because the jungle bookends don’t quite match his style that I am used to. As always SkyHigh spells out his letters with each one being distinct from the next to bring together an ecclectic whole that just seems to work. I have seen other artists try thisd technique, but in my view SkyHigh is top of the division. Sensational piece.

2208. Shoreditch, London (32)

An artist whose work I have long admired is London-based SkyHigh. His work is always immaculate with fabulous clean lines and complex designs. Most commonly he spells out his name using a contrasting style for each letter and somehow bringing the whole thing to life. His pieces almost feel like animations as the styles spill over from one to the next.

This one using pink tones with black is in my view one of the best I have seen, each component skilfully laid down to create a magnificent whole. I particularly like it that roughly once a year SkyHigh makes a trip to Bristol, and one of his pieces has lasted for probably a year or more. Always top class.

	scooj on 5108. Cumberland Basin
	paulh121 on 5108. Cumberland Basin
	scooj on 5107. Dean Lane skate park…
	paulh121 on 5107. Dean Lane skate park…
	scooj on 5103. M32 Cycle path (203…

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: