6848. Star and Garter (9)

Short, Star and Garter, Bristol, April 2025
Short, Star and Garter, Bristol, April 2025

There are a clutch of graffiti writers who have only recently come on to my radar. I cannot work out if they are new to Bristol or whether I have just had a blind spot, when it comes to their work. Artists such as Squire, Mage and in this instance Short.

Short, Star and Garter, Bristol, April 2025
Short, Star and Garter, Bristol, April 2025

Of course, by their nature, these graffiti writers are quite secretive, and it is difficult to find out much about them. Short has painted some nice joined up letters in lilac, with a classic striped 3D drop shadow and black border. There is nothing fancy, and the fill is relatively plain, but there is something compelling about the letter shapes. Expect more here from Short soon.

LostHills

A gallery of fabulous wheatpastes and artwork featuring Jake the Dog from the cartoon series Adventure Time, by Liverpool-based artist LostHills.

Instagram: @losthills

Biography: Liverpool Radicals

All photographs by Scooj

LostHills, Jamaica Street, Liverpool, March 2025
LostHills, Jamaica Street, Liverpool, March 2025
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
LostHills, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills and C3, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills and C3, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

6847. Peel Street Green (38)

Cort, Peel Street Green, Bristol, April 2024
Cort, Peel Street Green, Bristol, April 2024

Cort doesn’t paint as often these days as he has done in the past, however, what he does paint tends to be pretty good. This stunning piece from the quiet artist is quick to grab the eye, with some simple shapes and colours, reaffirming the maxim that sometimes ‘less is more’.

Cort, Peel Street Green, Bristol, April 2024
Cort, Peel Street Green, Bristol, April 2024

The orange C is quite distinct from the chrome ORT, and given different treatment, creating a juxtaposition within the writing. The splash of light blue behind the letters is a clever design intervention to break up the monotony of the darker blue background. This is a nicely conceived and executed piece by Cort.

6846. Hackins Hey, Liverpool

Nomad Clan, Hackins Hey, Liverpool, March 2025
Nomad Clan, Hackins Hey, Liverpool, March 2025

Our trip to Liverpool was a short one, two days and one night, but just long enough for me to snap a few street art pieces. I got lucky with this magnificent large mural by Nomad Clan, because it was on the route between our hotel and the station. We were running late for the train, and my wife was less than impressed with me stopping to photograph this beauty – I did catch up…

Nomad Clan, Hackins Hey, Liverpool, March 2025
Nomad Clan, Hackins Hey, Liverpool, March 2025

Nomad Clan are not strangers to Natural Adventures, and the duo have painted a few times at Upfest in Bristol, always going large with beautifully creative works. There is a strong nature theme in this piece, with a bee (anatomically a little dubious) and an amazing cormorant catching a fish. There is a lot of detail in the whole piece, tattoos and a patterned dress for the main character, and loads of hidden extras throughout. This is an impressive mural from Nomad Clan.

6845. Greenland Street, Liverpool

Dave Bonsai, Greenland Street, Liverpool, March 2025
Dave Bonsai, Greenland Street, Liverpool, March 2025

As I said in the previous post, it is not difficult to find cultural references to The Beatles pretty much everywhere you go in Liverpool. Street names, pubs, cafés, statues, shops and of course street art and graffiti. There is no escaping it, and indeed it is exactly what you’d expect.

Dave Bonsai, Greenland Street, Liverpool, March 2025
Dave Bonsai, Greenland Street, Liverpool, March 2025

The reference in this piece, by David Bonsai, is that the disguised letters spell out ‘all you need is love’, but how cleverly painted. The letters look like molten metal, or perhaps a splash of solder from a soldering iron, and is beautifully executed. I don’t think I have come across the artist before, but it would be nice to get him along to Upfest in Bristol some time and decorate one of our walls.

6844. Watkinson Street, Liverpool

John Culshaw, Watkinson Street, Liverpool, March 2025
John Culshaw, Watkinson Street, Liverpool, March 2025

Perhaps the least surprising theme for street art in Liverpool was a link in some way or other to the Beatles. It seems that so much of the culture of the city is reliant on the greatest music group ever, and it is difficult to avoid any cultural references to them wherever you happen to be in the city.

John Culshaw, Watkinson Street, Bristol, March 2025
John Culshaw, Watkinson Street, Bristol, March 2025

This fine portrait piece of the Fab Four by John Culshaw (an artist I know nothing about) features, from left to right, Ringo, John, Paul and George. Each of the portraits is skilfully painted in two-tone colours, with the whole thing looking like an album cover. Fun fact, I was at school with Zak Starkey (only for a short overlap, and he wasn’t in my year), Ringo Starr’s son. More Beatles related street art in my next post.

6843. M32 roundabout J3 (671)

Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2025
Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2025

By the time this post publishes, I will be on the way to my last Arsenal football match of the season, which will feel like a bit of an anticlimax after beating Real Madrid 3-0 last Tuesday. I have had to write this piece last night, to make sure I am not too rushed in the morning. This is, of course, a wonderful piece generated from the complicated and brilliant mind of Kid Krishna.

Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2025
Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2025

The whole combination piece (there is a character on the left) looks like an assimilation of the character into the highly disguised and intricate letters. There are so many discrete components to the piece, it is difficult to know where to start really, and I think it is one of those pieces when you can use the maxim that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’. The graffiti writing is technically brilliant, and worthy of a long look  – and the character with the helmet… what is that all about?

6842. BB Gallery (6)

Creamylines, BB Gallery, Bristol, March 2025
Creamylines, BB Gallery, Bristol, March 2025

I don’t often trek along to the Bristol to Bath cycle path gallery, maybe only twice a year, but recently was rewarded for a visit with this magnificent piece by Creamylines. It is no secret that I am a big fan of the artist and love his ‘stained-glass’ landscapes.

Creamylines, BB Gallery, Bristol, March 2025
Creamylines, BB Gallery, Bristol, March 2025

This work is wider than most of his pieces and there is a lot more going on, with many little figures, eyes and birds to find. In addition, he has included a green character grinning in the top right. Of course, the central focus is on the sun and sky at the top end of the landscape. There is something tranquil about the piece. Bravo.

6841. Greenway bush lane (8)

Mote, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, March 2025
Mote, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, March 2025

I believe that Mote might have been one of the first, if not the first, artist to start colonising this long blue-bordered black hoarding in Greenway Bush Lane. As a pioneer, he may well be pleased to see that others have descended on the spot to decorate it.

Mote, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, March 2025
Mote, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, March 2025

In this piece, Mote has painted two bird-like monsters for the price of one. They look like distant relatives, sharing colours, but evolution has separated them. The top and bottom halves are reversed, and one has only a head, while the other has a neck and body. These monsters are so uniquely by Mote, and there is no need for a signature. A fine duo.

6840. Sparke Evans Park (128)

Lezaxer, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2025
Lezaxer, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2025

I posted a piece by Lezaxer not so long ago, and said at the time that it was one of at least two painted by the artist on a trip to Bristol. It looks like he teamed up with Grimes on this wall, and the pair painted a colour explosion for all to enjoy.

Lezaxer, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2025
Lezaxer, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, March 2025

I can’t be sure, but it looks like the intricate letters spell LAXER. The fills are exquisite, beautifully decorated in reds and purples. Contrasting with the letters is the deep green spotty 3D drop shadow, which gives enormous depth to the piece. The graffiti writing is beautifully finished with some stylised flame pockets dotted about the place. A banger of a piece.