Tag: Street art

3719. North Street

This is the sixth and final part of the Six Sisters project in North Street, a series of six huge facade murals by six female Bristol artists, organised by Upfest. This final part of the series is by Alex Lucas, who has featured in Natural Adventures numerous times, and a gallery of her work can be found here.

Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021

This piece is an absolute beauty and brings the series to a great crescendo. Alex Lucas brings her illustration skills to the fore with these three poodles and a pug? In amongst some beautiful flowers and clouds. The vibrancy of the colours was enhanced by the gorgeous weather on the day I took these pictures.

Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021

The poodles (not my favourite breed if I am honest) are full of life and movement with suitably daft expressions on their faces. They are frolicking amongst the clouds and amazing yellow flowers. The whole thing resembles fancy bespoke wallpaper.

Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021

When Gemma Compton completed the first of these murals above the Upfest shop in June 2016, I don’t think anyone could have foreseen what a wonder this row of shops would become five years later. Bravo to all the artists and hats off to Upfest for giving the city this amazing landmark.

The 'six sisters' - Bex Glover, Alex Lucas, Zoe Power, Gemma Compton, Sophie Long and Ejits, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
The ‘six sisters’ – Bex Glover, Alex Lucas, Zoe Power, Gemma Compton, Sophie Long and Ejits, North Street, Bristol, May 2021

My posts for the six sisters are listed below:

1. Gemma Compton

2. Zoe Power

3. Bex Glover

4. Sophie Long

5. Ejits

6. Alex Lucas

3718. Muriel Alleyway (3)

The message from Rtiiika here is very clear ‘stop telling women to smile’. I must confess to being a little bit puzzled by the sentence. I like to think that I am reasonably well acquainted with issues of gender inequality, and sensitive to the political and societal pressures, but I don’t really understand this message. It might be something that I am unaware of, and if so need to understand better.

Rtiiika, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021
Rtiiika, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021

The artwork is wonderful and adopts the characteristic long thin lines that Rtiiika uses in her work, this time in the form of her letters. The piece is capped off with a smiley in the centre in the colour of the original we are all so familiar with. There is a juxtaposition between this smiley and the message of the piece. I like the concept of messaging like this and wonder if she will do more of it.

3717. Dean Lane skate park (418)

Although we don’t see too much of Hire these days, what we do see is of the highest quality. I am really enjoying Hire’s relatively recent reinvention pieces like this one in which he writes the word ODIAH

Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2021
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2021

This beautifully presented piece incorporates some of the jagged elements of Hire’s customary style but softens them into a rather more conventional writing style. The colours are nicely selected and the grading of fill from light to dark is masterful. A really nice piece.

3716. M32 Spot (114)

One of the particularly nice things about this column piece from CD.TC is that I was able to watch the artist at work, meeting him for the first time in the process. Although, by his own admission,  he is not the most productive of Bristol’s artists, his pieces are memorable and tend to have quite a long lifespan which might be attributed to the spots he chooses to paint.

CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021
CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021

This double monster face piece works perfectly on the column and shows off the artists talents to perfection. His work is usually neat and tidy and in some way quite compelling to look at. He has done himself a lot of favours by prepping the wall nicely before commencing with this piece.

CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021
CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021

CD.TC painted this alongside Daz Cat, a painting pal, whose piece I posted a week or two back. In terms of style (rather than content) I would liken CD.TC’s work to Conrico’s in that both have a bit of a paintbrush style to their work. That might not be very clear, but I think I know what I mean. Expect this one to be around for a while.

3715. M32 roundabout J3 (323)

What a delightful surprise it was to come across this unheralded piece from Haka on the M32 roundabout. Haka is one of those artists who very much does his own thing in his own way, and pretty much every piece is a tribute to his friend CK One, which is really touching.

Haka, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2021
Haka, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2021

This particular vibrant and wild portrait is, according to Haka’s own Instagram feed, a self-portrait. Having never met the artist, I can’t vouch for its accuracy, but I haven’t seen anyone looking like this in the Bristol area before. Great fun piece.

3714. M32 roundabout J3 (322)

An outstanding calligrapher who is possibly a little underrepresented in Natural Adventures is Stivs. This beautiful piece of calligraphic writing from not too long ago so perfectly demonstrates his extraordinary ability to paint such beautifully formed letters.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2021
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2021

The whole shape and size of this piece is really most aesthetically pleasing and easy on the eye. The writing which spells STIVS is elaborate and complex, but in the hands of the artist is expertly executed. Note to self – time for a Stivs gallery?

3713. M32 Cycle path (129)

From a little while ago, this beauty by Daz Cat seems to have slipped the net… until now.  This door has undergone many transformations and is a good candidate for a Thursday Doors post in the future.

Daz Cat, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2021
Daz Cat, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2021

Daz Cat has been one of Bristol’s most consistent character artists over the past twelve months, apparently undeterred by any impacts of COVID-19. His pieces can be found all over the city and range from quick cat face throw ups to elaborate and beautifully painted story pieces, in fact I believe he might have painted a new one at St George skate park only yesterday. Always great to see.

3712. Muriel Alleyway (2)

Billy is an artist whose work I really admire and enjoy. Her childlike naive style betrays a clever storytelling ability through art and words that make her pieces talk. Add to that the wonderful colours that she uses with such freedom and you have a vibrant and meaningful piece of art that we can all relate to.

Billy, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021
Billy, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021

In this wonderful little lane in Brislington, Billy brings us a ‘wish you were here’ postcard-style holiday piece featuring a sunbathing nude and a curious blue character on a beach next to the sea. I wonder if this is more about our past reminding us what a holiday actually looks and feels like. It has been such a long time for us all since out last proper holiday. First world problems!

A wonderful and enjoyable piece.

3711. Cumberland Basin

This particular secluded spot near the long wall in Cumberland Basin has been ‘occupied’ by Eman and there are currently six or seven of his pieces crammed into this particular space, of which this is one.

Eman, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2021
Eman, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2021

Eman is currently playing around with all sorts of designs and seems to be having a lot of fun with creating new characters. This simple and cute creature is fast becoming a ‘thing’ and I wonder if Eman might fill the gap left behind by Followmyrabbits and start populating Bristol’s streets with these loveable alien/imagined animal things. I like the reversed colours and spots that Eman has used to great effect and the simplicity and clean lines. Look out for more of these creatures right here on Natural Adventures.

3710. Leonard Lane (29)

Leonard Lane has had a small renaissance lately thanks in no small part to 3F Fino who seems to have been enjoying himself and experimenting with ideas in the murky, narrow, stinky Lane.

3F Fino, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2021
3F Fino, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2021

This is an unusual and impactful piece from 3F Fino, and I’m not sure I would have been able to attribute it to him if it were not signed. There is something faintly Van Goughian about the artwork which looks like a series of brush strokes rather than the work of a spray can. Original and interesting work.