Tag: Street art

2497. Cheltenham 2018 (4)

Going to Cheltenham for the first time this September was such a treat, especially because so many pieces from last year (2018) were still intact, including this extraordinary and brilliant piece by SkyHigh.

SkyHigh, Paint Festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019
SkyHigh, Paint Festival 2018, Cheltenham, September 2019

I have seen SkyHigh’s work in London and in Bristol, but I think this piece in Cheltenham is as good as any other that I have seen. I can’t quite be sure that it isn’t a collaboration, because the jungle bookends don’t quite match his style that I am used to. As always SkyHigh spells out his letters with each one being distinct from the next to bring together an ecclectic whole that just seems to work. I have seen other artists try thisd technique, but in my view SkyHigh is top of the division. Sensational piece.

2496. St Werburghs

Taking the dog for a walk does have its plus points… just occasionally you walk down a different street – often the dog’s choice – and discover something new. Finding vans with street art is such a sweet pleasure because being mobile, the perception is that seeing them is something of a rarity. Finding a van as beautifully painted as this one by Inkie is a real treat.

Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

Looking a little bit like the Scooby van, the artwork here by Inkie is simply exceptional and features two of his stylized beauties, one on each site of the van, and the hair curls swirling around all over. Great colour combinations and the skill of a brilliant artist make this van highly desirable, I mean who wouldn’t want it, even if only for a day?

 

 

2495. St Werburghs Tunnel (100)

We exist for the time being in a divided nation, but there is growing consensus that Boris Johnson is wreckless and is being found out for the blatant opportunist he appears to be. I think that many (particularly in Bristol) citizens would have some sympathy with this fine work from Nightwayss.

Nightwayss, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Nightwayss, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

Commensurate with many of his recent sketches, this piece is in black and white and all the more effective for it. There is something about the style of this one that reminds me a bit of the excellent Winsor McCay and his comic strips ‘Little Nemo in Slumberland’. Nightwayss continues to impress with his fine work.

2494. M32 roundabout J3 (172)

Grrrr. Dappled shade. It drives me bonkers.

This great piece, if you can see it, is by Hypo, whose work pops up every now and again, and although not the most prolific of Bristol artists, his work is always worth waiting for.

Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019
Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019

This ‘HYPO’ has an icy feel to it, which is perhaps exaggerated by what look like icicles hanging off some of the letters, and the red and yellow fills have a translucent look to them like ice lollies or stained glass. A fun piece wallowing in late summer sun.

2493. Brunel Way Bridge (23)

Always neat and tidy, Rusk has painted yet another lovely piece of graffiti writing this time under Brunel Way. I never get to see as much of Rusk’s work as I’d like to, nor meet him often enough, as he is a really decent bloke who is great for an in-depth chat about his and other artist’s work.

Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2019
Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2019

If I ever get even remotely good at spray painting, I’d like to think I’d have a similar approach to is as Rusk. He is meticulous in his work and will take time to get his lines perfect and his brilliant blended fills just right, stepping out from his work to get a good look at it and then going back to tweak it. Back and forth with love, care and attention.

2492. Dean Lane skate park (253)

Slim pickings has been very busy during the late summer and early Autumn, and it seems that there is barely a week that goes by without a new TES at Dean Lane. This clean and tidy one in grey shades is really rather smart looking, and the curved line between the E and the S is there, a point of discussion on my last post on Slim Pickings’ work.

Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019

I used to think that his pieces were all identical, but that is not the case, and he is constantly evolving the form of TES, perfecting it and then making subtle adjustments. Always good to see these beauties.

 

 

2491. M32 roundabout J3 (171)

I didn’t think we’d be seeing work from Morny in Bristol again for a while, but clearly he likes to visit and likes this wall at the M32. This is all good news because he has painted another of his larger than life vehicles in his naive art style.

Morny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019
Morny, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019

This time Morny brings us a Porsche 917k in bright colours and fancy headlights. Now I don’t know much about cars, but for petrol heads there is a whole load of stuff on Wikipedia about the Porsche 917k. I’ll content myself with Morny’s version.

2490. M32 roundabout J3 (170)

Hurrah… another piece from Lobe, an artist whose work is instantly recognisable and really stands out from the crowd. It is the boldness and simplicity of her pieces that really appeal to me, but take a little look a bit closer and you can see the thought that has gone into the shading and lines that make her style so distinctive.

Lobe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019
Lobe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2019

Finding her work is still  hugely rewarding as they are relatively rare, but I am sure that over the coming weeks and months we will be seeing plenty more from this emerging talent. Hit me with those big colours!

2489. Little Paradise (4)

Well I’ve heard that Nevergiveup is leaving town, I’m not sure where he is going or whether he’ll be back, but you can walk anywhere in Bristol and it won’t take long to find a little reminder that he was here. His rabbits have become a bit of a thing over the last eighteen months or so and I still have a great many to find.

Nevergiveup, Little Paradise, Bristol, September
Nevergiveup, Little Paradise, Bristol, September

This purple fellow is in little paradise (possibly one of the least apt names for a place), propping up a long wall that has some interesting stuff at the other end of it. I have many more rabbits in my archive, but I like to intersperse them with other pieces – I have to be fair to all artists in the city. So although the artist may be leaving, his legacy will be appearing on the pages of Natural Adventures for some time to come. Farewell Nevergiveup Familia.

2488. Upper York Street (16)

An artist who just never seems to stop, and the number of posts on Natural Adventures featuring his work would evidence that, is Face 1st. In recent weeks he seems to have reverted to his charming portraits and hair spelling out FACE after experimenting with full body characters, always female, during the summer. I like it that he is stretching his ‘portfolio’ and that he remembers where he has come from too.

Face 1st, Upper York Street, Bristol, September 2019
Face 1st, Upper York Street, Bristol, September 2019

This one on Upper York Street, adjacent to Hazard’s wonderful frog, is full of soft subtle tones that contrast with the brighht pink background. I’ve rarely come across a piece by this artist that I haven’t liked.