4195. Purdown AA Battery (40)

Although Daz Cat has been steadily active over the last few weeks, I haven’t been able to find space to post any of his work, such is the volume of new pieces being produced like a relentless incoming tide, one which I welcome of course. I have a few in my folders that I need to share. I keep telling myself that I’ll be able to share them during a quiet period, but I don’t think such a thing exists.

Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2021
Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2021

This cat piece has been sprayed on one of the square concrete slabs which appear to have been built to protect the store areas around each gun emplacement, and which make splendid canvasses. Featuring a Daz Cat cat, it would seem that the artist has joined the ranks of street art philosophers with the written phrase “Never enough, show me new pathways. More than enough, put me in my place”, which on doing a quick Interweb search looks like it is an original thought. The cat itself in 3/4 aspect is superbly well painted and looks to have taken longer to paint than some of his throw up cats.

4194. St Marks Avenue (11)

In a small lane, largely hidden from the main streets of Easton there is a whole load of street art and graffiti pieces, some of them quite old now, but occasionally new pieces crop up. This is one of those newer pieces, although it might not be that new as it was about six months since my last visit.

Zubyblue, St Marks Avenue, Bristol, December 2021
Zubyblue, St Marks Avenue, Bristol, December 2021

The artist, Zubyblue, is not known to me and I haven’t seen any of their work before. Often artists who aren’t used to spray painting will have a go on shutters and walls, but the results can be really variable as it is such a different medium to the ones they are used to. Zubyblue seems to have mastered the technique pretty well, and this is a nicely painted toucan with some great tones and touches that hint at an experienced hand. Well worth taking a look if you are in the area.

DFC1848

A gallery of fabulous character pieces by west of England artist DFC1848

all photographs by Scooj

DFC1848, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2022
DFC1848, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2022
DFC1848, M32 Spot, Bristol, April 2022
DFC1848, M32 Spot, Bristol, April 2022
DFC1848, Ldub, Bristol, September 2021
DFC1848, Ldub, Bristol, September 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021
DFC 1848, Purdown Battery, Bristol, July 2021
DFC 1848, Purdown Battery, Bristol, July 2021
DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021
DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021
DFC 1848, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
DFC 1848, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
DFC1848, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2020
DFC1848, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2020
DFC1848, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2020
DFC1848, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2020
DFC1848 and DJ Perks, L Dub, Bristol, June 2020
DFC1848 and DJ Perks, L Dub, Bristol, June 2020
DFC1848, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
DFC1848, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
DFC, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020
DFC, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020
DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, July 2019
DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, July 2019
DFC1848, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019
DFC1848, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019
DFC1848, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019
DFC1848, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019
DFC1848, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019
DFC1848, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019

4193. M32 roundabout J3 (380)

Alas! This piece from Face 1st didn’t last very long, and certainly not as long as it deserved, but that is street art, and everyone knows it. Face 1st continues to be one of our most productive artists in Bristol, and I probably need to update his gallery, because it quickly gets out of date.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022

The piece tucked away to the left of the river side wall of the roundabout is a full blown writing and face combination. The striking colours attract the eye and the girl’s laughing demeanour is compelling. Face 1st has been using this form of block writing quite a lot recently, and I would say he is enjoying it. I love the clever touch of weaving the girl’s hair through the block letters. A wonderful piece from Face 1st.

4192. M32 roundabout J3 (379)

Another fine piece of script writing in a series produced by Smut. Smut is an artist I know precious little about, but I definitely look forward to his bursts of activity on Bristol walls.

Smut, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Smut, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022

Smut has a very recognisable style, which is incredibly neat and tidy, and if I were to liken it with any other artist, I would say it is like a slimmed down version of Slim Pickings’ TES. It is a little difficult to make it out here, but the yellow fill is a beautiful blend of two colours with spots merging in the centre line. This is a superb piece of graffiti script writing.

4191. M32 cycle path (158)

The LRS crew have really increased their profile in Bristol over the last year or two with Decay, Werm, 3F fino, and Sitka leading the way, and this is a wonderful recent collaboration for 3F fino and Stika (Apex_alloy) on the M32 cycle path.

3F fino, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022
3F fino, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022

Although this was a collaborative wall, the two elements are discrete and stand-alone. To the left is an interesting piece from 3F fino, with a pair of embracing characters, keeping their identities hidden with head/face scarves, which is a theme to be found in many of the artist’s pieces.

Stika, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022
Stika, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2022

The other half of this wall is a fabulous Calvin and Hobbes piece by Stika, and what a brilliant piece it is, really showcasing Stika’s versatility. There is something really touching.no and heartwarming about this cartoon duo and Stika has captured that warmth perfectly in this piece. An absolutely cracking collaborative wall with two fine pieces.

4190. M32 Cycle path (157)

You will have gathered from the gallery I posted last week that I am enjoying the work of Mest at the moment. His aesthetically pleasing letters work well with graffiti writing and he constantly tries to switch up the fills and patterns in his fairly uniform and consistent letter shapes.

Mest, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021
Mest, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021

In this piece he has incorporated a little extra intrigue with some orange-yellow wisps drifting across the letters. From the look of it he might have been using the dregs of that colour, because the fill is neither solid nor is it cloudy, it is more the kind of fill you’d get on a quick throw up. Nonetheless it is a handsome piece.

4189. St Werburghs tunnel (272)

It has been great to see Kool Hand returning to the streets lately, hooking up with various friends to paint with them. I have a feeling that he might have been in London, or certainly out of Bristol, for a little while, but has been in Bristol over the winter and sprayed quite a few pieces of which this is one.

Kool Hand, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2021
Kool Hand, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2021

This misbehaving orangutan piece is part of a larger collaboration that I will return to at some point in the future. Kool Hand has taken his little character and made him a little bigger and animated him a little more than usual, which is great to see. I’m never too sure about street art with guns though, it somehow doesn’t sit well with me. Is this way too woke? Nice to see Kool Hand back I. Town.

4188. M32 Cycle path (156)

The number of Rezwonk pieces appearing about the place has definitely dipped in the last 18 months or so, and I can’t help thinking that his painting pal Decay moving out of Bristol, might be a part of this reduction in frequency, along with other projects he has been working on.

Rezwonk, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021
Rezwonk, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021

Even if the number of pieces is not what it was, there is a certainty about the quality. You know that Rezwonk will always produce tidy pieces with carefully considered colour palettes and designs, of which this is a good example. We are blessed in Bristol to have so many graffiti writers who paint at such a high level.

4187. St Werburghs tunnel (271)

It feels like barely a day goes by without posting something by Chill, such is the recent turnover from this revelation on the Bristol street art circuit. Although he has done the odd piece here and there, he really seems to have found some time and confidence to hit more walls more often.

Chill, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2021
Chill, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2021

This is a fun character piece in St Werburghs tunnel with two cartoon portraits taking delight in a brown of milk. I have no idea what is going on here, a little bizarre I might say, but the artwork is clean and crisp as always. Creative, imaginative and a whole lot of joy from Chill, who is just going from strength to strength.