The Bearpit has not had very much new work since it was taken over by the Mexican exhibition in the early Autumn, which feels strange as I am used to such a high turn over of ‘quickies’ there. This one has slipped through the net though. Another nice simple stencil from RIP, who might as well just come and live in Bristol, as it would save a lot on travel.
RIP, The Bearpit, Bristol, December 2016I would guess it is called ‘beard envy’, and what a beard. This is a nicely worked stencil, and I particularly like the shadows on the block letters. Classy graff art.
There are rewards to be had when making the effort to walk just that little bit further, or turn down a street you’ve not been down before. My reward recently for doing this was to come across this beautiful mural on the front of a small terraced house in Montpelier.
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016Of course it is by the unmistakable Alex Lucas, who really has stamped her mark all over the area, and added to it’s boho atmosphere. The floral designs are bold and colourful, but for me it is always the little animal characters that I find most enchanting.
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016There is a mouse ringing the doorbell, probably paying a visit and another mouse perched above the door. Perhaps my favourite of these though is the frog slumped on a brick ledge above the basement well.
Alex Lucas, York Road, Bristol, December 2016A fantastic work by a brilliant artist/designer. Should you find yourself in Montpelier, it is well worth a visit.
Another fine example of wildstyle writing down at the M32 roundabout by the inexhaustible Sled One. This piece has a metallic look to it, not only in the colour palette but also in the angular nature of the lettering and embellishment.
Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2016
I have probably said as much as I need to in previous posts about how much I admire the work of Sled One. Always beautifully executed, never ever disappointing.
Those of you who who have read this blog before will probably recognise this piece instantly as the work of Osch. This is one of a series of works characterised by a frame of an orange/yellow circle with some kind of scene, usually silhouetted going on inside the circle.
Osch, the Stables, Camden Town, September 2016In this case it looks like the character is Guido Fawkes, although exactly what story the piece is telling I am not so sure. The other trademark style used by Osch is using painted ribbons to create the illusion of solid forms as can be seen from the face of Guido. He uses this technique to great effect in his rhinoceros piece nearby.
Osch, the Stables, Camden Town, September 2016Another compelling piece by this adopted son of London.
This is another happy piece by Laic217 in St Werbergs tunnel. It takes the typical form for his pieces of some wildstyle writing and a character. This time the character is a smiley face wearing what appears to be a bucket hat/spaceship. It seems that much of Laic217’s work is influenced by acid house culture.
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2017
The piece was located towards the north end of the tunnel on the farm side, and was not too badly affected by the terrible photographic conditions in the tunnel. If you want to see more of Laic217’s style, then simply type ‘Laic217 Bristol UK’ into google images, and you will get a feel for what he is all about. I like this piece
This is another piece I have been meaning to post for quite a while now, and it has been stacked behind a whole host of other circling photographs. The robot-like character holding the marker pen is by DNT, a Bristol favourite, and frequent sprayer in the Stokes Croft area. However, I don’t know who Marka? is, but the collaboration works nicely.
DNT, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2016DNT is, I feel, a much underrated street artist, probably because of the modesty of the places he chooses to spray. A little like Face F1st of PWA his works are often to be found on highly tagged walls, with loads of busy graffiti going on around. It is good when he gets a nice clean wall like this one and produces something as good as this. I like his work very much, and like that he is so very local. Still need to find out more about Marka.
Another nice piece by Deamze on the M32 roundabout wall, on the St Pauls side, from back in July 2016. It is quite an unusual piece, rather stylised and reminiscent of stained glass.
Deamze, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, June 2016It is not my favourite piece by Deamze and I can’t put my finger on why that might be. Possibly the background colour clashes a bit with the colours in the piece. Or maybe it is missing a cartoon character popping out somewhere. Technically beautifully worked though.
Another great artist to claim a wall in Rivington Street is My Dogs Sighs, and his piece is alongside other greats such as Fanakapan, Stinkfish and Thierry Noir. This is a piece typical of My Dog Sighs, composed of a pair of eyes, and on closer inspection a scene going on in the reflection of the eye itself.
My Dog Sighs, Rivington Street, Shoreditch, August 2016
This is a clever technique used by My Dog Sighs, and it is in the detail of the eye that the story lies. Difficult to make out, but the artist knows. It is always nice to stumble upon anything by My Dog Sighs.
I am still working through a gigantic backlog of images from a wonderful late Summer spree in Shoreditch. This is a really great piece by Fanakapan in the amazing Rivington Street – a street with loads of superb walls.
Fanakapan, Rivington Street, Shoreditch, August 2016
Fanakapan never ceases to impress with his mastery of chrome and helium balloon reflection works. It is a technique he has refined and he now owns it. Boom. If I were being brutally honest though, I would say that this is not his best work, it seems to lack some of the freedom of other pieces he has done. Maybe the space is a bit awkward. It is very good nonetheless.
Have you ever had that strange thing when you hear a word for the first time, maybe on the radio, or at work or something, and then, having never been aware of it in your life before, you keep hearing it again and again. One of those words for me was ‘segue’. It is funny how awareness works. And so it is with Andrew Burns Colwill for me. I didn’t know who he was only a little while ago when I posted about his goldfish. Now, as I go through my archives, I keep finding pieces by him, that I didn’t know were by him, and the best bit about that is that I can now post them here. ABC is very much front of mind for me at the moment.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2016
This piece entitled ‘Health and Safety’ encapsulates our nation’s obsession with H&S and our equal counterbalance of mocking it. “Hold the handrail” they say at work when going up or down the stairs. Infuriating, but somehow endearing. The problem I have with H&S is that it is enforced, not because people care, but because people want to be seen to be caring. Being seen to be doing things is the biggest sham. Just do it…then you will be seen.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2016
I seem to be on a bit of a soapbox. three glasses of wine and this is what happens. Back to ABC…I really like his work. There is something very serene about it, but in this piece there is something troubling too. Perhaps he is so moved by the H&S thing that he needed to express his feelings through his amazing art. I just rant. More to come in a while.