What better way to celebrate Goldie’s birthday than to paint a rather slick tribute, which is what we see here from Dibz and Jody. The sharp letters are by Dibz and the unusual fill by Jody, who is perhaps better knows for his characters and portraits.
Dibz and Jody, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2025
As well as providing the ‘canvass’ for Jody’s work, Dibz has also painted a Metalheadz logo (Goldie’s record label) and THK to the right. The fill of Goldie’s trademark gold teeth by Jody is quite remarkable, and notable for the reflections (probably of the photographer or viewer). The whole thing is crisp, neat and tidy. A little bit more attention to the black buff (a second coat?) and this would be perfection.
I was fortunate enough to meet Scrapyardspec for the first time last weekend, and had a conversation with him that helped me to put his work into some kind of context. I’d also add that he was a really nice bloke (I was going to say young man, but somehow it sounds patronising, when it really isn’t meant to).
Scrapyardspec has been painting the streets for about two years and has lived in London, but now lives in Cheltenham (I think) but manages to get to Bristol about once a week, which would account for his productivity over recent months.
Scrapyardspec, River Avon, Bristol, August 2025
Like so many artists who work on a theme, Scrapyardspec spent a long time replicating the same basic character, but in recent weeks has been expanding the theme with additional elements. In short, he has mastered his basic approach and style and is now modifying and adapting it, adding more interest and variety to his work.
This pair of goofy characters share the same basic DNA, but one has three eyes and a wobbly tongue, where the other is more like the basic model. Both have the inclusion of brown teeth. Where this will all end up, who knows? But it is a privilege to be observing Scrapyardspec’s development.
Scrapyardspec, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
Scrapyardspec has returned to Bristol recently and dropped a whole load of pieces at spots all over the city, which seems to be his modus operandi when he visits. This multicoloured goofy face is in the little ‘tunnel’ area alongside the long wall at Cumberland Basin.
Scrapyardspec, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
There is something completely loveable about Scrapyardspec’s characters. You pretty much know that you are going to get a wobbly face with lots of teeth and googly eyes, but there is enough variability within that formula to ensure that each piece is interesting and unique in its own way. The background colours are what mark this piece out from some of the others, being much more colourful ‘a la fruit salad’ I would say. More to come from our welcome visitor soon.
Pura Decadencia, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2025Pura Decadencia, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2024Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2024Pura Decadencia, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, February 2024Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2020Pura Decadencia, East Street, Bristol, September 2021Pura Decadencia, Redcliffe subway, Bristol, March 2021Pura Decadencia, River Avon, Bristol, November 2020Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Although she doesn’t paint walls all that often, Pura Decadencia nearly always makes an impact when she does. Her unique bubble writing style combined with vampire teeth sinking into letters and long tongues makes her work instantly easy to spot.
Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2024
Pura Decadencia’s work is most endearing; despite the potentially gruesome theme and blood drops, there is something that is gently and warming about her work. Perhaps it is the bubble letters, or the bubbly background, I don’t know, but the bitter-sweet presentation works very well indeed. Nice work.
CD.TC, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2023CD.TC and Daz Cat, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022CD.TC, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2021CD.TC and Daz Cat, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2021CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2021CD.TC, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020CD.TC, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020CD.TC, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2020CD.TC, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2020CD.TC, Daz Cat and Kool Hand, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2020CD.TC, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2020CD.TC, Purdown, Bristol, July 2020CD., St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2019
When he’s not busy painting them, I am busy finding them. Mote tends to paint in pulses of activity, although to be fair his ‘quiet’ periods never last very long, which means that it is almost impossible to keep on top of his work during his bust times. The end result is that it would seem that there are always pieces out there to find, and this beauty on Feeder Road is an example of that.
Mote, Feeder Road, Bristol, August 2023
I love the site selection for this piece, almost as though the monster is lurking with intent to surprise passers-by. A friendly looking monster, in spite of his fierce teeth, beautifully painted with creative doodle fills, this is a really fine example of Mote’s work and a demonstration of how far he has come in a short time and how sophisticated his work is becoming.
Mote has taken a bit of a shine to this spot on Peel Street Green, and the wall lends itself really well to his work, because it is square. It isn’t quite so good for graffiti writers, who in the main prefer rectangular spaces for their letters.
Mote, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023
This Mote monster is armed with an array of extremely sharp teeth, and three eyes (the central one more of a pineal body than an eye). Usually Mote creates happy-go-lucky monster characters, but this one isn’t quite as light as some of his others. Colourful gums and lovely fills, Mote just keeps on getting better and better.
This bright piece from Gosia Wadada both delights and frustrates me. Firstly, it is great to see that this artist made the most of her time in Bristol, painting both here and in Cumberland Basin, however, her choice of panel to paint on, was not great, because she painted over a one third of a very fresh and magnificent portrait piece by Rozalita.
I was once told by an artist that it is a bit disrespectful to partially obscure somebody else’s work, you should either leave it or go over the whole thing, and sometimes you can tag the artist in your new replacement as an acknowledgement. But as I am frequently told, there are no rules and it is a jungle out there. In fairness, I’m not sure that Gosia Wadada would have known that the Rozlita piece was only a few days old.
Gosia Wadada, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2023
Gosia Wadada has visited Bristol before (thank you, Paul H, for your Instagram post) and I will dig the piece out and post it some time soon. In this ‘swapsies’ piece, Gosia Wadada has painted two of her trademark mouths, but switched the colour combinations, to create opposites, although you might spot the small inconsistency in her approach. The mouths work well on the carefully constructed red backdrop, and overall this is a refreshing and fun piece. I would love to see more of her work in Bristol.
I love it when artists get busy, and Zake has been super-busy of late. It is incredible how versatile he has become over the last few years, sticking to his roots of stylised portrait work, but expanding his repertoire of characters immeasurably.
Zake, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022
This piece was painted as part of a trio alongside Daz Cat and Kool Hand in the St Agnes subway under the M32 roundabout. The rather weird character is all teeth and no hair, and judging from the blood vessel on his neck appears to be a little vexed about something. A really nice piece from Zake, who is pushing the boundaries with increasing frequency.