I’m getting to see quite a lot of work by Kool Hand dotted about the place, and what I see I like. His work is distinctive, using only a few strong colours to fill strong clean lines around his characters. There is a light-heartedness about his work which brings a smile to my face.
Kool Hand, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018
The writing part of this piece spells out KoolH and is rather nicely filled out with what looks like a bit of a jungle scene commensurate with his crocodile character. It looks like his dark green might have been running a little low. I love the way he always preps his walls with a whitewash background, another tell-tale sign that Kool Hand is about.
Yeah, the bunny is back, not the NEVERGIVEUP bunny, but the Hire bunny. This rather dark bunny carries all the hallmarks of a Hire piece. The massive buck teeth and the angular Gothic shapes that make up the fur – much of his writing also uses this sharp-edged style.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018
I have a very soft spot for Hire’s work, both his rabbits and his writing – there is a seriousness and melancholy about them. I’d like to know what the speech bubble says, it is probably a Polish reference. Nice little tribute to CKone as well.
Yet another fine collaboration between Cheo and Soker – these two seem to be on something of a roll at the moment, producing countless pieces all over the city of Bristol. This one perfectly fills the space on the hoardings in front of a new development.
Cheo, Raleigh Road, Bristol, September 2018
The piece is bookended by a pair of mischievous spray can characters painted by Cheo, and in the middle of all of this is a dazzling piece of writing by Soker which spells out SUMOE. I guess I should know what sumoe is all about, but alas I have no idea. There is a whole bunch of #sumoe graffiti Instagram, most of it in the USA.
Cheo, Raleigh Road, Bristol, September 2018
Cheo has pretty much nailed it with his bookends as he seems to with pretty much everything he does. With their dark furry eyebrows, there is something of the Muppets in his characters. Of course we are also graced with the presence of one of his signature bees.
Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, September 2018
Soker’s writing is composed primarily of four horizontal layers ranging from light blue at the top through to light purple at the bottom, each layer smattered with accents or decoration. He has also worked quite an unusual double 3D shadow cast by the letters. This is a great collaboration from this ASK duo, and well worth the trip to Raleigh Road.
As is so often the case with finding new work on the street, I was not looking for this piece. On the contrary I was trying to capture a few more Upfest pieces that I hadn’t yet seen in their completed state and drove past this hoarding. I had to act quickly to pull over into a free parking space and jump out of the car for a quick snap.
Smak, Ashton Road, Bristol, September 2018
This sublime graffiti writing is by the superb Smak, and is outstanding in many ways. The colour palette is beautifully selected and the chrome/grey parts of the lettering in particular have a great 3D effect. The letters spell out SMAK but are quite nicely concealed in this piece. Really great work.
When I first saw this remarkable piece on Instagram I knew I had to get down to Dean Lane as soon as possible to see it before it got buffed or dogged. It is by the brilliant SkyHigh, who was obviously on a flying trip to Bristol.
SkyHigh, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018
SkyHigh’s works can probably best be described as writing out his name in a mash-up of different block letter styles and colours. To some it might look messy, but to others this is a considered and stunning way to put a piece together. I love his work, and this is one of those pieces that looks great in a photograph…and even better in the flesh. I was pleased to have been able to see it. Top work. Nice little tribute to CKone and nod to his painting pal Roo.
I wander up and down Leonard Lane reasonably frequently. How is it then that I have only very recently spotted this Trump piece by Will Coles? By the look of it, it has been here for some while and even been sprayed over.
Will Coles, Leonard Lane, Bristol, August 2018
This is the same as the installation he positioned in The Bearpit back in April this year. That one only lasted a few days before being torn down. This one, although dogged has fared a little better. If nothing else, this piece has reminded me to keep looking and to keep looking up.
He keeps spraying them and I keep posting them. This is yet another ‘TES’ from Slim Pickings using a rather bright colour palette of purple and light blue, which seems to work rather well.
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
I like his work, the repetition and precision, striving for perfection. I like his colour selections looking for contrast or complememtary shades, always thinking. It is probably about time I saw another one of these.
What a lovely surprise this was in Dean Lane, a small piece from Skor85 squeezed in between some other works on the long wall. I haven’t seen anything from her in quite a while, so it was good to stumble across this one.
Skor 85, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
An interesting perspective of a dog in which the bare teeth are somehow brought into sharp focus by the blood-red background. A slightly scary piece, but really nicely presented. I like Skor85’s work very much – there is an ‘other worldly’ feel to it all…dreams and nightmares.
I had no idea this was here. Unheralded, unannounced and not picked up on Instagram, this wonderful new piece from 3Dom is in Frogmore Street where there used to be a collaboration by RichT and 45RPM (you can just see the remains of it in the doorway) which seems to have been here forever.
3Dom, Frogmore Street, Bristol, August 2018
We are used to seeing rather surreal work and dream-like characters from the brilliant mind of 3Dom, but occasionally he also creates these wonderful abstract concentric designs, and this one really hits the spot.
3Dom, Frogmore Street, Bristol, August 2018
I hope he returns to finish up in the doorway, because as it stands it looks a little untidy. Maybe he has already done it, I don’t know as I’ve not returned since I took the pictures. The colours and shapes are reminiscent of some kind of organic life, almost like a coral reef. The shading and highlights are really clever, giving the whole piece a sort of 3D effect. Lovely work.
I became aware of this piece of work when I saw an Instagram post from Tasha Bee describing a collaboration on Turbo Island, Stokes Croft with Mr Draws. I decided to walk home…I usually get the bus because I don’t feel as fresh as in the mornings…and what a good decision that was.
Mr Draws and Tasha Bee, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2018
By the time I got to Turbo Island I had already found two new pieces in roads I don’t often visit, which was a great start, and Mr Draws and Tasha Bee were just finishing off and tidying up.
Mr Draws and Tasha Bee, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2018
This wall hasn’t been sprayed for a long time, and a collection of artists supported by the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft (PSRC) are trying to resurrect it as a ‘legal’ wall with a regular turnover. This is a risk, because the site is prone to impromptu parties and gatherings and often gets pretty messed up.
Mr Draws and Tasha Bee, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2018
The collaboration itself is rather lovely, with Mr Draws’ multicoloured mountains and two figures by Tasha Bee and the message in both Latin and English ‘All things are in common’, which expresses the idea that the world belongs to everyone, rather than the way society is organised where the disposessed and dominated are overlooked to the benefit of the few.
Sadly the piece was tagged less than 24 hours later – predictable but annoying really.
Natural adventures 