I really like the work of Ments and this is a really great example of his organic writing style. It takes a little while to get your eye in, but look carefully enough and you can clearly make out the letters ‘M E N T S’ and once you see it, it is difficult not to see it.
Ments, Upper York Street, Bristol, October 2016
His work is quite unique in Bristol and therefore really easy to spot when you see it. Once again, I’m not sure why this piece has been languishing in my archive for so long, but at least I have posted it now. It was originally painted adjacent to a wonderful Sled One piece and both pieces were of the highest quality from this ASK pair.
I write my posts in batches, getting a few done in advance, when I have a moment to do them. This can be tricky while juggling a full-time job, two teenage children, a cat, a dog, a chameleon, an extremely hard-working wife, housework, an allotment, decorating and so on. Life is full, and it would be impossible to find the time to write two posts a day every day. Doing them in batches also carries economies of scale, where I can process a batch of photographs in one go and writing tends to come more freely once you are on a roll.
Why am I mentioning this? Well, by the time I publish this post on a fabulous piece by Kleiner Shames, I will be on a special short break trip in Barcelona with my daughter, and I wanted to say ‘hello from Barcelona’, but to say this I have had to think ahead and I am saying ‘hello from Barcelona’ from the comfort of my study which all feels a bit artificial really, but is helping me to get very excited about our trip.
Kleiner Shames, Upper York Street, Bristol, May 2016
This is a fine piece of writing from one of my favourite Bristol artists who now lives in London. I have posted many of his works on this blog, and each of them is a winner. Concealed in this splash of colour is the word ‘FOIS’…time in French. Most of his pieces have this word, and at first I thought his street art name was Fois.
Kleiner Shames, Upper York Street, Bristol, May 2016
This is another one that I have dug out of my archive, because it is simply just too good not to share.
Oh and ‘Hi from Barcelona’ I think I’m having a wonderful time.
Well, well, well. This is a sensational piece of writing by Epok which was sprayed at the same time as the Sepr pianist. Two great artists painting together but not a collaboration. The modern phrase that comes to mind when I look at this is ‘he’s smashed it’.
Epok, Upper York Street, Bristol, February 2018
With some references to the modernist movement, this piece is technically brilliant, bringing together elements of writing, shading, colour selection and mood that have created a master work.
Epok, Upper York Street, Bristol, February 2018
Anyone with aspirations of becoming a writer should take a long hard look at this piece. It would be worthy of hanging in any gallery. Perhaps you have noticed that I like it…a lot.
This has been a winter where some of the giants of Bristol street art have awoken and decorated our walls with some of the finest works for a while. Sepr is one such giant who seems to be painting most weekends and turning out some really high-quality work.
Sepr, Upper York Street, Bristol, February 2018
What a stunner this is – ‘knock it on the head – before it knocks you on your arse’. I’ve not heard the expression before, but am willing to adopt it on the back of this wonderful Sepr work.
Sepr, Upper York Street, Bristol, February 2018
The common thread running through much of Sepr’s work is music, and musicians and here he has painted a pianist stretched out and toppling off his stool. For me, his works have a very strong retro feel and remind me of 1950’s cartoons – the hairstyle and the trilby are not of this decade.
Sepr, Upper York Street, Bristol, February 2018
These cartoons, beautifully drawn are pulled out from the wall by some expert shardos that govo it a bit of a 3D feel. Definitely worth a look.
I’ve noticed that Ryder’s work just seems to be getting better and better lately. His use of colours and textures in his writing has gone on to a new level in recent months and this is a prime example of a classy piece.
Ryder, Upper York Street, Bristol, June 2017
This is a more complex design than some of his previous work and it is only just possible to make out the letters in this wildstyle piece. both the top blue and bottom yellow portions go through a colour/shade gradient vertically which creates an impressive effect. I am liking =his work more and more. Expect further posts.
There is a big reveal to come here. I met T Rex for the first time a couple of weeks back and felt very stupid indeed. Nothing too sinister, just that I have been making that terrible mistake of assuming gender, before knowing it. T Rex is a woman, and not a man as I had thought. I apologised accordingly, and she was fine about it, or so she seemed. I however, being a sensitive soul about such things, cringe with embarrassment still.
T Rex, Upper York Street, Bristol, June 2017
Oh well you learn each day. One of the things I am learning is just how much I love Bristol street/graffiti artists. All have been so kind and chatty and indulge me in my rather boring conversation, often trying to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do.
This is a rather fun piece in a neat little alcove on Upper York Street. I believe the previous piece there was by Whysayit. Just to the left of her dinosaur is a piece by her great buddy Ryder.
This is an old one going back a year, but what a great piece to be able to pull out of the archives. It s a stunning piece of writing from Epok, with all the things we expect from him, strong lines and sharp angles merging with round edges and curves. A geometric style that is pretty unique to Epok.
Epok, Upper York Street, Bristol June 2016
I dug this out, because I am trying to finish the Upfest 2016 posts before Upfest 2017 at the end of this month. This particular work was sitting in my folders from 2016 which I have been trawling through and screamed out at me…’publish me’.
Epok, Upper York Street, Bristol June 2016
There are other oldies to follow. I can only guess that I didn’t publish this before, because I always have way more material than I can possibly post about on two posts a day.
