By god I think he’s got it. After a few months of experimenting with an organic fluid style, Ments has triumphed with this piece down in Cumberland Basin. It is beautiful, stylish and classy and just shows where practice and creativity can get you.
Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2020
I could rave about this piece all day, but it is difficult to know exactly where to start. Ments usually writes the letters MENTS in his work, but I am struggling to find any letters in this piece, instead we are presented with a free-form abstract piece that is simply a pleasure to look at. I am so looking forward to where this journey is going to take us.
Every now and then we take a walk up at Purdown because it is a wonderful open space for the dog. When we get there he just runs and runs and then runs some more. There is an additional interest for me, which is the twenty or so 6×6 walls which occasionally get a makeover. This one is by the fabulous Conrico.
Conrico, Purdown battery, Bristol, July 2020
I haven’t seen too much new stuff from Conrico of late, so this was a nice surprise. For the dog lovers, I think the ‘sniffin balls and hittin walls’ phrase will resonate. I like the freedom in Conrico’s pieces, they somehow feel much more like conventional paintings rather than spray art, the sign of a good artist. Woof, woof.
We don’t get to see early enough work from Flava136 in Bristol although the artist tends to keep himself pretty busy in Cheltenham where he lives, so when you come across a piece it is always a nice surprise.
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2020
Flava136 always creates these pieces which are incredibly clean, and by that I mean the lines are sharp and the fills nice and solid. In style I would say there is some similarity with Nevergiveup’s rabbits. I love these toothy monsters and think that Flava136 is a classy artist.
A gallery of great work from one of Bristol’s most notable and consistent graffiti writers
All pictures by Scooj
Ryder, City Road, Bristol, October 2021Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2021Ryder and T-Rex, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2021Ryder, M32 roundbout, Bristol, June 2021Ryder and T-Rex, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2021Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021Ryder and T-Rex, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021Ryder, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2021Ryder, L Dub, Bristol, January 2021Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020Ryder, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020Ryder, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020Ryder, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020Ryder, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2020Ryder, Frome side, Bristol, June 2020Ryder, L Dub, Bristol, June 2020Ryder, Turbo Island, Bristol, April 2020Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2020Ryder, Wilder Street, Bristol, February 2020Ryder, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020Ryder, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2019Decay and Ryder, M32 spot, Bristol, November 2019Ryder, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2019Ryder, New Stadium Road, Bristol, August 2019Ryder and T-Rex, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2019Ryder, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2019Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2019Doors on a wall embellished by Ryder sitting over a Mr Klue piece, Bristol, January 2017Ryder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Ryder and T-Rex, Armada Place, Bristol, September 2018Ryder and 2Keen, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2016Ryder and T-Rex, M32, Bristol, May 2018Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2017Ryder and TRex, M32, Bristol, February 2018Door, Moon Street, RyderRyder, Wilder Street, Bristol, May 2016Ryder and Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2017Ryder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Ryder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Ryder and T-Rex, Bedminster, Bristol, September 2017Ryder and T-Rex, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017Ryder and T-Rex, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017Ryder, Upper York Street, Bristol, June 2017Ryder and T Rex, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017Ryder and T Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016The Paintsmiths and Ryder tribute to Raphael Dufresne, Jamaica Street, Bristol, April 20172Keen, Ryder and Aspire, Redland Court Road, Bristol, May 2017Ryder, Wilder Street, Bristol, May 2016
I think that this might just be my favourite mural from Mr Penfold to date. I like everything about it. The proportions seem to work really well, the colours, the balance the designs and the shadows come together perfectly in this bright abstract piece.
Mr Penfold, Merrywood Road, Bristol, July 2020
Because Mr Penfold generally works to commissions, we don’t get to see nearly enough of his distinctive brand of abstract work on the streets, but for him to do so would probably erode his strong commercial brand. I really love this piece.
This is the third recent Kool Hand orangutan piece that I have seen and once again he is branching out into the use of patterned fills rather than the solid ones that have been such a central part of his past work.
Kool Hand, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2020
The character’s face has been filled with what looks like an army print camouflage effect, but is probably just a random green and white pattern. I am enjoying watching Kool Hand adding a layer of sophistication to his pieces.
A rather sweet pair of cuddly rabbits squeezed onto a small wall under the large ramp at Dean Lane skate park by none other than Nevergiveup or Followmyrabbits. Natural Adventures wouldn’t be Natural Adventures without regular posts containing these ubiquitous bunnies.
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2020
This pairing looks like a rather quick piece from Nevergiveup and I am guessing that it didn’t take too long, such is his expertise at creating these little characters. I suspect it was a quick one because the decoration is a little less elaborate than we have been used to of late. This wall gets tagged and dogged really quickly, so turnover here is very high. Nothing lasts long here, not even rabbits.
Like so many things, once you get your eye in, you up your game. I am now noticing more pieces by Evey and realise that I probably have a fair few in my archives as well. I have known about her work for a little while, but it wasn’t until her BLM collaboration piece under Brunel Way recently that I wrote my first Evey post. This is the second.
Evey, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, July 2020
Evey’s EVEN letters are well proportioned and the there is a nice twist with the second E reversed. Because I am teaching myself to spray paint I tend to notice little mistakes and the blue shading on the second E is slightly wrong which confuses the eye a little. It is Evey’s fills that I absolutely love though – maybe it is the natural subject of leaves and plants, but there is something very comforting one optimistic about them, and that is a good thing in these troubled times. Looking forward to posting more pieces from Evey.
Doors 117 – back to the old graffiti doors from my archives
Wow, a really busy week for me with the rest of my team all away on their hols and only me to man the fort. So a quick rummage around in my archives it will have to be this week.
Dabuten Tronko, High Street, Bristol, July 2018John D’oh, North Street, Bristol, July 2018Nevergiveup, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2018Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2018Nol, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Annatomix, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2018Andrew Burns Colwill, Westbury Hill, Bristol, August 2018
OK, so it’s not a door, but I figured that this trompe loeil window by Andrew Burns Colwill was worth including.
Silk Crystal street art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Gretl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Louis Masai, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Louis Masai, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Piet Rodriguez, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Another week gone in this crazy and unsettling time. In the UK we are due to have a few decent days of sunshine which always brings about a collective improvement in mood. May I wish you all a great week ahead.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors and you really ought to take a look at the Norm 2.0 blog – the originator of Thursday Doors where there are links to yet more doors in the comments section at the end.
The last time I posted something by this artist I had mis-identified him as Taboo… how wrong could I be? It is actually by Whos, and although his style is somewhat similar to Taboo’s it is very clear that this says WHOS.
Whos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
I have a rather soft spot for this piece. The letters feel very home-made if you know what I mean and the simple black pattern running through the middle of all the letters has a charm about it. Some might walk past this without even noticing it, but not me, I like it and look forward to finding more from Whos.
Natural adventures 