I have been aware of The Addicted Doodler for some time, but never posted any of his work before (something that will change I assure you). What I didn’t know until I started to find out a little bit more, was just what a brilliant designer and illustrator the Bristol-based artist is as well as his more familiar street art.
The Addicted Doodler, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
This piece from Upfest is typical of his light-hearted style in which he gives human characteristics to inanimate objects in a cartoon style, sometimes quite reminiscent of Mr Potatohead. Personification? Whatever the style is called, I love the bright and cheerful look he brings to the streets of Bristol.
I like a bit of edge, and at This year’s upfest it was provided in small doses by the brilliant wheatpaster ‘What Have I Done Now’. I don’t know if he had a ‘feature piece’ or whether he had been invited to simply paste up his work wherever he felt like, but there was plenty of the latter on show.
What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
This small Piece appeared on the corner of a large advertising hoarding, and as with so many of these things, many visitors to Upfest walked straight past it, probably focusing on finding the next art venue. A pity.
What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I liked What Have I Done Now’s biography in the Upfest programme, it reads:
‘When people ask me what kind of artist I am, I say political.As more often than not I’m responding to the machinery of control as it grinds us all up in its gears. I’m trying to remind folk we can simply refuse to stop applying the grease.‘
There were several highly memorable pieces at Upfest this year, and this photorealistic colour negative by Takerone was in my view one of the best. Takerone, who comes from Hungary, tries to make his art photo real, but makes an effort to retain a natural look.
Takerone, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
If, like me, you are wondering what the positive image looks like, then definitely take a look at Takerone’s Facebook page which has a brilliant film clip with positive and negative versions of his work side by side. Just a great idea and incredible execution. I have tried to cut an image from his video below:
23Magpies is an artist I have admired for sometime now. Although she has already featured in one Upfest 2016 post already, her ‘official’ work, I couldn’t resist including some of her ‘extras’.
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
These extras are often left behind by street artists during a festival and wheatpastes in particular seem to appear all over the place. 23Magpies leaves these treats for people like me to find. Often she pastes them onto utility boxes and lamp posts.
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Generally to get a good look and photograph one needs to stoop somewhat drawing strange glances from passers-by. Of course if you don’t look, you won’t see. Some will never see beyond their next text message.
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
23Magpies is known for her wildlife and environmental themes in her work and with this cat and mouse pair she doesn’t sdisappoint. More 23Magpies extras in a future post…I promise.
The arches at the Carriageworks in Stokes Croft probably have the highest footfall of any street art location in Bristol, so when you create a piece there it always makes an impression, especially when it is as bold and exciting as this one by 3Dom
3Dom, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2016
I don’t know what happens in 3Dom’s mind, but he seems to have a fertile and creative imagination. A snail and a pagoda…what is that all about? Lots of symbolism or a story perhaps.
3Dom, Stokes Croft, Bristol, September 2016
3Dom has an amazing ability, not only to create extraordinary scenes and characters, but also to spray all sorts of different textures. For example the amazing slime trail dangling from the snail. Another outstanding piece in the heart of graffitiland.
Another Bristol writer with a distinctive style is Whysayit. His work appears all over the place and he often collaborates with other writers and appears as a pair of works in the same colour regimes but differing styles.
Whysayit, Upper York Street, Bristol, September 2016
This cheeky little piece is in the doorway between two larger walls favoured by Bristol writers such as Epok, Deamze and Kleiner Shames. Whysayit shortens his style for throw-ups by just spraying the letters YS. Really worth taking a look at his Instagram account.
There is something comforting about seeing Laic217’s work. He tends to paint in two forms: writing of his name with a character incorporated or an acid-house melting face.
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, September 2016
This is the third of these melting faces that I have come across and it is a great addition to the series of which the first and second have both been posted on this blog.
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, September 2016
I like his work and see how it is getting sharper with each new piece I come across. Laic217 is a prolific artist and appears to favour Moon street and the M32 roundabout for his work. I love his stuff, and I think it really epitomises the Bristol scene – raw, edgy and fun.
Laic217 and 3Dom, Moon Street, Bristol, September 2016
It has been quite some time since I last featured a piece by Decay, but I came upon this one quite by accident recently whilst seeking out a large mural by Kleiner Shames.
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016
I love the radiating geometry and colours that Decay uses in his work and love it that nearly always the pieces are uplifting and fun. Sometimes edgy and political, but always good to look at.
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016
Since moving to Bristol about a year ago, Decay has really made his mark on the graffiti art scene. He is now part of the furniture here, and that is a good thing.
I’m trying to work through some of the pictures I have been meaning to post for a while…there is just too much talent in Bristol.
3Dom, Wilder Street, Bristol, June 2016
This is a subtle little piece by 3Dom on a small side path off Wilder Street, which I photographed back in June, long before all the Upfest excitement. The unusual work has an emphasis on mushrooms – what kind we can only guess, but the whole piece has an hallucinogenic quality to it.
3Dom, Wilder Street, Bristol, June 2016
3Dom is utterly brilliant – there is little more to say really.
Every now and then I begin to think I know quite a lot about street art in Bristol. I write about it every day, and feature dozens of different artists in this blog. And then…I visit one of my favourite sites and see this, and realise I have so much more to learn.
Mr Penfold, Old Bread Street, Bristol, September 2016
It is always exciting coming across a new artist, but also a little threatening…how could I have missed them? Who are they? Are they local? Many doubts begin to challenge your knowledge and credibility. Then I have the light-bulb moment…I am doing this for fun, not to be judged. This is not work, it is a passion, and learning and discovery are my companions on this journey. I didn’t know anything about Mr Penfold (Tim Gresham), before I saw this, maybe I should have done but I have never seen his work before. This piece is so different and eye-catching, I had to find out more and write about it.
Mr Penfold, Old Bread Street, Bristol, September 2016
Mr Penfold (thirty-something) is originally from Cambridge, now based in Bristol, and works using various media and surfaces. Clearly a disciplined designer, he applies his talents to graphics, advertising, painting and street art. His work is very distinctive, and appears to draw on what I consider to be quite an ’80s and ’90s look. On reading his Facebook page I see that he has done another recent piece near where I work, so watch this space for more Mr Penfold.
Natural adventures 