Tag: St Werburghs

3662. St Werburghs tunnel (237)

Somehow I forgot to post this wonderful little gem by Pekoe from a little while back. I think that I thought I might have posted it already, such has been the productivity of Pekoe in recent months, it has been hard to keep up, and I am just about to head out to Dean Lane straight after writing this to photograph another new one.

Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

Smaller than many of her pieces, this one is nonetheless a bit of a gem. With the customary big hair being crafted into a bun (that’s what we used to call them when I was young) and a strong solid green face with pink lips, this piece screams out ‘Pekoe’… in a nice way. Great work.

3650. St Werburghs tunnel (236)

I seem to remember from my school days that Lee Roy (Leroy) was a corruption of Le Roi, or The King in French. I did a little fact check on Wikipedia and I was kind of right, although the name is Norman in origin. The Normans brought the surname to England, which in medieval times was used as a nickname for a person that behaved in a regal fashion or who had earned the title in a contest of skill. So there you have it. Lee Roy is the king.

Lee Roy, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021
Lee Roy, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021

Our Lee Roy has been very busy of late and is hitting walls across Bristol irrespective of the north/south of the river thing. This black and white piece at the entrance to St Werburghs tunnel is a cheerful affair with his trademark circles in the fill and a rather nice cheeky character in the ‘O’. More to come soon from The King.

3645. St Werburghs tunnel (235)

This is a very nice piece that was fairly short-lived by visiting Liverpool artist Fierfear. I met him a couple of years ago at the other end of the tunnel, and it would seem that he makes annual pilgrimages to Bristol to do a spot of painting. Maybe he has friends or family here too. It is always good to see his work.

Fierfear, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021
Fierfear, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021

This piece, which I think reads ‘the FEAR rocker’ is nicely worked, and interestingly looks different from The styles you see in Bristol. I wonder if there is a regional difference in styles rather like dialects of the same language. I rather like the pink blobby fills that give structure to the piece. Nice work.

3607. St Werburghs tunnel (234)

The minute I saw this piece from Daz Cat, I thought to myself ‘classy’, and I still think it now. It is a rather modest work, tucked away in the darkness of the tunnel but its quality really packs a punch.

Daz Cat, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021
Daz Cat, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2021

The base colours of purple and orange are offset by the detail worked out in red and white. The piece looks more like an engraving than a spray-painted wall and has a moody quality to it. I can’t put my finger on it, but this cat I would consider to be one of his best (and what a vast collection to draw on). Blink and you could miss it.

3601. St Werburghs tunnel (233)

Both of these artists have had a very busy year in terms of throwing paint at walls. Benjimagnetic and Hemper are not artists I would normally pair up, but they have painted together in the past and continue to do so from time to time. Benjimagnetic’s style is much more consistent, whereas with Hemper, each piece is incredibly individual.

Benjimagnetic, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Benjimagnetic, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

On the left is a fascinating piece from Benjimagnetic spelling BEN, which is much less frenetic and busy than his usual offerings. The yellow outline, where you can make out his letters, is sitting over a blockwork pattern, and the whole efect is compelling. Two little speech bubbles state: ‘Stand in the balance’ and ‘Hold your head up’

Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Hemper, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

To the right Hemper has created a sensational piece of writing spelling out HEMS in beautifully curvy letters which are filled to perfection with various colourful shades and bubbles. The whole thing is set on a very atmospheric green background with a few subtle shout-outs. ‘Free assembly is a right… …not a privilege’ is a sentiment very close to many Bristolian hearts at the moment. Kill the bill.

3597. St Werburghs tunnel (232)

Slakarts has been ever so busy in recent months and I have enjoyed meeting him a couple of times lately. I think it says so much about my age that street artists, like doctors and teachers, seem to be so very young. In my mind’s eye I expect them to be so much older and am always surprised when I meet them. DFC1848 is a rare exception to this perception.

Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

In this piece in the tunnel, Slakarts has reverted to his front face projection rather than three-quarter profile that he has been painting a lot lately. This character has crazy hair, maybe he is waiting for the barber’s to reopen, and rather dodgy teeth. Not the most attractive, but nicely done.

3588. St Werburghs tunnel (231)

This is an outstanding tribute piece from Rosalita for a friend’s mother and grandmother. ‘We all carry inside us the people who came before us’ is the beautiful quote that accompanies this piece along with ‘rest in power’. It is a moving and powerful gesture and speaks volumes to the kindness and thoughtfulness of the artist.

Rosalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Rosalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

On the entrance to St Werburghs tunnel, this piece has been respected for a while, which is quite right in the circumstances. The dark reds and floral patterning work well with the two portraits contained within the border. This was the second set of photographs I took. The piece was actually painted in February, but the shadows cast on my first visit rendered my pictures unpublishable. More to come from Rosalita, who has found her wings and is soaring.

3547. St Werburghs tunnel (230)

I was looking in my archives for something specific a few days ago and within moments was absorbed, sucked in, to folders from years ago. There are so many good and interesting pieces I have photographed over the years that have never made it into the blog. The next few posts are an attempt to adjust that imbalance, just a tiny amount.

Conrico, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018
Conrico, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018

Starting with this one from Conrico in the tunnel back in 2018, which I think might even pre-date the first piece of his that I posted. I’m not too sure what this character is or represents, but he seems to be enjoying his smoke. Colourful and tidy work from Conrico, whose style while being quite unconventional is most compelling.

3531. St Werburghs tunnel (228)

Another nice piece from Mr Draws whose work creates a drumbeat for the whole graffiti art scene in Bristol. If Mr Draws isn’t painting then things must be very, very bad indeed. I don’t post all of his work, simply because with only two posts a day on Natural Adventures I have to be selective with all artists. Anyhow, in my retirement I’ll have hundreds of images in my archives to post, so all is not lost.

Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021

The entrances to St Werburghs tunnel are so much easier to photograph than the interior, and the colours are so much truer. This is a classic Mr Draws piece, with a deep black shadow and some decent fills with yellow accents. Mr Draws marches on.

3530. St Werburghs tunnel (227)

Obviously I am thoroughly enjoying Zoe Power’s enhanced presence on the streets at the moment, with her recent collaboration with Mr Penfold, her work in progress under the railway bridge on Stapleton Road and of course, this lovely collaboration with Rtiiika in the tunnel.

Zoe Power and Rtiiika, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Zoe Power and Rtiiika, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021

I had heard that she was keen to do more street work but was nonetheless surprised to stumble on this collaboration so soon. I have seen two or three Rtiiika pieces around Bristol, but this definitely raises her profile. Their styles are complementary and the bright colours work well. Zoe’s characters continue to remind me of Matisse and Rtiiika’s character also has a touch of modernism about it. I love this and want to see a whole lot more from these two.