Because I don’t drop down into Frome Side all that often, access is difficult with the dog, most of the pieces are new (to me), and I get to photograph a lot of work. On my most recent trip, I was pleased to find two pieces by Morag, an artist whose work I really rather like.
Morag, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
With each new piece I find by Morag, there seems to be an elevated level of sophistication. More detail, more of an expression in the face, accessories like the hat seen in these pieces. It is a journey I am thoroughly enjoying and I look forward to seeing more around Bristol.
Morag, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
Both pieces share the characteristic style, but have quite different expressions, and the colour palettes are different too. Morag has joined a merry band of artists that like to do faces, including Slakarts, Zake and Asre – good company indeed.
A little while back I was contacted by Paul H, who told me to get myself down to City Road, where there was a RAW paint jam going on. I happened to be passing that way, returning home from another spot, and was very pleased that I did, as there was a bit of a street party atmosphere going on.
Jaksta, City Road, Bristol, May 2022
Food, music and a host of street artists. There was nothing not to like. The colour scheme adopted by all the artists had a kind of summer holiday theme, with lots of pink sunset stuff going on. This piece by Jaksta was one of the highlights, especially as I haven’t seen any of his work for quite a long time. Some of you might recognise the subject of the piece as Snoopdogg, and I find it amazing that Jaksta can create these slightly grotesque carton portraits with spray cans. A rare talent that he executes so well.
I am feeling a little ‘hungover’ this morning having drenched myself in a festival of street art and graffiti at Upfest over the last two days. I have almost reached saturation point, so forgive me if this post does not quite live up to any expectation.
Hazard, High Street, Bristol, May 2022
I have mentioned before that I consider Hazard to have elevated herself into the world-class category, and I don’t think it will be too long before she will be headlining at street art festivals all over the world. This enormous piece in the centre of Bristol, near Castle Park, demonstrates clearly her talent and class. The piece has been here for a little while- I was rather late to the party, and unfortunately the margins of the piece have been tagged, which is a little annoying. The early bird gets the worm.
Hazard, High Street, Bristol, May 2022
The concept is a good one, with a portrait made up of composite features in differently shaded boxes. It is a very clever and effective idea that represents many people in one portrait. I am so pleased that Hazard is getting to paint these large walls, because it is the least she deserves. Hazard also happens to be one of the most delightful artists in Bristol, always happy to have a chat, even if she isn’t quite sure exactly who she is talking to…
You might have noticed that in recent weeks I have started to write three posts a day when I can, and have been posting collaborations and sometimes multiple pieces by the same artist. This is due to the very real situation that there is simply too much art being produced in Bristol at the moment, that I can’t get even close to keeping up with it all. This is a good problem to have, rather like a football manager with team selection dilemmas, but it also means that so much great art may sit in the archives, possibly forever.
Full Time Ghoul and 3F fino, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Although this post features three artists, the paintwork suggests that one is a stand-alone piece and thee others two were painted as a collaboration. The stand-alone piece is by FTG (Full Time Ghoul) on the left, is one of many of these fantastic ‘knot’ heads that are scattered all over Bristol and horribly under-represented in Natural Adventures. I may sort out a collection of his work from multiple sites. On the right is the left-hand side of a collaborative paint by 3F fino, the other side being by Werm.
3F fino is an incredibly productive member of the LRS crew, many of whom, to be fair, seem to paint their socks off. I don’t know how they all afford the paint. In this piece, 3F fino continues the theme of a character with a head scarf, with some nice folds in the material.
Werm, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
To the right-hand side is some graffiti writing from Werm (formerly Eman for those who remember). Werm has been concentrating on his writing over the last few months and has been working on two or three concepts that he practices again and again, striving for perfection. If I am honest, I miss his characters, and hope he makes time to treat us to one or two before too long.
I was fortunate enough to meet several members of the Bristol Womxn Mural Collective yesterday at Upfest and what an extreme pleasure it was too. I have seen the results of their various paint jams dotted around the city, and it was so good at last to meet some of them.
This piece, by Tanith Gould, is from one of their recent paint jams in Leonard Lane, one of my favourite spots in Bristol.
Tanith Gould, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Tanith Gould has a wonderful illustrative style in which she presents figures almost as studies. This is a beautifully thought out and designed quartered piece with two figures accompanied by legs appearing through holes. Certainly imaginative, but something you could easily imagine as a greetings card or small poster, something that hard-core street artists rarely achieve.
I am shocked to find that this is only the second post on Natural Adventures featuring Tanith Gould. I’ll have to do something about that.
It is going to have to be a bit of a quick one this morning, because this weekend is Upfest, and I have to get myself off to the second day to see the completion of the board pieces in Greville Smyth Park. What a festival. The weather yesterday was gorgeous, and it was amazing to catch up with so many artists. I have enough material to keep this blog going for at least six months, which is going to be something of a challenge.
This Mad Hatter piece from Mr Klue is in his favourite spot, and what is really gratifying about it is that it looks like he has painted over a rather ordinary throw up that had been painted over his previous piece in this spot. What comes around goes around.
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2022
It is so good to see that Mr Klue is back on the streets painting his ethereal abstract work, and seems to have found his rhythm again after a long period away from painting walls. This particular character is one the Mr Klue paints often, and includes a ticket in the hat, this time with the number 23 in it, the significance of which I don’t know. All is well with Mr Klue.
When it comes to precision, there are few artists better than Flava136. In recent months, he has reinvented his work with a new look, ditching the monster character, but still uses the same style of blended straight lines and curves, solid fills and geometry. I would liken his work to Epok, although each has their own distinctive look.
Flava136, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022
Flava136, now pushing the NTS label, teases us with these abstract shapes and designs, in a well thought out colour palette. I am not sure what the letters spell out, and I will need to get better at interpreting his cryptic work. Suffice it to say though, Flava136 is without doubt one of the tidiest artists painting in Bristol, and always produces spectacular work. This is a beauty.
This magnificent collaboration between Paul Monsters and Tom Miller was painted a little while back, but I couldn’t work out where it was. I found it by accident when returning from a trip to Greenbank. Although it is a large piece, it is easy to miss if you are not looking out, and is pretty much invisible if driving in the opposite direction.
Paul Monsters and Tom Miller, Queen Street, Bristol, May 2022
I’m glad that I did find it though, because it is a truly spectacular collaboration from a pair of artists who are unafraid of using a ton of colour in their work. The two styles, one geometric and the other surreal, are a perfect match because of the blending of colour palette. The elaborate geometric pattern is by Paul Monsters and is as complex as I have seen from him. The frenetic explosion of objects spilling out of a portrait is by Tom Miller, whose work I have been following closely and admiring for several years.
Paul Monsters and Tom Miller, Queen Street, Bristol, May 2022
A closer look at Tom Miller’s piece gives us a small window into the busy mind of the artist, with at least three portraits, a car, a rubber duck and some crystals. Heaven only knows what it all means, but it matters not, it is the work of an enormously talented artist. This is as fine a collaboration as I have seen this year.
It would appear that Logoe has had another blitz in Bristol recently, hitting several walls over a very short period of time. These two pieces are from the Frome Side spot underneath the M32 between the two roundabouts. This is a place I don’t often visit, because it is too dangerous to go there with the dog, and I rarely photograph street art without him.
Logoe, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
Both pieces follow Logoe’s modus operandi, which is to paint his thin script lettering on a colourful background and to decorate the whole thing with a horizontal array of oval spots of varying sizes. This is his thing and this is what he does. This red piece looks wonderful and is accompanied by the words: ‘Attitude legit cos I’m tearing up shit’ – which is a lyric from NWA’s Straight Outta Compton – something I’d have never found out without Google.
Logoe, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
The second piece following the same formula although with chunkier writing and a duller mustard background is a tribute to the late Meatloaf, which is a rather nice gesture. The two pieces are about 20 yards apart, and I am guessing were painted in the same session. More to come from this latest whistle-stop tour by Logoe.
Timing can be crucial when photographing street art, and shutters in particular need to be down to be photographed properly or indeed at all. Parking also presents a problem (if not on foot) with some specific spots, and this shutter piece by Taboo on North Street has evaded me for far too long, but a week or son ago the stars aligned, and I was able to grab a couple of snaps.
Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022
Taboo has such an interesting style, that I have a feeling might be called anti-graff, although it is only a term I have recently become aware of, and I might have got that wrong. However, using his writing and character combination, Taboo has smashed this shutter, with great design, colour and a spectacular Minnie Mouse.
Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022
There is a lot to like here, made all the more admirable for being on a shutter, which are notoriously difficult to paint. Captured and catalogued at last.
Natural adventures 