1874. Upfest 2018 (93)

I first encountered the work of The Thomas Brothers at Upfest 2016 where they produced this wonderful work in North Street. Their style is highly distinct and recognisable, pulling together a kind of 1980s meets pop art flavour full of colour and dazzle.

The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 201818

This piece can still be found in the Tobacco Factory car park and is well worth a look. It is particularly gratifying to have pictures of the work in progress as it gives an insight into how the brothers construct their work.

The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

Backgrounds are laid down first, which are then over-painted with stencil work, marking out the finer detail of the piece, such as the writing and the features on the woman’s face. The final touches are added to create the completed collaboration which is vibrant and assertive.

The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I like the way these guys work and am pleased that they visited again in 2018.

487. Upfest 2016 (61)

I knew nothing of the Thomas Brothers before Upfest where I saw this dazzling piece. The British brothers work together and bring in elements of 80s childhood experiences into their work, such as cartoons and Japanese toys, and create their contemporary works using these influences.

The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Looking at this piece, I can really feel the 80s screaming out at me. The style they use, they call collaborative layering, and there is more explanation of this on their website. I would describe the whole effect as 80s pop art for the 10s. Hmmmm.

The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The Thomas Brothers, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I will be keeping a sharp eye out for these two in future, as I like their work and it ticks a lot of my own ‘looking back’ boxes.