Tag: Urban

2742. Turbo Island

Oh my goodness, Sled One is literally (almost, figuratively too sort of) on fire at the moment, or at least painting fire, with this bright character toasting a cartoon marshmallow over a hot flame.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

This piece is more contrived than might at first be apparent. The subject is a direct nod to the bonfires that are regularly started on the little ‘green’ on Turbo Island usually by revellers, homeless people or addicts of one sort or another. I think that this is a remarkable piece by Sled One in so many ways. Technically it is brilliant, but equally brilliant is the little story that is unfolding in front of us.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

I don’t really know how it is even possible, but I think this young artist is just getting better and better and I’m not sure he is even close to peaking yet. I hope this purple patch we are seeing from Sled One continues well into the year.

2741. M32 roundabout J3 (194)

There is rarely a time when I don’t enjoy seeing work by Mr Draws. His DRAW moniker will be a familiar site to any observant Bristolian in recent years, even if they haven’t considered the name any further.

Mr Draws. M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2020
Mr Draws. M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2020

In this fun piece, Mr Draws has added interest to his writing with a little spaceship sending light beams down onto his work. Although not an original concept, it is a fun idea that brought a smile to my face. Mr drwas continues to show great stamina, painting walls come rain or shine and keeping Bristol’s USP ticking over nicely.

 

 

 

2740. St Werburghs tunnel (141)

It is not too often that you get to see a piece by Gage Graphics that is not a commission or a festival work, so this recent stunner in St Werburghs tunnel is something of a rarity. Featuring writing and a character, it is a real beauty and was a nice surprise when I came across it last week.

Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020

The writing says serif (I wonder if it is in anyway related to the typeface) and is expertly painted, with some nice arrows incorporated too. I suspect that Biers (who has other names) would definitely approve of the horse/donkey braying ‘ooohhhyyyeeeaaahhh’. A real treat.

Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020

2739. St Werburghs tunnel (140)

Walking the dog one lunchtime a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to meet two lovely artists busy at work at the farm end of St Werburghs tunnel. I recognised the work of Morny instantly, his naive style is both eye-catching and compelling, so I went and introduced myself. I was touched that he seemed to know about my Instagram/Twitter accounts, but I don’t know if he has ventured as far as Natural Adventures just yet. He introduced me to his painting partner Billy, who was painting a bright and colourful mural to his right.

Morny and Billy, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020
Morny and Billy, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020

I’m glad I took these WIP (Work in Progress) shots because when I returned a couple of days later to take pictures of the finished wall, it had been painted over. I cringed a little, because I told them that turnover on this particular wall was quite slow and that their work would be there for a while. Just shows what I know huh? Billy’s work reminds me a little of Zoe Power’s, because of its simple form and colourful fills. I do hope she isn’t put off by the rapidity of the disappearance of her piece and that she paints more walls this year.

Morny, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020
Morny, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020

There was one remaining part of Morny’s piece that survived for my return, but it only really hints at what had been there. Such a pity. I guess it is impossible to be everywhere all the time.

2738. Dean Lane skate park (280)

When Inkie comes back to Bristol, he usually marks his return with a little gift or two, and this one from a recent visit home is an absolute corker. Deliciously clean and sharp, this vibrant INKIE is a classy piece.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020

It is incredible how the colours leap out and slap you in the face, an effect probably exaggerated by the gray day and flat light. It is great to see a little shout out to The Agent, who is one of the longer established street artists in Bristol. Altogether a superb piece. Thank you Inkie.

2737. Dean Lane skate park (279)

I don’t need to write too much about this – regular readers will know the form. It is a rabbit by Nevergiveup or #followmyrabbits. This one is on the roof of the Bedminster swimming baths which is on Dean Lane, a popular graffiti spot but it has to be said that this rabbit stands out from all the graffiti writing around it.

Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2019
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2019

I’m not too sure how old this rabbit is – it looks quite fresh, and I have a feeling that there might have been a different one here before it, but then again I might be imagining things. So, so many more rabbits to share…

2736. Dean Lane skate park (278)

Forgive the rain spot on the feature image, it was a very wet day when I took these pictures, and no matter how hard I tried to protect the lens from the rain, I just didn’t meet with much success. Sometimes though you simply have to venture out in all kinds of weather to capture incredible pieces like this one by Decay for fear that they could be tagged or painted over at any time, especially in Dean Lane.

Decay, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
Decay, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020

I am loving the new direction that Decay is taking with his writing this year, with the inclusion of an additional set of letters behind his familiar ‘DECAY’. In this piece on the famous curved wall, he has written the letters HTM, which I believe is a crew name, possibly his partnership with Rezwonk, which stands for Hold the Mustard (thank you Paul). I look forward to January when it comes to Decay, because he seems to reinvent himself, not too much, and then kicks off for the rest of the year with the new idea. This particular idea has a lot of mileage in it and I can’t wait to see more.

 

 

 

 

2735. L Dub (12)

L Dub is a really great spot to refine your skills. It is out of the way and undisturbed, so there is no sense of being rushed. The walls there are for all artists, there doesn’t seem to be too much built-in hierarchy. DFC is a street art photographer/hunter who has been turning his skills to spraying walls, and he has been really busy over the last six months or so.

DFC, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020
DFC, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020

I am more used to seeing his DFC ‘bear’ type character so I was pleased to see this spray can with wings, which is another of his favourites. It is clear to see from his work that the more you practice, the better you get. It is what every artist has told me and I guess should come as no surprise. Plenty more in my archive to share from this emerging artist.

2734.Dean Lane skate park (277)

It is such an obvious thing to say, but I can’t stop myself… this is a two for the price of one wall from Slim Pickings (TES). It is not often that you get to see two pieces by the same artist side-by-side, especially painted around the same time. What is nice about these it that you can compare the subtle differences between the two designs, both of which are beautifully clean by the way.

Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020

I don’t know the derivation of his TES pieces, but I suspect they began as a tag and have evolved over time into these elaborate and aesthetically pleasing works. The one on the left has some excellent colour choices with a wavy separation and some nice drips on the T. Woz Yer = was here, possibly one of the oldest mottos used in graffiti.

Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020

On the right is a slightly older form of his TES with little accent marks to the bottom left and right of the letter sequence. There is a single solid fill, but in this one the whole thing is finished off with a red boundary line. Spotting the difference between the two is rather fun, perhaps he should do this more often.

2733. L Dub (11)

L Dub, (Lawrence Weston) is a spot I visit infrequently, but one that always rewards the effort. It is my premium dog walking spot, because it takes ten minutes of walking through a curious wasteland to get there and is close to Kings Weston where the dog and I spend many happy hours, particularly in the excellent cafe (doggie ice creams!)

Smak, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020
Smak, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020

On my most recent trip I was greeted by this magnificent piece of writing by Smak. He really is a brilliant writer and all round street artist and seems to be at the top of his game at the moment. The best way to try to understand just how good this piece is, take a good look at it and consider the colour transitions, the sharpness of the letters, the overall design, the shadows, the outline in blue and the decorative fills. All of these elements are brought together in a vibrant crisp clean piece… stuck out in the middle of nowhere where footfall is minimal. The joy of an artist in form.