Stokes Croft – Natural adventures

828. Jamaica Street (7)

A few weeks ago this stunning and touching tribute piece appeared on the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft (PRSC) outdoor gallery wall. It is a wonderful collaboration between The Paintsmiths and Ryder.

The Paintsmiths and Ryder tribute to Raphael Dufresne, Jamaica Street, Bristol, April 2017

The tribute is to Raphael Dufresne, a popular musician on the local scene who passed away on 14 April 2017, suffering a fatal aneurism whilst at the gym. He was only 27 years old. This piece fills me with a sadness, but what a magnificent way to celebrate his life.

I never heard his music, and feel sorry that I never had the chance of seeing him, it sounds like he had a good soul and attitude to life. He had links with PRSC, which is why this tribute is all the more poignant. Really terrific letters from Ryder and a superb portrait by The Paintsmiths. Sad.

826. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (26)

A quick one from Jee See on the Carriageworks carrying his trademark ‘seismic’ lettering, this time with accompanying ‘Why sick?’. I’m not too sure what it all means, but it is bright and upbeat.

Jee See, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2017

Since I took this picture, I have at last met Jee See, and what an utter gent he is. More about this soon. I like this picture with the sun and shadows and the skulking Silent Hobo character on the adjacent space. All good.

801. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (25)

A couple of weeks back, we were blessed. Aspire made a trip back to Bristol, from his new home in London, and while he was here, he sprayed a couple of pieces, one of which was this magnificent pigeon in one of the Stokes Croft arches.

Although Aspire himself talked this piece down…’painted with some dregs from a recent job in Bristol this week’, I happen to think it is yet another example of his mastery of his craft.

The gold background is inspired, and actually draws the piece closer to the breakdancing Jesus by Cosmo Sarson which has gilt paint stretching high on a wall some 50 metres away.

This was not the only spraying Aspire managed on his short trip, and I will be posting about another piece soon. So glad he could make time to brighten up our streets again.

793. Stokes Croft, I forget where

I believe this to be the very last set of my images from Tian’s tour of Britain in April 2016. It was an exciting week, discovering all the gifts and surprises he had pasted up all around the Stokes Croft area, and it was great to see his work at Upfest in July too.

My knowledge of screen actresses from the fifties onwards is rather poor, and I am not sure who this is, but I am sure she is famous. I’m sure Southampton Old Lady would know. It is a pity that the wheatpaste is tagged, but in a strange way it adds to its ‘street’ credibility (not street credibility) (does that make sense?).

I dearly hope Tian will visit Bristol again soon.

791. Hepburn Road (4)

I have hung on to this picture for an absolute age. No particular reason. It is by DNT, and it resided in a little side lane off Stokes Croft. I just like it – it is a well crafted piece of writing, and it simply and joyfully says Bristolz.

I have nothing more to write – sometimes writing too much takes attention away from the graffiti. Enjoy.

787. Stokes Croft shutter

Mr Penfold is first and foremost a designer, whose work is largely abstract and uses colours and shapes that remind me of a cross between the 1980s and art deco. Clean crisp lines and floating objects.

Mr Penfold, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2017

His graffiti/street art work is very different to anything else found in Bristol and instantly recognisable. Whilst I like to see his pieces appearing around the city, his style does not pull me in as much as some of the other artists in Bristol.

785. Stokes Croft, No.111

This is another piece that has been waiting and waiting in my archive and which I can at last write about, having recently found out who the artist is. The artist has been something of a mystery, and I have posted two of his pieces here before, the sinister cat and scary clown. It is of course Dose, AKA Kin Dose, AKA Nick Harvey.

Kin Dose, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2016

I found out who he was by accident. I saw a poster advertising an art exhibition in the main street close to where I live, and there was the sinister cat on the poster, so I took a closer look. There was more information that helped me to track down Kin Dose on Instagram. Once on his feed, I looked through his work, and there was this piece…mystery solved.

Kin Dose is clearly extremely talented and versatile. I’ve not yet been to his exhibition (at the time of writing) but hope to get there before it closes.

	Cethru Cellophane on Egg case
	scooj on Egg case
	Cethru Cellophane on Egg case
	scooj on 837. M32 Spot (5)
	scooj on 837. M32 Spot (5)