Tag: Street art

3630. Cumberland Basin

Watching the progress of Big Hev is proving to be an uplifting experience. Her naive style is gradually becoming more sophisticated, and she is building on her themes. However, I think that she is very much at the start of her journey (one that I sincerely hope she pursues) and is learning from piece to piece.

Big Hev, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2021
Big Hev, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2021

Big Hev seems to like this spot, and why not, it is secluded and away from public gaze. Her customary portrait has fused a little with some abstract ideas and swirls and some hearts. I would consider this to be a practice piece, but all part of the formation of new and beautiful ideas.

3629. North Street Standard

I was passing by the North Street Standard about a week ago and there was a young lady sweeping the newly designed outside drinking area. I took the opportunity to ask her who had painted the shutters. She disappeared for what seemed a lifetime and eventually emerged to inform me that it was painted by Nick Harvey (Kin Dose). I thanked her kindly. What she hadn’t told me was that The Hass had a hand in the work too.

Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021
Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021

These shutters were probably in need of a makeover and with lockdown restrictions easing, what a great time to do it. The neon pink single-line drawings of people enjoying the bar is both striking and inspired and sets a tone for the establishment.

Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021
Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021

I would never have guessed the artists if I hadn’t been told, which is often the case with commissions, due to their bespoke nature. A fine street piece by these two miracle-workers.

3628. M32 Spot (112)

Simply stunning! This is a magnificent piece of graffiti writing from Dott Rotten, notable as much for its fabulous and striking colours as it is for the fabulous design and technical excellence.

Dott Rotten, M32 Spot, Bristol, April 2021
Dott Rotten, M32 Spot, Bristol, April 2021

I had a great chat with Dott Rotten last week, not far from here, and he told me that it hasn’t always been easy and that at one point he had considered giving up on graffiti writing altogether. Thank goodness he thought better of it as he is turning out some of the best work in Bristol at the moment. This is an instant classic in my eyes and yet another fine piece of work on this subterranean wall.

3627. Brunel Way (96)

Because of its association with graffiti and street art, Bristol is a bit of a magnet for visiting artists and what fortune that Kane Rose paid a visit while painting alongside the No Frills crew a few weeks back. I don’t know the artist, but know that he is a tattoo artists who also paints walls, like so many of our own Bristol artists.

Kane Rose, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2021
Kane Rose, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2021

When I first saw this I wondered whether it might have been by SkyHigh, because there is a definite similarity of styles. I have to confess that I had to wait until I saw the piece appear on Instagram before I could be sure of the artist. The block letters, each with a different colour and style, on first inspection appears to spell USA, but I have a feeling it actually says UPSTART. A lovely piece.

3626. M32 roundabout J3 (309)

Ware or MickeyRaw is not an artist that I see too often on our walls, but he is part of the RAW crew and joins the team for paint jams every once in a while. His work is consistently of a really high standard, and it is a pity he doesn’t get out more often.

Ware, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Ware, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021

This piece, spelling out WARE is absolutely stunning. The central green letters with fabulous fill patterning are further embellished with red blue and orange arrow decorations. The whole thing is very intricate and tight and clearly the work of a very talented graffiti writer.

3625. M32 Cycle path (120)

Footloose, Lewse or Esooltoof (Footloose – geddit?) to use her Instagram handle, is so utterly underrepresented on Natural Adventures, something I must remedy at the earliest opportunity. I have a whole ton of her work in my archives from months and years gone by, but just haven’t posted anything until now.

Footloose, M32 cycle path, Bristol, April 2021
Footloose, M32 cycle path, Bristol, April 2021

This is a lovely example of her style, which is usually a uniform set of letters spelling LEWSE with an associated character, often drawn from popular cartoons. The lettering is painted in the colours of a Fruit Salad chew (sweets that you could buy 8 of for a penny when I was a boy), with really nice transitions between the yellows and pinks.

Footloose, M32 cycle path, Bristol, April 2021
Footloose, M32 cycle path, Bristol, April 2021

The character, Disney’s goofy, is expertly painted and clearly demonstrates Footloose’s talents as an artist. Let’s view this post as a beginning and not an end, where I can showcase more of her work past and future.

3624. Stapleton Road

This is another of the columns under the railway bridge that crosses over Stapleton Road that has recently had a makeover and is by local artist Rob Wheeler. I don’t know too much about the artist other than that he is part of Graft Workshop, an outfit of street artists who take commissions in Bristol, and whose work I have featured on Natural Adventures some time ago.

Rob Wheeler, Stapleton Road, Bristol, April 2021
Rob Wheeler, Stapleton Road, Bristol, April 2021

This beautifully designed and executed piece has the symmetry and look of an elaborate wallpaper design and adds a touch of class to this column that previously had been a magnet for tags. I hope that this stunning artwork is respected because it is already much loved by the local community.

3623. M32 roundabout J3 (309)

A classic piece of Face 1stery going on here on the M32 roundabout. In times of turbulence and disruption there are rocks, sturdy landmarks, that remind us that actually everything is ok. Face 1st is one of those rocks. His pieces are painted regularly and when I see them I feel comforted and grounded.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021

This is a lovely example of his work with the customarily cheerful girl whose hair is composed of the letters FACE. This time there is a pink goo highlighting the letters, looking a little bit like bubblegum, which in my experience is best kept well away from hair.

I remember once back in the 1970s I was in a smoke-filled cinema in Muswell Hill (incredible to think that smoking at the cinema was the norm). Half way through the film a discarded piece of bubblegum that had been lobbed from the circle seats landed and lodged in my 1970s hair. Disgusting. My mum had to cut it out with scissors when I got home. I felt violated and humiliated. If I ever catch the perpetrator I’ll…

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.

3621. M32 roundabout J3 (308)

Phour is one of those artists who regularly burns his letters onto any surfaces that he fancies. Some of his pieces are quick and dirty throw-ups and some, like this one, are more polished and accomplished.

Phour, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Phour, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021

Spray painting over existing graffiti without buffing the wall first means that your piece needs something special to stand out from the crowd. Phour has achieved this with flying colours (literally) in this absolute belter.