6611. Cumberland Basin.

Blam, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024
Blam, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024

Seriously quick one today – I have loads of Christmas preparations (housework) still to do, and very little time to do it in. This is a nice mega-tag type of piece by an artist I don’t know much about, called Blam, who I believe might live in Bristol, and who paints occasional pieces.

Blam, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024
Blam, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024

This spot is one I really like, and Blam has managed to fill the space well with this ultra-green combination piece.

6610. Cumberland Basin

Vane and Bnie, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2024
Vane and Bnie, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2024

This stunning collaboration from Vane and Bnie was painted a little while ago during a paint jam organised to wish Mena a swift recovery from her accident in Thailand. The character on the left is by Vane and the writing, spelling MENAS is by Bnie.

Vane and Bnie, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2024
Vane and Bnie, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2024

The colour selection in this collaboration is really quite something, with the purples, pinks and mint green working exceptionally well together. I don’t get to see much artwork by Vane, and Bnie hasn’t painted too much this year, so this collaboration was bonus and a bit of a treat. I hope all the good vibes created during this paint jam have helped Mena on her journey to recovery.

6609. Gloucester Road

Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024
Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024

I found and photographed this piece a little while ago, and perhaps should have waited and got some better pictures, once the site in front of it was cleared. The huge mural was an unsigned mystery, and so I have held back on posting it. Once again, I have Paul H to thank for his detective work in finding out that it is by Hazard. Well, well, well, who’d have thought it?

Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024
Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024

Hazard has a particular style that is quite easy to pick out, but this commission on the side of the Anchor pub on Gloucester Road is nothing like her usual style, and I don’t think I would have ever guessed it was by her, especially as she left Bristol about two years ago.

Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024
Hazard, Gloucester Road, Bristol, September 2024

There is so much to like about this mural, which tells the Bristol story, with balloons and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, some colourful Georgian houses, a swan, a gull and of course an anchor. It really is a magnificent mural, but I simply don’t understand why she didn’t sign it… curious. Driving south along the Gloucester Road, this piece has quickly become something of a landmark.

Shade One

A gallery of extraordinary portrait pieces by the magnificent Shade One.

Instagram: @shad.eone

All photographs by Scooj

Heat One and Shade One, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Heat One and Shade One, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Shade One, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Shade One, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Shade One, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
Shade One, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Shade One, St John's Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Shade One, St John’s Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2023
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2023
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2022
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2022
Shade One, Goldie and 3Dom, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2022
Shade One, Goldie and 3Dom, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2022
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2022
Dibz and Shade One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2021
Dibz and Shade One, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021
Dibz and Shade One, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021
Shade One, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021
Shade One, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2021
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Shade One and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020
Shade One and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Shade One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Shade One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

6608. Sparke Evans Park (112)

Bazamataz, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024
Bazamataz, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024

It would be a bit of an understatement to say that I really like this piece. I don’t know what it is about it, perhaps it is the unique fills for each of the constituent parts of the letters NESK, or perhaps the freshness of an artist I am not familiar with. Probably a combination of the two.

Bazamataz, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024
Bazamataz, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024

The artist is Bazamataz (thank you, Paul H), and the colourful piece stands out brilliantly on the grey backwash and above the autumn-brown leaves. It all comes together so well and stands out a mile. The 3D drop shadow might be a little lost, and could have been a bit more prominent, but it is a small matter really. Wonderful work.

6607. North Street

Kid Krishna, North Street, Bristol, November 2024
Kid Krishna, North Street, Bristol, November 2024

When I say that this piece is in North Street, I wouldn’t want to send people off to Bedminster unintentionally. This is the North Street that is part of the A38 that branches off the Bear Pit roundabout. The piece by Kid Krishna is on the hoarding outside what used to be the Blue Mountain.

Kid Krishna, North Street, Bristol, November 2024
Kid Krishna, North Street, Bristol, November 2024

The combination piece contains the usual cryptic writing from Kid Krishna, spelling CRIE, and the character aspect is in the form of a partial skull. I think that there is some special part of Kid Krishna’s brain that is able to visualise and create these pieces, which are really quite different from much of the other stuff on the streets of Bristol. Often his characters are partial or hinted at, rather than being overt full-on, which makes it all the more intriguing.

6606. St Werburghs tunnel (467)

Hypo and ZBomb, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024
Hypo and ZBomb, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024

Hypo has been quite busy in St Werburghs tunnel of late and here he has teamed up with ZBomb, to create this rather nice collaborative wall. The only common factor between the two pieces is the blue background, but it qualifies as a collaboration because of that and the fact that they painted together.

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024

The Hypo letters are less elaborate than some of his recent pieces and the horizontal fills – I can see at least six colours – create a nice traditional feel to the piece. The whole thing sits nicely on the background, and is beautifully bordered with a yellow line and a few icicle drips.

ZBomb, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024
ZBomb, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024

I don’t know much at all about ZBomb, but I am sure I have seen other work by the artist about the place. This is a real case of say what you see… the letter Z painted over an archetypal cartoon bomb. The piece is eye catching and instantly fun, sometimes the simplest of ideas can be the most enjoyable. A nice collaboration.

6605. St Werburghs tunnel (446)

Nips, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024
Nips, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024

These pictures are proof that it is always worth taking pictures (however bad the conditions might be) of street/graffiti art if you can, because the next time you swing by the piece might have gone. There was a van parked in front of this writing by Nips when I passed by, but I thought I’d try to photograph the piece, even from rather weird angles, just in case it didn’t last. It didn’t, so the strategy worked, and I get to share the graffiti writing, even if the pictures aren’t the best.

Nips, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024
Nips, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2024

Nips is one of my favourite artists in Bristol at the moment. Her simple and no-nonsense approach to her letters and her creative fills, in this case nicely worked blue and grey blended colours and spots,  tick my boxes and make me happy. She is one of a handful of artists that always bring a smile to my face when I find their work.

6604. Frome Side (46)

Oust, Stivs and Noise, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Oust, Stivs and Noise, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

This magnificent triptych forms one part of a larger paint jam under the M32 prompted by World Wall Stylers wi the theme of the animation Ninja Scroll – not a film I am familiar with. The three artists who have collaborated are Oust, Stivs and Noise.

Oust, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Oust, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

To the left is some highly accomplished writing from Oust. Quite how it relates to Ninja Scroll, I don’t know, but having not seen the film, connections might be difficult for me to spot. There is a misty quality to the piece, and the 3D drop shadow is masterful.

Stivs, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Stivs, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

The obvious focal point of the collaboration is the wonderful character piece in the middle by Stivs, whose talent appears to have no bounds. I am assuming that the character is taken from the animation, and is wielding a fine double ended sword. Stivs is so good at painting these kinds of characters.

Noise, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Noise, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

To the right, the ubiquitous Noise has added his own inimitable style to the proceedings with some chunky bronze letters spelling out NOISE. His letters hive some nice fills and a contrasting pink drop shadow. The common factor with each of the three pieces is the greens-blue plasma cloud surrounding. Very nice work from the trio.

6603. Dove Street South

Fowsachi, Dove Street South, Bristol, November 2024
Fowsachi, Dove Street South, Bristol, November 2024

UPDATE: Thanks to Mike Matthews for informing me that the artist is in fact Fowsachi.

As regular readers will know by now, I don’t really like posting pieces by unknown artists, but it does happen from time to time, in particular in relation to large one-off murals, like this one. I expect that this piece is signed, but it is difficult to get close, because it is painted in the middle of a housing block, and it would feel a little awkward to go snooping around.

Fowsachi, Dove Street South, Bristol, November 2024
Fowsachi, Dove Street South, Bristol, November 2024

I don’t recognise the style of this artist, which makes me think that it is either painted by a visitor, or by an artist who rarely paints in Bristol… of course I could be quite wrong on both counts. The bright and colourful piece is certainly uplifting in quite a bleak block, and features bold elements including a figure, and what looks like a parrot. All part of the Bristol street art scene, and a welcome addition to the area.