5215. The Carriageworks (45)

3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023

We have some very special artists in Bristol, and two of the very best are 3Dom and Sled one, and every once in a while these two combine to do something completely amazing. They like to refer to themselves when they paint something like this as the hi-vis crew, becoming invisible when they wear official-looking high visibility clothing.

3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023
3Dom and Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023

I was lucky enough to be passing when these two were still painting these pieces, and it was in fact the first time I have met 3Dom properly, and I have to say what an absolutely lovely bloke he is. These arches have had some fantastic pieces painted on them over the years, and 3Dom and Sled One are continuing that great tradition. I fear that it won’t be too long before the authorities clamp down on painting this wall, but until such time we can only enjoy it.

3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023

Both artists have a surreal and fantastical approach to their artwork, which in many cases it is probably best not to try and interpret. 3Dom presents a character whose head is made of a balloon filled with water and a couple of fish that might be the character’s eyes and a syringe that forms the mouth. The target and fez are details that add intrigue. Upside-down clouds and a cityscape round off the piece nicely. Brilliant.

Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023
Sled One, The Carriageworks, Bristol, May 2023

Sled One has created a portrait piece of a woman smoking a cigarette. Her skin, however, has been stripped away from the middle third of her face, exposing a cartoon-style skull. This is without doubt one of the odder pieces that Sled One has painted, but is certainly arresting and powerful. Also brilliant.

3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2023

If you ever wondered how these artists reach the higher bits of a wall, here is the answer. A perfect collaborative wall from the masters.

5208. Lighthouse Community Garden, London (4)

Sled One, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Sled One, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

Probably the last thing I was expecting to see on my work trip to London a couple of weeks back was this remarkably busy piece by Bristol’s Sled One. Finding it gave me a feeling of warm familiarity and a sense of Bristol pride. Unfortunately, there was some construction work going on around this panel, so the photographs are not as good as I’d like.

Sled One, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Sled One, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

The letters spell out SLED and there is a numeral ‘1’ at the end. The scene is a basketball game, although I am not quite sure what the significance of that might be. To the right is a curious skeletal character, and the whole thing is typically Sled Oney surreal. What a discovery. what a day!

5180. Sparke Evans Park (69)

Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2023
Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2023

The Burberry check paint jam in Sparke Evans Park consisted mostly of graffiti writing, but Sled One did what only Sled One can do and created this extraordinary surreal character piece with his own unique take on the theme.

Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2023
Sled One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2023

It is difficult to say too much about the artwork, because I would too quickly run out of superlatives. I can however have a go at describing what is going on in the scene. A bumblebee is riding a bicycle – so far so good – He has two feet peddling and four arms, two of which are on the handlebars of the bicycle, a further hand is holding a phone, and the last hand is delicately letting out some gas from a NOX balloon (Nitrous Oxide, laughing gas – a high of choice for teenagers). The bumblebee is, of course, wearing a Burberry hat and scarf. Simply outstanding work from Sled One.

4958. North Street

Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023
Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023

It should come as no surprise to anyone reading Natural Adventures, that I do love a piece of political and social commentary, and Sled One, normally known for his wild and fantastical creations, has absolutely nailed it with this piece coming out in support of striking nurses and NHS staff.

Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023
Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023

The piece is fairly sober in its criticism of the Government and its posturing, and probably all the better for it. Sometimes super-aggression comes across as unhelpful, but I can’t imagine any passers-by failing to feel supportive towards nurses on seeing this piece.

Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023
Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023

I am straining every sinew not to go into a major rant about how disgusted I am with the abusive behaviour of this government towards public services and the public sector. I truly hate them for it and for the state they have left this country in.

The cartoon styling of Rishi Sunak probably does him a few favours, because it doesn’t quite convey his conceit, arrogance and false smiles that are a part of his real persona. Dreadful man.

Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023
Sled One, North Street, Bristol, January 2023

I have a feeling that the doorway with ‘food bank – closed’ on it will more than likely make it into Thursday doors in a year or so, but you saw it here first. All in all, this is a beautifully painted protest piece (but don’t tell anyone, or the Government might try to ban political murals), that will definitely chime with the Bedminster community.

4808. Brook Road (3)

Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022
Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022

I have said it countless times before on Natural Adventures, and will unapologetically say it again, that some of the most satisfying rewards can be found when diverting course from the familiar. Yesterday, I switched up my spots a bit and decided to visit the Star and Garter, because I haven’t been there for a while. On arrival, I spotted a large mural down Brook Street, that I hadn’t been aware of. As I approached I felt the excitement rising, and was blown away by this magnificent piece by Sled One.

Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022
Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022

This morning I took a quick look at Sled One’s Instagram account, and it turns out he painted it back in August, which makes me feel a bit useless. The mural itself seems to be an eclectic mix of components slapped on the wall resembling a collage of memories. A cat, razor wire, a knight’s horse, some flowers and a merry-go-round, with a rather sinister body precariously lying horizontally on a seat. The stuff of dreams and nightmares.

Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022
Sled One, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2022

There is a photorealism in this piece that I wouldn’t ordinarily associate with Sled One, as more commonly he paints cartoony surreal pieces. His talent, whatever the style, is immense. My favourite part of this mural has to be the cat, although the razor wire does add a sense of threat that is rather uncomfortable. What a privilege to stumble across this piece.

4800. St Werburghs tunnel (316)

Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022
Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022

Something that can be always relied upon is that any piece, large or small, by Sled One will always ooze class. This recent work at the entrance to the tunnel is proof enough of that. I particularly like this piece because it came as a complete surprise.

Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022
Sled One, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022

When I first saw this, I thought that there might be a suggestion of Sepr involvement, because the character would fit the Sepr style, but the eyebrows give it away as a Sled One character. The chef skeleton is full of character movement, holding his hand in a gesture of culinary perfection, perfect. Another thing I love about Sled One’s work is that he slaps classy ‘ASK’ mega tags (After Skool Klub) all over the city, often without signature. Another notable piece from Sled One.

4776. Cumberland Basin

Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

This is Sled One’s contribution to a recent paint jam along the long wall at Cumberland Basin. It is yet another outstanding example of his incredible artwork and creativity.

Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022

The beautifully painted, mischievous squirrel looks to be lining up a shot with his acorn and catapult. The acorns in the background splash are a nice touch, to round off the piece nicely. It is these subtle touches that often serve to lift a piece from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’.

4709. Elton Street (9)

Sled One, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Sled One, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

The latest array of billboard pieces in Elton Street have been outstanding, and this special ‘outdoor gallery’ just seems to be getting better and better. The colour scheme has been replicated across all the pieces, and this one from Sled One is an absolute banger.

Sled One, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Sled One, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022

Sled One has created an apocalyptic scene in which a skeleton is bearing a canister on his back with some soil and a small plant. The canister is actually a spray can, and presumably Sled One is making a link between the life giving qualities of the natural environment and of spray-painting. The character is set in a scorched earth surrounding. Sled One’s paint work is absolutely outstanding and this is a really classy piece.

4578. Moon Street (94)

Even though the turnover of street/graffiti art in Moon Street is nothing like it used to be, it is still worth wandering down there from time to time, to pick up beauties like this one from Sled One. I think that the whole Stokes Croft area has become a bit of a graffiti wilderness, while it decides what impact the local gentrification has had on the sub-culture. Of course, many of the artists simply paint elsewhere, and there are many more of them in Bristol than there were only two or three years ago.

Sled One, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2022
Sled One, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2022

Sled One, however, has returned to Moon Street and painted a classic piece of writing, so typical of this talented artist. The letters spell out SLED, and the numeral ‘1’ completes his name. the design is balanced and well-proportioned and the fill colours contrast neatly with the black and gold patterned background.  I imagine that Sled One probably knocked this one off in an hour or two, but he has managed to keep it utterly onm-point. Great work.

4506. Cumberland Basin

It is not only the quantity of graffiti and street art that is being painted in Bristol at the moment, but the outstanding quality of some of it that is quite mind-boggling, and you know that when Smak, Sled One and Ments get together that you are going to be in for a treat.

Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022
Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022

On the left of this triptych Smak has absolutely smashed out his letters with extraordinary class and style in what I can only describe as a very Smacky way, which I hope makes sense. Although quite well disguised, once you get your eye in you can clearly see the letters SMAK. Great colours and a confident piece.

Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022

A surreal and utterly bonkers elephant character by Sled One is in the middle section of this collaborative wall. Alongside 3Dom, Sled One is the leading character artist in Bristol and his weird creations are always something to look forward to. It is his details and textures, tones and depth that makes his work completely stand out from the crowd.

Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022
Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022

To the right is a fabulously etherial piece from Ments, who seems to reinvent his style on an annual basis while always maintaining an organic and rather abstract nature with his letters. This piece feels almost more like a canvas study than a piece of graffiti writing. Superb skills all round, this is a wonderful collaborative wall.