A perfect evolution stencil for skaters, using the well known ‘ascent of man’ graphic from The Agent. This is an old photograph, and it feels like forever since I saw anything new from The Agent.
The Agent, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2016
Maybe he has given up painting on the streets, or maybe he is taking a break or perhaps he is now taking a back seat, now that his son Angus is on the ascendency. Whatever his reasons I hope he hits the streets again soon – maybe for Upfest, which I know he gets involved with – because I miss his mischievous Minions.
I really like the work of Ments and this is a really great example of his organic writing style. It takes a little while to get your eye in, but look carefully enough and you can clearly make out the letters ‘M E N T S’ and once you see it, it is difficult not to see it.
Ments, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2016
His work is quite unique in Bristol and therefore really easy to spot when you see it. Once again, I’m not sure why this piece has been languishing in my archive for so long, but at least I have posted it now. It was originally painted adjacent to a wonderful Sled One piece and both pieces were of the highest quality from this ASK pair.
This is an old one by Laic217 from my archives, and I think it demonstrates really well the progress he has made over the last couple of years. This was a format that he used a lot back then, his letters and a character. Somehow it all looks a little more crude than his current work. Always great to see an artist develop.
Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016
The lettering is the word LAIC, somewhat broken up, and the character is that of a young woman with her hair tied up. It is a curious looking portrait, but there is something rather compelling about it.
Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016
I can’t think why I never published this at the time…maybe Laic217 was going through one of his productive periods and I couldn’t write about them quickly enough. Anyhow, great to post it now.
It is funny how easy it can be to miss things. I know this piece is reasonably new, but I don’t know exactly how new. I drive past the wall when I park up at the M32 to take pictures there, without really looking at it, because the artwork there has been the same for years. So I only noticed on my last trip.
3Dom, Feek and Sepr, Fern Street, Bristol, June 2018
I don’t think many other ‘hunters’ have spotted it either, because I’ve not seen it on Instagram at all (or maybe that passed me by too!) It is a brilliant and vibrant piece by 3Dom, Feek and Sepr for the Children’s Cycle Exchange in St Agnes. The collaboration is full of fun and utterly in tune with young minds, even incorporating a cheesy joke about a flea DJ.
3Dom, Feek and Sepr, Fern Street, Bristol, June 2018
I am not entirely certain about which bits 3Dom did and which Feek did, and it might be that they truly collaborated on the snail-on-a-bike and the central writing. The right hand side is unmistakably by Sepr albeit a bit more colourful than some of his work.
3Dom, Feek and Sepr, Fern Street, Bristol, June 2018
I felt very privileged and lucky to find this piece on two counts…its utter excellence and its modesty, in that it was completely under the radar. Very, very happy.
Once in a while we are lucky enough in Bristol to see a large commission piece appear in a public space, the last significant one being the Jodi piece for the Florist on the corner of Park Street and Charlotte street. This beautiful commission is by Zase and can be found in Mina Road.
Zase and Dekor, Mina Road, Bristol, June 2018
Were it not for visionaries who commission this work in the first place, our streets would be considerably duller than they are. In this case, the recent owner of the restaurant is also owner of several other buildings in the area and he is keen to get some of those painted up too.
Zase and Dekor, Mina Road, Bristol, June 2018
This magnificent piece is a solo work by Zase as I am told that Dekor, his painting partner, has returned to his homeland (Slovakia?). A theme that Zase returns to again and again is the natural world, and this piece showcases his talent for painting birds and a natural landscape.
Zase and Dekor, Mina Road, Bristol, June 2018
There is something about flamingos that street artists seem to like – maybe it is the vibrant colours or the curious body form, whatever it is there are a disproportionate number of them out there. Not that I’m complaining mind.
Zase and Dekor, Mina Road, Bristol, June 2018
I like pretty much everything about this mural and of course it contains the trademark 3D moniker from the artist just to the right of the flamingo. Well worth a trip to see this one.
I am suffering a little from Draws withdrawal (see what I did there?) because it has been 45 posts since I last wrote about him. He or I must be losing our touch. This piece, at the end of St Werburghs tunnel, hence the light differential, is a cheerful quick one using an interesting patchwork style to fill the letters.
Mr Draws, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, June 2018
I really like the colour palette that Mr Draws has used for this and the way he has managed to distribute the colours in a way that pleases the eye. What I like most about Mr Draws is how utterly in love with his craft he is, and it comes across in his work.
It is simply not, not possible (thank you Manja Mexi Movie) to admire the bravery and talent in the work of Tom Miller. This transformation of a container that is more used to hosting quick burners is quite remarkable. Sadly, it has since reverted, but for a few fleeting moments class had arrived in this Dean Lane spot.
Tom Miller, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Unfortunately I arrived a little too early to see this piece completed – there is a little footnote in the bottom right saying ‘Back 2moro’. I think it was almost completed, but when I returned only a few days later it had been over-sprayed. It is part of the game, and all artists know the score, but there is something disrespectfully self-destructive about writing over good art I feel.
Tom Miller, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Tom Miller confounds with his surreal explosiveness, connecting a dream world with a tangible one. The colours he has used and the overall effect is like nothing else I have ever seen in Dean Lane. I do like it when highly competent and trained artists take to the streets, it adds to the incredible diversity of free art. Bravo! Tom Miller.
What a lovely piece this is from the great Fiva in the depths of St Werburghs tunnel. It is a clever piece that lifts itself out from the wall with superb shadowing in black and dark green.
Fiva, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, June 2018
I’m not sure whether it is the silhouettes or the font , the colours or the expert shading, but I really admire this piece, which is a bit strange, because it is not necessarily my natural leaning. One of the pleasures of hunting out street art is coming across something that makes you feel really good. This is one of those. Thank you Fiva.
One of the nice things about ‘coming out’ about discovering a new artist is that you can trawl through all your old images and start to post some of their older work, and so it is with Daz Cat whose pieces I have only been posting for the last two or three months.
Daz Cat, The Bearpit, Bristol, November 2017
This great cat face in one of The Bearpit tunnels is from November last year and is a really good example of the work of this artist. I always feel that his work is quite simple, but take a closer look and there is a lot of detail and finessing in there. This is a great example of themed work and a distinctive style.
I took this picture a while back, and it was rather overlooked because of my excitement at finding a fine piece by SPZero76 (adjacent) and a wonderful Sepr scene (adjacent but one). Because I didn’t know the artist who created this excellent work, the photographs languished in my archives. Now to my delight I have pulled them into the full glare of the WordPress community.
David Shillinglaw, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2017
When I decided to write about this piece, I still didn’t know the artist, and had to do a little research to find out that it is by David Shillinglaw. Shillinglaw is not a local artist and although I am not familiar with his work in Bristol, I think I might have seen work by him in London (another trawl through my files to come). I love his style, which is beautifully described on his (as yet incomplete) website. So what about Melon Twister? this is beautiful, colourful and surreal piece, full of symbolism (keys, locks…what’s going on there?). Check out the cigarette and smiley smoke. There is a lot to look at here and to ponder on. I am really eager to see more from this distinctive artist.
Natural adventures 