3594. M32 Spot (111)

Another day, another debut on Natural Adventures, this time from Pie Bolar. In recent weeks I have seen quite a few of these mega tags about the place, and because they are much more than simple tags and that they are likely to develop in some way over time, I am happy to drop a post, which is likely to be the first of many.

Pie Bolar, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2021
Pie Bolar, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2021

Graffiti and street art is such an enormous ‘church’ with a vast range of styles and capabilities. Some artists do something different each time they hit a wall, others choose a motif and repeat it again and again with subtle design or colour changes, for example Slim Pickings with his TES. This character tag by Pie Bolar presents a severed head wearing sun glasses. It is an unusual image, but sticks in the mind and is easily spotted in amongst all the other graffiti. Watch this space fro more from the artist.

3593. L Dub (26)

The work of DFC1848 just goes from strength to strength. His characters are becoming more complex and the finishing is becoming cleaner and tighter with each new piece he sprays. This is a rather nice take on his familiar character that he has built on over the last year or two.

DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021
DFC1848, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021

In nearly all of his works, DFC1848 conceals the letters DFC, however in this one he has settled for signing it at the bottom right. The double headed bear, sharing a tongue could be quite a creepy concept, but this, consistent with most of his characters is cuddly and certainly not creepy. I like the highlights on the tongue and lower lips – these are additions that he is developing and improving all the time. A nice find.

3592. M32 Cycle path (116)

I can’t work out whether Lee Roy has been hiding from me for the last few years or whether I just haven’t noticed him before, but over the last few weeks his writing has appeared absolutely all over the place and I simply can’t keep up with it.

Lee Roy, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2021
Lee Roy, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2021

This one on the cycle path is presented in a nice selection of blues and spells out LEEROY with his characteristic letter style. Some of the decorative work is a little untidy, but it sort of works with Lee Roy’s way I think. This is not the kind of perfection you might get with Rusk or Soker or Smak for example, but I don’t think it is striving for that. This piece is fun and that is enough.

3591. Cumberland Basin

I have only seen three pieces by Hanski, and this one is a little different from the other two. Tucked away in a bit of a hole, this piece will be missed by many, which is a pity. It is an unusual and unconventional piece, blending the abstract with a face.

Hanski, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2021
Hanski, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2021

The colours are eye-catching and certainly command attention. I think that this is a great beginning from Hanski and hitting walls is the first step in building up confidence and capability (something I haven’t yet had the courage to do). I wonder where her adventure will take us next.

3590. M32 roundabout J3 (299)

This piece was part of an ASK paint jam that I believe had been organised to celebrate Sled One’s birthday. What a great way to spend the day, painting with your friends and being creatively active. This is a classic surreal character piece from Sled One and illustrates perfectly his extraordinary ability to tell stories with his art.

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

A seaside scene in which a crab is eating a mint choc-chip ice cream, or at least was, but the ice cream has toppled off and has been replaced by seagull poop, which is all rather disgusting. The gull, not content with providing his own Mr Whippy, is also breaking wind. Charming. The characters are beautifully painted, and the crab shadow lifts the whole piece from the wall. Fabulous, seaside humour.

3589. Dean Lane skate park (405)

It has been well worth the wait to see these two collaborating once again. Once a common sight, since last March, I think these two have only painted together a couple of times. This is back to the classic style for both artists, with their jagged spikes lettering.

Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021

On the left of the collaboration, set on a vibrant pink backwash, which if you look carefully is a tropical beach scene with ocean waves and palm trees, are the letters SOGE in an irregular formation. The letters look like the thorn forest in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021

To the right is writing from Hire who has taken a break from his more recent representations to revert to old style work with a great result. These two artists absolutely smashing this style of writing which seems to be pretty unique to them in Bristol – I can’t think there are any other writers who do this. Great to see them back together and I am hoping it is the first of many more.

3588. St Werburghs tunnel (231)

This is an outstanding tribute piece from Rosalita for a friend’s mother and grandmother. ‘We all carry inside us the people who came before us’ is the beautiful quote that accompanies this piece along with ‘rest in power’. It is a moving and powerful gesture and speaks volumes to the kindness and thoughtfulness of the artist.

Rosalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Rosalita, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

On the entrance to St Werburghs tunnel, this piece has been respected for a while, which is quite right in the circumstances. The dark reds and floral patterning work well with the two portraits contained within the border. This was the second set of photographs I took. The piece was actually painted in February, but the shadows cast on my first visit rendered my pictures unpublishable. More to come from Rosalita, who has found her wings and is soaring.

3587. Greenbank (2)

I realise that although I have photographed quite a lot of pieces by Bnie over the years I haven’t posted all that many on Natural Adventures. In fact that could be said of a great many artists. There are only a handful of artists that I will post everything I have, and they are, in no particular order; Laic217, Inkie, Kid Crayon, Sled One and 3Dom… in fact there are others, but I just can’t remember them right now. I suppose that this places a kind of ranking in my own mind, but I don’t think that is necessarily the case.

Bnie, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021
Bnie, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021

This is a super piece of writing from Bnie with a really nice colour selection and 3D shadow shading. I like the way she has incorporated a little smile into the letter ‘B’ which is like a mash-up between Ryder and DFC1848. The way the colour shading works and the white accents work well together to give the whole piece a bit of a 3D lift. Note to self – post more Bnie work.

3586. Dean Lane skate park (404)

Shade One and Dibz have painted some fabulous collaborations over the last six months, but this one is probably the pick of the bunch. I was lucky enough to watch their progress for a while and have a quick chat. I’ve not met Shade One before, but he seems to be an affable guy, and I don’t seem to be able to avoid meeting Dibz at the moment, I think our biological clocks must be in sync.

Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021

This is a beautifully crafted piece and both artists are meticulous with the detail and clean lines. Dibz’s writing is as complex as ever with horizontally layered colours and shadows the offer a deep perspective. The writing serves as a foundation for the character piece by Shade One.

Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021

There is a wonderful symmetry and balance to this collaboration that makes it very easy on the eye indeed. I think the circle being referenced at the bottom in Dibz’s writing is really clever and brings a resolution to the whole composition. A brilliant piece from a couple of artists in peak form.

3585. Greenbank (1)

I don’t mind admitting that it took me a long time to find this hoarding. Variously known as the cycle path or Greenbank or the Bristol to Bath cycle path, I was just too proud to ask anyone where it was and in the end found it using Google Maps – where would we be without such miracles of the modern world? This hoarding on the periphery of a huge development is about 100m long, and it has recently become an important, albeit temporary, graffiti spot.

Face 1st, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021
Face 1st, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021

It was nice to be greeted with this firm favourite of mine, Face 1st along with so many other familiar artists… my archive for March overfloweth! This is a standard Face 1st design with a pretty girl’s face and hair constructed with the letters FACE. I like the addition of the gold earring and the little blue and pink accents by the eye. Lots more from this wall to come.