This wall used to have a wonderful tribute piece on it to honour DJ Derek by Deamze and Sepr. From speaking to a local, I understand that the owners of the wall loved it, but they had to have some damp treatment work done on the house and the mural had to go as part of that. The result is a vast wall that is crying out for decoration
Deamze and Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017
Who should come along, but Stewy, who has some other pieces nearby, to place a stencil of a duck, high up on the wall perching on a pipe. Although a small piece, it commands the wall and adds interest for passers by who manage to extract themselves from their mobile technology and look at the world around them.
Stewy, Richmond Road, Bristol, Jnuary 2021
This is a fun stencil, and I can imagine a wry smile on the artist’s face when he painted this. This is all part of the circle of life of a Bristol wall.
The story behind this unusual and unsigned piece is that I photographed it a little while ago… I photograph most of the graffiti art that I find, and if I don’t know the artist will keep it in my archive until a moment of good fortune reveals their identity. This was one such piece.
Last week I was doing the rounds and I encountered an artist painting over this piece. Having not met him before I politely introduced myself and asked him what name he painted under, ‘Smoke Perfume’ was his reply. Furthermore he told me that the piece he was painting over, the subject of this post, was also by him. What luck.
Smoke Perfume, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2021
The design of this piece is neat and tidy and the colours have something of a ‘look at me’ quality. The transition of the two red fills is beautifully done with dancing red flames and there is a black splatter surrounding the piece. I don’t yet know what the letters spell out, but I am working on it. I like this very much and there is another piece from Smoke Perfume coming soon to Natural Adventures.
A gallery of outstanding graffiti writing and characters from Bristol artist Soge
All photographs by Scooj
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020Soge, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020Soge, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020Soge, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019Soge, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2018NEVERGIVEUP and Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018Soge, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2018Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018Soge and Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2017Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2017
There is little more I can say about this piece other than it is utterly outstanding. Of course, I can’t leave it like that, so I’ll give you a bit more background. I am guessing it is a commission, because it is on a business wall, but what a commission. The artists are Smak, Sled One and Kosc, and they have smashed this wall out of sight. The only downside is that it is an absolute beast to photograph on account of being in a narrow lane and on a curved wall.
Kosc, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021
From left to right the artists are Kosc, Smak (SM), Sled One and Smak (AK) and they have used a wonderful combination of black red and grey colours. Decay of old would be in his element. Kosc has painted an amazing photorealistic portrait with a bit of a glitch in it and has spelled out his name. This is simply magnificent. On its own this one third of the piece would be worth the trip.
Kosc, Smak and Sled One, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021Smak, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Smak has spread his letters either side of the Sled One piece with the SM sandwiched between Kosc and Sled, with the AK rounding off the piece on the right-hand side. As you would expect from Smak, the letters are flawless and the design simply brilliant.
Sled One, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Taking up centre stage in this three-way collaboration is a celebration of the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood. Sled One is the king of crazy creativity, and here the wolf is chewing on a spray can, which is squirting paint on one of two ladybirds in the piece. Look closely at the picnic basket, and you might just see a hint that the wolf hasn’t gobbled our heroine up but has instead squished her into the basket.
This is a glorious collaboration from three of Bristol’s best street artists. get yourslf down there.
Sled One and Smak, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021
It is those PWA boys again working their magic, this time along the M32 cycle path. Always happy and always brightening up our lives, and let me tell you our lives need brightening up these days.
Soap, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2021
Soap and Face 1st tend collaborate by painting their separate pieces joined by a colour palette and some decorative features. This time thy have gone for pinks and purples and Soap, spells out SOAP with some lovely fills and a rather fetching bone across the A.
Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2021
Face 1st brings us a laughing girl with FACE for hair, and carries across the same colours and some similar fills. This is yet another great collaboration from this pair.
There are a great many artists in Bristol that I could label ‘old faithful’ and Biers is definitely one of them. His style is very recognisable with irregular letter sizes, but a ‘house-style’ font that is very much his own.
Biers, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2021
I was pleased to see this piece appear and the others with it because this wall had remained stagnant for far too long. In my view it is one of the best walls in Bristol, but the turnover tends to be quite low, and so anything new is always welcome. This is Biers at his best, clean and crisp with decent fills and nice white accents to create a 3D feel. classic Biers.
It seems that every week there is another artist new to the Bristol scene, or at the very least new to me. This bright column piece is by a young lady going by the name of Big Hev, and it is a privilege to witness the start of her journey painting walls.
Big Hev, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2021
There is something very appealing about this portrait, its simplicity and its bold colours. In time the shading and so traits will come, but I really like the striking nature of this piece, it demands to be looked at and enjoyed. I have found one other of her pieces, but am looking forward to many, many more.
The fabulous purple patch that Pekoe seems to be enjoying continues with this wonderful portrait piece in the corner of Montpelier Park. There is a lot of joy in the piece, and it reminds me a little of the kind of portraits that Kid Crayon does… bright and unusual colours and a hat.
Pekoe, Montpelier Park, Bristol, January 2021
I recently visited Montpelier to switch up my walks a little bit and give the dog a bit of variety. It was a fruitful trip and finding this was the jewel in the crown. I knew of its existence, but I didn’t know where in Bristol it was, so I kind of got lucky. Something really likeable about this one and Pekoe seems to be turning out some happy pieces.
I can’t recall seeing these two collaborating before, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened, simply that my memory doesn’t serve me as well as it used to. Sepr and Acer One is a partnership that I wouldn’t have predicted, as their styles are very contrasting, but this new wall is Cumberland Basin is absolutely spiffing.
Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021
The central section is by Acer One and is an amazingly technical piece of writing, based on a geometric design style for which he is known. Standing up close, it is near impossible to work out what these letters say, but by stepping back, the brain interprets it more easily and it says ‘More Love’ – I don’t think any of us can argue with that.
Sepr, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021
The central panel is bookended by two exquisite characters from Sepr. On the left is a devilish Cupid whose love arrows are finding mischief, in particular with a seagull who appears to be smitten.
Sepr, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021
To the right a female Cupid character is also firing love arrows across the piece. I don’t quite know what these two characters symbolise, but they are brilliantly painted and a lot of fun. Maybe they are a representation of the frustrations of lockdown and our distance from our loved ones.
All in all a superb collaboration and well worth a visit.
Sepr and Acer One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021
I first photographed this Daz Cat cat some while ago, but never posted it because there was a dark shadow cast across it. On a recent trip into the depths of Montpelier I was able to have a second crack at it and this time the sun shone and I timed my visit (by luck not judgement) at the right time of day thus avoiding any shadows.
Daz Cat, St Andrews Road, Bristol, January 2021
I have a feeling that Daz Cat enjoys painting in North Bristol and it is rare to find anything by him south of the river. This is just a nice chrome cat wearing a scarf and adding a little bit of character to a wall that was begging for decoration. Nice work.
Natural adventures 