Tag: Street art

1329. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (34)

It has been a while but it is always worth waiting for any works by Tom Miller. Tom is a hugely talented fine artist who creates wonderful and sometimes slightly disturbing surreal pieces, often involving distorted body parts.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018

This piece is located in one of Miller’s favourite spots and catches the eye of passing pedestrians and motorists, more than other work here. His artwork is very different and really stands out – we are lucky to see gallery quality paintings on the street.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018

There is a lot of symbolism in this piece…a hand instead of a face clutching a heart from which an arm is extending clutching another heart. So many ideas and bits of detail to marvel at, and all set on a background of light shades, shapes and colours. I love this piece and admire the artist hugely.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, February 2018

Sadly, nothing lasts forever, and the piece only lasted about a week before it was sprayed over by what looks like a thelocknessmonster piece. I know which I’d rather have hanging up at home.

1328. Dean Lane skate park (111)

Laic217 is most definitely back on the street again after something of a quiet time recently. This writing and character piece, typical of the artist, contains a skeleton in a beautiful quilted jacket, which has been sprayed expertly, to give shadows and texture.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018

The greeny blues contrast nicely with the pink background and the whole piece has something of a familiar feel to it. Of course, no Laic217 piece would be complete without a smiley or a bucket hat, and this one has both.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018

I don’t know why he has been fairly quiet recently, maybe he has work commitments, but it is great to see him back out again, and there are a couple more works from him to follow soon.

1327. Dean Lane skate park (110)

Just recently Biers has been rather busy in Dean Lane, and this is the first of two pieces I am posting. Biers likes this particular wall and has sprayed here before. I think I got here just a little late, as it has a rather incongruous line “cocaine is good for your brain” scrawled across the piece.

Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018
Biers, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018

In this wall I think he has included alongside the letters BIERS the cartoon character Willo the Wisp, the voice of which was expertly provided by the late Kenneth Williams. A nice tidy piece on one of my favourite walls in Dean Lane.

1326. Prince’s Place (3)

My absolute favourite piece of the year so far. This is an outstanding collaboration between two of the Bristol ASK masters, Sepr and 3Dom. As well as the composition, which is brilliant, the location is also cleverly chosen.

Sepr and 3Dom, Princes' Place, Bristol, February 2018
Sepr and 3Dom, Princes’ Place, Bristol, February 2018

This wall was home to a 3Dom piece of writing that had remained here for a long time, completely untouched. I do hope that this piece is offered the same level of respect. On the left is a snorkeler in blue, with gold trunks and a starfish on his head expertly sprayed by Sepr.

Sepr and 3Dom, Princes' Place, Bristol, February 2018
Sepr and 3Dom, Princes’ Place, Bristol, February 2018

If this isn’t weird enough, 3Dom has painted the most incredible jelly fish in rich and vibrant tones wearing a WW2 sea mine on its bell and with a chain trailing behind in its tentacles. A thing of quirkiness and real beauty.

Sepr and 3Dom, Princes' Place, Bristol, February 2018
Sepr and 3Dom, Princes’ Place, Bristol, February 2018

The whole thing comes together magnificently, the contrasting colour palettes of each artist marking their work but combining in the centre of the piece. So sharp and fresh, this is a really high quality piece. being in quite a narrow lane, it is quite difficult to capture in a phiotograph, but it is a real beauty.

3Dom, Princes Place, Bristol, February 2016
3Dom, Princes Place, Bristol, February 2016

1325. Upfest 2017 (135)

This stunning piece was the second by Oze Arv at the festival and one of several astonishing pieces he sprayed in Bristol while he was visiting. On the basis of seeing only these few pieces, I can without any doubt say that I admire his work hugely and hope he returns for this year’s festival.

Oze Arv, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Oze Arv, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

He uses a wonderful range of colours and combines an abstract form with superb wildlife illustrations, captured in a carefully balanced composition. In this piece it is a humming bird takes centre stage…in his other festival piece it was a ram. If I had the space and cash, I’d love to have a piece like this hanging on a wall at home. Classy stuff.

1324. Upfest 2017 (134)

This is a small section of a larger wall which was sprayed by the Lost Souls crew for Upfest 2017. The concept for this wall was for each of the artists to produce a kind of playing card with a character piece on it. Here we have a pairing of SPZero76 and Squirl.

SPZero76, Upfest, Bristol, July2017
SPZero76, Upfest, Bristol, July2017

SPZero76 has created an incredible skeleton figure, rather disturbingly holding a whole bunch of lollies and sweets. It would seem that he enjoys using these blues and purples in his work, as I have seen them in many many of his pieces.

Squirl, Upfest, Bristol, July2017
Squirl, Upfest, Bristol, July2017

The Squirl piece is also a skeleton but of something altogether different…a horse maybe or perhaps a dog (see the flying bones) but the dentition is all wrong. What is it with street artists and death? The horse/dog is interacting with the female skeleton, maybe he wants the sweets.

Both of these pieces combine well and are technically beautifully sprayed. More from the Lost Souls to come.

1323. Upfest 2017 (133)

Sophie Long is an established artist in Bristol whose wildlife pieces with stunning drips are well known to those who look out for such things. I recently posted her fabulous shark piece in Cheltenham road which I walk past pretty much every day.

Sophie Long, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Sophie Long, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This upright orangutan is rather beautiful and conveys so well the sombre disposition of these incredible creatures. we are reminded of our evolutionary closeness to them and our utter disregard for their environment. Orangutans have become an emblem of despair, but also of hope for the future. This fine piece would sit comfortably on any naturalists wall.

1322. Upfest 2017 (132)

At last year’s Upfest, 23 Magpies had a board all to herself, rather than her usual wheatpastes dotted around the place on utility boxes and lamp posts. I am a big fan of her work and am the proud owner of one of her small creations.

23Magpies, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
23Magpies, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This work at Upfest is a clever piece of artwork purporting to be a National Geographic cover. A nice political message up front and lovely illustration, which chimes very much with the National Geographic house style. Packing a punch and an evocative image.

1321. Upfest 2017 (131)

What a remarkable collaboration this was for Upfest 2017 between Guy Denning and Yatika Fields. The work can be found on Dean Lane, in one of the more difficult spots to view. There is a tree a few yards in front of it, which presents the viewer and photographer (let alone the artist) with all sorts of light related challenges.

Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I don’t know if these two regularly collaborate, but their two distinct styles come together to create a fantastic whole. The central face is by Guy Denning which if inspected closely is made up of carefully stencilled letters and patterns to make up the composite face – brilliant work.

Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The patterning and abstract work either side of the face is by Yatika Fields, who has spent most of his time working on the East coast of the USA. On their own, neither of these pieces would carry the same impact as they do together.

Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Guy Denning and Yatika Fields, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The reference and portrait is of Tara Houska Zhaabowekwe (I had to look her up) who is the national campaigns director at ‘Honour the Earth’, and a native North American.

 

1320. Chalk Farm (4)

This sensational piece, which was part of the Ferdinand estate initiative organised by Global Street art and Camden Council, is by Bristol’s very own Andy Council. So good to see an artist’s work in London that I am very familiar with.

Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017
Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017

This has all the hallmarks of a great AC piece: An animal (in this case a horse with a flowing mane), a fantastic colour palette and the whole being composed of architectural elements and local landmarks.

Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017
Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017

I remember seeing this on social media when he first sprayed it and thinking that I would probably never see it. When I found it, I certainly hadn’t been looking for it. If I had done my homework properly I would have known where to look. Somehow though I prefer to wander around places using my instinct to track down potentioal street art spots. It is like a sixth sense.