Another nice piece of graffiti writing from a resurgent Turoe One, nice and heavy on the chrome. Turoe One is a highly versatile writer who explores different styles and scripts and colours so that if he were writing something other than his name, it could be a challenge to identify his work. Does that make sense?
Turoe One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
This photograph was taken during March and was probably my penultimate trip down there before lock down happened. I can walk to the North Bristol spots from home and have been able to check them out, but Bedminster is a bit of a hike, so I’ve not seen whether there is much new there, but I doubt it. I’ll continue to trawl through my archives.
A contemporary stencil from John D’oh on the M32 cycle path was completed shortly before the lock down and mocks the insane and irrational panic buying for toilet roll that obsessed the nation. In my lifetime I’ve not seeen anything like it. In one shop I went to in the early period of this madness I saw a woman send her young son to run into the shop as it opened and grab a couple of large multi-packs – I shouldn’t think they’ve even got through a quarter of it yet. There’s nowt as queer as folk as they would say in Yorkshire.
John D’oh, M32 cycle path, Bristol, March 2020
I haven’t seen much from John D’oh since the Cheltenham Paint festival so this was a rather pleasant surprise in a spot that I woudn’t ordinarily associate with him. In this commentary piece he brings together his slightly caustic wit and stencil skills to present us with a retro family, fully masked, clutching their trophies as if this were quite a normal situation. This piece reminds me of the satirical cartoonist Glen Baxter, which is a compliment indeed.
Strictly speaking, this is not the Star and Garter but the building opposite it, but it is in the general area. This wonderful collaboration was completed shortly before the lock down and is between painting partners Sled One and Ments.
Sled One, Star and Garter, Bristol, March 2020
On the left is a beautifully sprayed pigeon in a style that you would instantly associate with Sled One. The bread thing going on? I’m not sure but it could be a pun on pigeon toast instead of pigeon post, but it might be something else altogether.
Sled One, Star and Garter, Bristol, March 2020
Sled One pieces are often quite mysterious and although there is pretty much always a story going on, understanding it can be tricky. The fabulous colours used and his technique of clever shading to create a 3D effect are of the highest quality in this piece.
Ments, Star and Garter, Bristol, March 2020
Ments, whose work has always had an organic flavour to it, has been experimenting of late with a range of forms and textures, including spheres and metallic objects. This is a really unusual abstract piecem that looks slightly unfinished in the top left hand corner. I will be interested to watch where this new directtion for Ments will take us.
There is no question about it, I have seen a whole ton more work by Hemper in the last six months than I have over the previous five years. He seems to be free to paint more regularly for whatever reason. Unfortunately nobody can escape the Covid-19 lockdown and his productivity might be dented for a little while.
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2020
This is an all-round crowd pleaser with nice colours, gently curved letters and some very pretty fills. Clearly this is the work of a highly experienced graffiti artist and there is an ease and self-confidence about it.
Another old gem discovered on a ‘Covid-14 dog walk’ in Montpelier by very local artist Alex Lucas. This part of Bristol is liberally sprinkled with commissions by Alex Lucas and her murals have become part of the USP in this Bohemian district of the city. I had toyed with the idea of reserving this one for my Thursday doors post yesterday, but wanted to highlight it as a fine example of Alex’s work.
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, March 2020
The front gate features a spider and a (Bristol) fox and the words:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery”
It is beautifully painted in her distinctive illustrative style and although looking a little weathered is a charming addition to her portfolio. My recent dog walks are proving to be fruitful in ways I would not have predicted.
This epic piece probably signals the last for a while from Bristol-based artist Fiva. Clearly Covid-19 related, the two breakout pieces of text spell out:
“Stay safe” and “look after your gran”
There has been a lot of this kind of language spoken and written in recent weeks and this I think captures the state of national compassion exhibited by the vast majoity of people with dissenting arseholes remaining silent or out of sight.
Fiva, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
As with the previous post, less is definitely more although this less is also more, making it more less is more. This is the second epic piece by Fiva in recent months and I have a feeling that this one might last rather longer than the last one.
Fiva, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
There is little that Fiva can do wrong in my eyes and I find this a thrilling and brave piece. A nice touch is the grey shadows just to the right of each letter giving the whole thing a bit of a lift. This piece oozes class and I love it.
Sweet and simple, this is a classy piece of writing in the tunnel from Nightwayss. His recent awakening with the start of sprinng has been put on hold, just like all the other artists by the Covid-19 outbreak and lock down rules. I think it would be hard to justify spraying a wall as essential exercise. Some artists have taken to painting on boards in their gardens/yards and I will get my board out of the greenhouse, just as soon as the robins that have taken up residence in there have hatched and fledged
Nightwayss, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Sometimes less is more and I think that is the case with this piece from Nightwayss. There is something about this that is very easy on the eye, its simplicity, the font style perhaps. Just because it is simple doesn’t mean it is easy. Great care has been taken with the piece and it is not a simple throw up, just look at the background for evidence of that. A nice one from Nightwayss.
At last I have found it and better late than never. Thanks to the lock down restrictions, my driving to street art spots has been replaced by my walking the dog/exercise walks and when you are on foot so many more possibilities are open to you. It is easy to nip down this lane or trundle over to that place without worrying about parking, one way streets etc etc.
I have been aware of this piece by 3Dom for a couple of years now, and without realising it have been agonisingly close to it without ever finding it, that is until last week. I could scarcely hold back my exclamation of joy and sense of relief that it is still in great condition.
3Dom, Brook Hill, Bristol, March 2020
The work itself has an aesthetically pleasing symmetry to it and although there is nothing specifically 3Domish about it, it is instantly recognisable as one of his pieces. My life is now complete (well that might be a bit of an exaggeration but I do feel a tremendous sense of relief).
The strangest thing about walking in Bristol at the moment is the curious juxtaposition of avoiding other people, by walking out into the road or crossing it altogether, and yet saying hello to them by way of an apology for having to avoid them in the first place. These are indeed curious times.
Digging deeper into the archives. I took this picture in November 2017 in Camden Town, a full year and five months after it was painted by JXC. Frankly it is probably as good a photorealistic piece you are going to find anywhere, anytime. Why didn’t I post it before? I baffle even myself.
JXC, Camden Town, London, November 2017
The picture may feel familiar and that is because it Chunk from the film The Goonies although with the addition of a tattoo on his stomach of JXC. I met the artist at the Cheltenham Paint festival last year, and he is such an incredibly nice guy and so modest with it.
JXC, Camden Town, London, November 2017
It can be difficult to process that this piece has been painted with spray paint, and the sharpness of the patterns on the shirt are simply extraordinary. Similarly the out of focus background adds to the apparent authenticity of the piece. A small miracle.
Utterly inexplicable! how on earth did I fail to post this brilliant column piece by Kid Crayon back in June 2017? And how have I not retrieved it from my archives before now? I think this illustrates just how many pictures I have in my archives that get left behind and that what you see here on Natural adventures is just a fraction of what is out there on the streets every day.
Kid Crayon, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
What is quite unusual about this column piece is that it spans three sides of the column and so is impossible to enjoy from standing in one position.
Kid Crayon, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
On the first face (or is it the third?) is a purple-faced girl and monster, apparently unrelated. Purple or blue-faced characters is a bit of a trademark for Kid Crayon, as is the turquoise colour that he uses a lot in his work.
Kid Crayon, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
On the second face are some more rather weird animate and inanimate objects along with another face, this time I am pretty sure it is a self-portrait of the artist, and if it isn’t, it ought to be because it looks a lot like him.
Kid Crayon, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
On the third and final face of the column are a couple more characters one of whom is singing? a rainbow. Let’s embrace and own this as a Coronavirus rainbow of hope. This is unfathomable and simply brilliant work by one of my favourite Bristol artists and incredibly nice guy.
Natural adventures 