Tag: Stokes Croft

5148. Stokes Croft

Haka, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2023
Haka, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2023

I was walking home from town a week or two back, after a leaving do for a very dear friend and colleague who I have known for about 30 years. I took the opportunity to take a couple of snaps of this wonderful piece by Haka, which I have known about for a while, but just haven’t been able to photograph. For nighttime photographs, I think they have come out pretty well – it is amazing how good mobile phone cameras are these days (sounding like the old man I am).

Haka, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2023
Haka, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2023

The message is a great observation and commentary on the current cost of living crisis, with inflation at over 10% and pay offers typically under 5%, meaning a cut in salaries for most people (a situation I have been living with for more than 10 years, being about 20% worse off in real terms than I was before Tory austerity measures). This Government think it is fine to cut thee taxes of the richest, but restrain pay for everyone else. The sooner they go, the better.

I’m familiar with the character Haka has painted – a right old meanie – but I can’t quite place what cartoon series/book he is from. Fabulous to see a political piece from Haka.

4945. Stokes Croft

Gage Graphics, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2022
Gage Graphics, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2022

I’m glad I took this photograph when I did, back in April 2022, because much of this magnificent piece by Gage Graphics is now obscured with bins and advertising hoardings. The commission for Stokes Croft Takeaway is an outstanding scene featuring Disney’s Goofy character.

Gage Graphics, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2022
Gage Graphics, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2022

Goofy is faithfully recreated in this piece, but it isn’t just the character or the writing that makes this piece a great one, but also the magnificent tree rising high into a sunset sky. I also love the detail of the little bird sitting on the roof.  Gage Graphics is one of the most versatile artists in Bristol, and one who receives some significant commissions about the place.

4446. Stokes Croft

Perhaps one of the most famous and ubiquitous artists of recent decades is Sweet Toof. Some of his iconic pieces in Bristol remain, but they are dwindling in number, so imagine my utter surprise when I saw this new (and very fresh) piece by Sweet Toof in Stokes Croft recently. To have known he had been in the area only a day before when he painted it is quite something. Even though I didn’t get to meet him I felt a little star-struck. I have seen pieces by Sweet Toof in London and New York as well as here in Bristol, and they just seem to fit in as part of the street art culture and history.

Sweet Toof, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2022
Sweet Toof, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2022

I sincerely hope this small piece remains intact and untagged, and is given the respect it deserves. I suspect that many of the people who sit enjoying a meal in the outdoor seating area of the eatery, probably have no idea of the significance of this small piece, although many of them might remember his most memorable skull from just up the road which alas has now gone. What luck to have found this so soon after being painted.

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

4315. Stokes Croft

Although I struggle to keep on top of the sheer volume of amazing street art and graffiti that appears in Bristol every day, I always make space on Natural Adventures for Pekoe. She is one of a handful of artists whose work I will try my hardest to post whenever I photograph it. Another example would be Laic217. There is something about Pekoe’s portraits that I find compelling and unique and feel the need to share.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2022
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2022

This piece has been here fort a little while, but I only recently got round to photographing it. Before this piece there was another of her pieces, but this one is a real beauty. Fabulous colours and a half body portrait, rather than just a head. The piece overlooks the summer seating area of a café and is immediately below the recently refreshed Stinkfish piece in Stokes Croft. Very nice work indeed.

Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018
Pekoe, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2018

4171. Stokes Croft

This magnificent piece, by Stinkfish, is arguably the most iconic piece of street art in Bristol. This is the second appearance of this mural in Natural Adventures, but a totally legitimate one. The original was painted by Stinkfish some years ago, and at the back end of last year the artist was brought back to the city to refresh this and another of his fine works in Mina Road, St Werburghs.

Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2021
Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2021

The result of this refresh is absolutely stunning, bringing the old piece back to life and restoring a sense of pride in this extraordinary wall. Some may feel that restoring a piece goes a bit against the grain of the lifecycle of street art, but I am not amongst them. In this piece not only has Stinkfish refreshed the black and yellow elements, but he has embellished the piece with his trademark patterns that add so much more to the whole.

Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015
Stinkfish, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2015

For comparison I include a picture of the piece from my original post, and even then the piece wasn’t particularly new. It is wonderful to see new life breathed into the old girl.

4029. Stokes Croft

This outstanding Frankenstein’s monster piece is definitely a Halloween contribution from Kosc, an artist on fire at the moment. Look at how the piece stands out and demands to be looked at against the dreary backdrop of hoardings and buffed wall outside the Blue Mountain.

Kosc, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2021
Kosc, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2021

This series of greyscale pieces set on an orange background is becoming a bit of a strong theme in Kosc’s portfolio, and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. There is great use of tone in this piece, providing depth and facial contours that lift the features on the monster’s face so well.

Kosc, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2021
Kosc, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2021

I first came across this artist’s work in Moon Street, which runs parallel with Stokes Croft at the back of Blue Mountain, and it would seem that this is a spot favoured by Kosc. This is good news indeed, because few artists seem to bother with the area these days, compared to a few years ago. Great stuff, and enjoy a spooky evening.

3622. Stokes Croft

I drove past this about a week ago and pulled in to photograph it. The Merny (Morny) piece had slipped under the radar a bit, and I’m not too sure how long it had been there. No matter though as I am always delighted to see something new from him.

Morny, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2021
Morny, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2021

This one, along with many of his pieces, is a political piece that is critical of our current administration. Simply put ‘what a sad state of affairs’ more than adequately  presents the utter mess out country is in, not just in its appalling initial response to Covid-19 but also in its disregard for moral decision-making and corruption at the highest levels of government.  The Conservative way seems to be that as long as it makes money it makes sense, no appreciation of the consequences.

The ordinary man, maybe a cyclist or runner, is sitting to contemplate this mess. A wonderful human piece from one of my favourite Bristol artists.

2966. Stokes Croft

This piece from Decay was painted around the time of the introduction of lock down and was a great message for people to take the lock down restrictions seriously. Street artists have definitely played their party in broadcasting good messages during this pandemic. More recently some works are a little more critical of the government’s handling of the situation, but no surprises there.

Decay, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2020
Decay, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2020

Decay is such a consistent artist always putting out clean and tidy writing beautifully executed. There is one thing that perplexes me about this piece, and it is the eyes with wings bookending the writing. Are these the work of Decay or another artist? I think it is Decay, but it isn’t quite in his style. Answers on a postcard…

2949. Stokes Croft

Following on from Yesterday’s rare unearthed Laic217 piece is this equally rare Kid Crayon piece from my archive. I usually post Kid Crayon’s work pretty shortly after I have photographed it because I like it and am keen to share it. This Star Wars piece was painted on the side of the Matchbox Gallery at a time when it had an exhibition of Star Wars work, probably coinciding with May the fourth, 2017. (May the fourth be with you)

Kid Crayon, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2017
Kid Crayon, Stokes Croft, Bristol, May 2017

Although not wholly looking like Carrie Fisher, we all know exactly who this character is and that is what matters. The double-bun hairstyle is possibly one of the most iconic ever. It is unusual to see a piece like this from Kid Crayon, which makes it all the more special. I’m not sure who painted the R2D2, but have a feeling it might have been DNT.

No… I am your father.

2914. Stokes Croft

Another archive piece, this time from #DFTE, on the famous wall on the corner of Stokes Croft and City Road. This is one of #DFTE’s framed pieces, and if I am honest, I’m not entirely certain that it is still there.

#DFTE, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2019
#DFTE, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2019

The words ‘We are all in this together‘ have a certain poignancy about them today as we sit in the midst of a global pandemic. I like the sentiment, but I dislike the way our government have rolled out this slogan (as if it was their invention) to try and inject some patriotism and collective responsibility for the fallout of coronavirus. I feel a monumental rant cominng on, so I will end the post now before I bore the living daylights out of you. In cheerier times I would appreciate the words more. I am a big fan of the artist and his alternative style.