I have walked past this pioece by Mr Penfold a handful of times, but not until recently did I have my camera with me, which is a pity really because it has been rather spoiled with a tag. It is in a little alley just off Nelson Street and close to St John the Baptist church.
Mr Penfold, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
His work always contains these abstract designs in bright colours, often incorporating animal print patterning. The colours in this piece are typical of his work, which can often be seen brightening up shop fronts and public spaces. Something about his work reminds me very much of the 1980s, it might be the brashness of the placing together of contrasting patterns and colours. Always instantly recognisable, and usually upbeat work.
Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of Tom Miller, Bristol artist. A gallery.
All photographs taken by Scooj
Tom Miller and Kin Dose (Kin Official), Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, Upper York Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, Upper York Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, Upper York Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, Upper York Street, Bristol, December 2021Tom Miller, New Stadium Road, Bristol, February 2021Tom Miller, New Stadium Road, Bristol, February 2021Tom Miller, Smak and Sled One, Nova Scotia, Bristol, July 2020Tom Miller, Nova Scotia, Bristol, July 2020Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020Tom Miller, Surrey Street, Bristol, October 2016Tom Miller, Surrey Street, Bristol, October 2016Tom Miller, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020Tom Miller, Stapleton Road, Bristol, September 2019Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, Jessop Underpass, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, Jessop Underpass, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, Jessop Underpass, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, Jessop Underpass, Bristol, March 2019Tom Miller, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Tom Miller, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018Tom Miller, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018Tom Miller, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2018Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2108Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2017Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017Tom Miller, Richmond Road, Bristol December 2016Tom Miller, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016Tom Miller, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016Tom Miller detail, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2016Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2016Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2016Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2016
I have a feeling that I may have walked past this piece once or twice before I actually found it. I first saw it on Instagram and noticed that it was in Bristol, but it was impossible to work out where, so I asked the photographer, and he said it was in Leonard Lane. Even then it was difficult to find as it is rather well camouflaged with its surroundings.
Cartoonneros, Leonard Lane, Bristol, April 2019
The stencil of Yoda is by Cartoonneros and I am guessing that he must have done it during the same visit he made when he sprayed the excellent Kurt Cobain stencil in Dean Lane skate park. This is a fine addition to the vibrant and ecclectic array of graffii and street art in Leonard Lane. Who doesn’t love a Star Wars stencil?
I said that there would be more from Decay, and by gum I am a man of my word. It feels like he is enjoying a new lease of life, and not only with writing letters, but also with his colour selections – less so perhaps in this piece but generally he appears to be using more colours in his work.
Decay, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2019
I think I might have to approach him and ask if he would be prepared to do an interview, because I think his story is likely a very interesting one. Note to self – get of arse and message Decay. More still to come from Decay.
Another supreme example of gothic graffiti writing from Hire, who seems to have a real soft spot for this left-hand end of wall in Dean Lane. He has sprayed several other pieces here before. Hire used to work quite a lot in The Bearpit, but I haven’t seen anything of his there for an age.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019
This is a bright, confident and strong piece that is impossible to ignore. It screams out at the passer-by ‘look at me’. The letters I think spell out HIRE – I can see it whether it is there or not. He has also written quite cryptically ‘The BF One’ along the base of some of his letters. I have seen BF written before, in fact Hire’s Instagram handle is #hireonebf, but I don’t know what it relates to. He is a man of few words. I’ll have to ask him next time I see him.
Together with Zake (see previous post), Panskaribas is emerging as one of my favourite new(ish) arrivals on the Bristol scene. Both artists are becoming more bold with their wall selections as their confidence grows and it is a great thing to witness. I would continue to describe Panskaribas’s work as cubist doodles in spray-paint with a dash of surrealism thrown in.
Panskaribas, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019
One can see all sorts of references to various modern art movements in his work, but his skill has been ion blending these and coming up with something quite unique and really unusual in street art. An acquired taste perhaps, but so worth spending time to look at what is going on in these paintings – do I spot some Matisse in here?
From a couple of weeks ago, this is a fine piece from Zake, whose work has definitely come out into the open after a gestation period in the partial light of the columns at the M32 Spot. I often wonder what his characters would look like with the pupils of their eyes drawn in, their absence gives them a somewhat aloof aura, deliberate of course.
Zake, M32 roundabout, March 2019
The happy face, I suspect is about to get a whole load happier judging from the pill on his tongue. I know little of such matters so have to make assumptions. I am really enjoying the evolution and exposure of Zake’s work.
The day I found Banksy’s ‘Rose Trap’ turned out to be rather special for another reason. I had taken a detour from my normal route in to work , and rather than try to return to my normal route, I decided to just meander a little in the right direction. It was a great deceision because only 100 meters or so from the Banksy was this stunning piece by ATM.
ATM, Spring Hill, Bristol, March 2019
I have known about this lynx for some time, which I think it was actually painted in November 2016, but I never managed to find it. Sometimes life just catches up with you, and good intentions fly out of the window. In a way, finding a piece like this without intent is somehow extra rewarding… it is like receiving a gift that you weren’t expecting.
ATM, Spring Hill, Bristol, March 2019
The sensational piece is nestled at the bottom of a very steep and narrow cobbled lane that leads up to Cotham. On his twitter feed at the time, ATM wrote:
This tweet I think tells you how much ATM cares about wildlife, and he uses his art to raise awareness and get people thinking about the world around them.
It is unfortunate that the patches (presumably covering up tags) weren’t properly colour-matched with background, but great that someone cares enough to keep this piece in great condition. Let’s hear it for the lynx.
I have been writing about and photographing Bristol street art for about four years now, and I suppose I like to think that I know quite a lot about the contemporary scene. Now when you talk to people about Bristol and street art or graffiti, the conversation pretty much always starts like this:
“oh, Banksy, he is from Bristol isn’t he?”
To which I reply
“yes he is, but there are a whole ton of brilliant and talented street artists in Bristol who are not Banksy”
Generally the point I am making when I do this is that Bristol is not a ‘one trick pony’, and that 99.9% of the street art in Bristol is not by Banksy, “come and take a look at the vast array of talent on offer”. Some shrug their shoulders “m’eh” they say and look for some other iconic brand to schmooze with. Others open their eyes and enter into the secret garden that is Bristol street art. Welcome.
A digression.
I didn’t even know about this Banksy piece until about a fortnight ago, and found it while I was fannying about on Google streetview. What this goes to show is that I have so much more to learn, and I am open to that, completely. The piece is called Rose Trap and must be quite old. It is protected by a piece of Perspex and sited outside a residential back gate, such an inauspicious place.
Banksy, Thomas Street North, Bristol, March 2019
The piece is so typically mischievous, as you’d expect from Banksy. I know little of the history of this little gem, but I expect there is quite a lot of information about it on the Interweb.
Banksy, Thomas Street North, Bristol, March 2019
Finding this treasure is one of the little perks of this hobby (is it a hobby or an obsession? Is there something in between that sounds a little more cerebral?). Banksy.
A new Mexican cantina has opened up in Stokes Croft called Masa and Mezcal where the old MEATliquor use to be. The cantina looks rather nice and has a fresher feel than its predecessor. Because this is Stokes Croft, it wouldn’t quite feel complete without some street art about the place, and this building has always had art and tags.
Jody, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2019
Who better to adorn this new outlet than Bristol’s Jody. Here he gives one of his beautiful portrait pieces which blends into the graffiti that pre-existed on the wall in a thoughtful and sensitive way, giving the whole thing an air of credibility rather than whitewashing and starting afresh.
Jody, Stokes Croft, Bristol, March 2019
This is a piece that will be missed by many, because although it is new, it looks like it has been here for ever. Very beautiful, very clever.
Natural adventures 