Tag: St Werburghs

2196. St Werburghs tunnel (78)

I’ve not posted anything by T-Rex for a little while now, but was lucky enough to come across this wonderful piece in St Werburghs tunnel recently. It was painted during quite a large paint jam a week or so ago alongside work by other RAW artists.

T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019
T-Rex, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019

Having just bought some spray paint and tried out a little in my garden, I can’t begin to explain how difficult this is and what exceptional talent and experience is needed to produce a piece like this one. The shapes of the letters, the incredible fill patterns and sharp lines, not to mention the expressive dinosaur, are so well worked. I don’t really understand how these guys do it. T-Rex, I doff my cap. The sooner I pack away my paint the better.

2193. St Werburghs tunnel (77)

Another artist I will never tire of is Laic217 and this piece in St Werburghs tunnel is so typical of his great work. Another weed-smoking bucket-hatted skull, which he simply gets better and better at crafting.

Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019

I feel a real closeness with Laic217’s work because since I started doing this recording  Bristol street art thing in 2015 I have watched his work closely and seen his style develop significantly, and although his subjects are often similar, the depth and complexity of his pieces constantly grows. Love this one.

2171. St Werburghs tunnel (76)

It is funny how some artists seem to favour walls, such as Laic217 in Moon Street and Hire in Dean Lane, and this spot at the north end of St Werburghs tunnel is often occupied by Mr Klue.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019

In fine deep colours, this piece looks like it is a bit of a tribute to Hoax. Both artists belong to the COM64 crew which I think also includes DNT, Akarat and Mr Sleven. Often the word KLUE is hidden in his works, but here it is quite clear that he has written HOAX. A nice friendly piece.

2169. St Werburghs tunnel (75)

It seems that Decay is not the only graffiti artist in Bristol who is enjoying his writing at the moment. This piece by Stupid Stupid Meathole is one of several bright pink burners from this Bristol artist who specialises in mildly grotesque characters.

Stupid Stupid Meathole, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2019
Stupid Stupid Meathole, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2019

Even in his writing (which spells out Meathole), there is an organic, fleshy feel to it all with the circles in the A and the O resembling belly buttons (is that just me?). More like this to come.

2163. St Werburghs tunnel (73)

Another first, but certainly not the last from an artist who does something a little different from the usual fare we see on the streets. This framed slogan or saying is by  #DFTE, who is a Bristol-based artist who places these little gems to carefully thought out places in the City.

#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

If you look up at the north end of the St Werburghs tunnel, you will see this installation clinging to the bricks on the arched roof. It says ‘This is for you’, which is very nice… I guess it is a message to those who look around them and live in the now. It must have been quite a challenge getting it up there and sticking it to the ceiling, but it was utterly worth it and certainly brightened my day when I first saw it. More to come.

2152. St Werburghs tunnel (73)

Another fine combo from Laic217 and Cort in St Werburghs tunnel. I feel like I haven’t seen too much from Laic217 in recent months, although actually he is still reasonably productive and I see maybe a couple of new pieces each month.

Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019

The Character piece has several themes that we have seen from Laic217 before. A skull, a brick wall, this time in the form of glasses and a brilliantly crafted hoodie jacket complete with zip.

Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019

More than other pieces that Laic217 has produced, this one feels surreal, probably because the brick wall obscures the eyes, or more correctly the eye sockets, so the character is dissociated from its surroundings… warning, beginning to sound a little pretentious.

Cort, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019
Cort, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2019

It would seem that Cort recently has been rather fond of extending the length of his name, and in this case to CORTONE. I wonder if by lengthening it he gives himself more scope to play around. I like what he has done here, and I particularly like the random white surround with trios of black dots in it. All in all a nice collaboration from these two friends.

2130. St Werburghs tunnel (72)

There was a time, and it wasn’t too long ago, when I thought that Soap only ever produced his mushroom-shaped mouths, in a variety of different styles and colours. However, over the last year or so, he has really branched out a whole lot and is doing a lot of writing – it seems many bristol artists are currently doing the same (Decay, Kid Crayon and Tasha Bee has just started too)

 

In this piece Soap has incorporated his mouths into a rather clever and intricate word SOAP. I love the two triangles that kind of hold the whole thing together and add interest. It reminds me a little of a mint choc-chip…it’s a colour thing.

2125. St Werburghs tunnel (71)

Well it appears that Kleiner Shames has been back in town, and left us with a most beautiful FOIS at the farm end of St Werburghs tunnel. His distinctive style and colour palette seems to draw heavily on the Art Deco style combined with a kind of 1970s/80s freedom.

Kleiner Shames, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
Kleiner Shames, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

His metallic spray paint used for the central lettering is a nightmare to photograph in the tunnel – if it is in shade it is one colour, if it is in the light another and pictured from the front it goes from dark to light. Irrespective of the trickiness of trying to get a nice picture, it is always, always great when Kleiner Shames comes ‘home’.

Kleiner Shames, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
Kleiner Shames, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

2103. St Werburghs tunnel (70)

I have said it ad nauseam that Mr Klue is being incredibly productive these days and I guess I will continue to say it for as long as he keeps painting these wonderful pieces. This slightly smaller than usual one contains a character who appears reasonably regularly on Mr Klue’s work.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

There is the suggestion of a man in a shirt and tie wearing what looks like the Mad Hatter’s hat complete with 10/6 label. I like the smokey, wispy abstract style that Mr Klue uses and the fact theat he is constantly playing with etherial ideas. All good.

2096. St Werburghs tunnel (70)

Last night I missed meeting Subtle by a whisker. I was at the opening night of the Cannon Fodder art show at the Loose Cannon cocktail bar just off Millennium Square in Bristol organised by Jimmer Wilmott and Paul Monsters. I saw Kid Crayon and during a break in conversation went to have a chat with him. He was just saying goodbye to an artist that was leaving. I asked him who it was and he told me it was Subtle… well at least I now know what he looks like.

The art show launch was really well attended and the venue is a good one for this kind of show. There were pieces by several Bristol (and beyond) artists including: Kid Crayon, Decay, Chiba, Silent Hobo, Jimmer, Nol, Guts and Paul Monsters. The artwork was a little beyond my price bracket but actually great value. If you are in the area it is well worth popping in although I’m not too sure how long it runs for.

Subtle, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
Subtle, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

Anyhow, this fine piece by Subtle is a reasonably recent one from St Werburghs tunnel and although quite simple carries all the hallmarks of his fine work. The first picture is a little blurred, thanks to my dog pulling his lead at just the wrong time… it was the only front-on picture I have of this piece.

I’m sure I will bump into Subtle before too long.