Weston-super-Mare – Natural adventures

Thursday doors – 13 June 2024 – Street art doors

Doors 268 – Street art and graffiti doors of Bristol (and Weston-super-Mare)

I have been away from Bristol a bit this week, and not had any time to prepare my final part of Cheltenham doors, which I will share in my next Thursday doors post. When this happens, I tend to recycle some existing photographs that I have taken for my graffiti and street art blog posts. gather them together and post them as a doors collection. It is a pragmatic solution to a diminishing time resource window (any more corporate speak welcome at this point).

These doors (and I use the term as loosely as possible) were originally posted in March, April and May 2023, but may have been photographed before that. I hope you enjoy them. Normal service should resume next time.

Alex Lucas, Montpelier, Bristol, February 2023

Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

I cheated a little with this one, but there is a door behind the wall.

Maybe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023

Is a hatch a door?

Aspire, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Do car doors count?

That’s it for this week.

If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s Thursday Doors post.

by Scooj

5461. Weston-super-Mare

TEAone, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Sometimes things are just meant to be, and this outstanding piece by TEAone for Westonwallz simply couldn’t be more at home than within this framed spot on the side of a building in West Street, Weston-super-Mare. I am guessing that the frame once played host so some kind of advertising hoarding, or something along those lines.

TEAone is an exceptional artist and painted one of my favourite pieces at Upfest 2022 (below). Everything about this piece is perfect, and it captures a typical traditional beach-front scene perfectly, with colourful awning, donkeys and a boy on a bicycle. Packed full of atmosphere alongside serenity. This is a magical piece by TEAone… it would make a perfect jigsaw puzzle too.

5460. Weston-super-Mare

Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

You wait for a Willl Cross piece to come along and then two come in quick succession, although actually, this one was painted some time ago, August 2022 to be precise, for Westonwallz, in Old Post Office Lane, Weston-super-Mare. Will Cross has an incredible knack for making contemporary scenes look like they have come from the romantic period in the 1800s.

The reality of this scene is that it is a pallet bonfire on Turbo Island, a small triangle of land in Stokes Croft in Bristol, claimed by the people for the people, which often plays host to a variety of revellers, alcoholics, drug users and casual passers-by. Bonfires are a common occurrence, even since it was concreted over this year.

This piece is painted in a narrow street, but I photographed it when the sun was playing tricks and causing a fair amount of reflection, which is a pity. I love Willl Cross’ style and would very much like to own one of his stunning paintings, but I imagine they are way beyond my budget. There is something very beautiful about the quality of light in the piece, and mystery about the figures sitting round the fire, chewing the fat. A couple of people in the background have stopped to look at the goings-on, which is beautifully observed and an accurate representation of what would happen.

Willl Cross has created a scene, which on first inspection could be a rural scene, but in actual fact is about as urban as it gets. Brilliant work and an outstanding touch from the artist.

5304. Weston-super-Mare

#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Continuing with the Weston Wallz theme this morning, is this fabulous piece from the enigmatic #DFTE, who after something of a hiatus has come alive over the last year or so, upgrading his small pictures dotted around Bristol to full-size murals with his witty and sometimes wise one-liners.

#DFTE comes from the ‘signwriting’ school of street art, but with his own idiosyncratic twist. In this piece from Weston Walls 2022, the drippy letters, in his own ‘house font’ says “Don’t think too much, just do what makes you happy”. If only it were that easy, but I love the sentiment. #DFTE is another artist who I am lining up for a gallery – watch this space.

5303. Weston-super-Mare

Bex Glover, Weston Wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

The Weston Wallz initiative has without question introduced a breath of fresh air in this breezy seafront town. Many of the buildings in the town, instead of being drab and rather weathered can boast some of the finest murals in the country, but it is not only the large walls, but some of the smaller ones too that have a direct uplifting impact on the locals, and Old Post Office Lane hosts a handful of wonderful pieces.

Bex Glover is no stranger to Bristolians, and to see one of her beautifully designed murals in Weston-super-Mare as part of Weston Wallz 2022 was a real treat. Her nature pieces create a sense of calm and beauty, and reminds of a natural world that we should cherish. The fox is a beauty, and I am rather fond of the two little fish that make an appearance too. A wonderful piece in a ‘ghost’ window.

5292. Weston-super-Mare

Andrew Burns Colwill, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

I recently shared a gallery of outstanding artwork from the brilliant Andrew Burns Colwill on my personal Facebook page (I rarely use it these days), and it had a very positive response, which is not surprising really, such is his talent. I came across this piece, which was painted for last year’s Weston Wallz (I think), on a recent visit to Weston-super-Mare, with my friend Paul H.

Andrew Burns Colwill doesn’t shy away from making bold political statements, and much of his recent work has been about the potential impacts of climate change. In this piece he lampoons Parliament, and with some justification, and presents politicians and apes, the central Orangutan being draped in a Union Jack. Political commentary goes hand in hand with a lot of street art, but rarely so beautifully painted. I am reminded that I haven’t yet posted his Upfest piece from last year… so much to do. This was a very pleasant discovery.

5291. Weston-super-Mare

Andy Council, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

I remember being rather annoyed with myself that I hadn’t found this wonderful piece by Andy Council painted for Weston Wallz, when I visited last year, but patience is a virtue, we are told, and finding it this year felt like an extra special prize.

The seagull scene is painted in Andy Council’s distinctive component style, where the whole image is made up of component parts, that on their own don’t much look like anything we recognise, but when stitched together present a remarkable form. The gull is eating chips (quelle surprise) and on the other side a trademark ammonite is holding an ice cream in its tentacles. Superb seaside fare from Andy Council.

5279. Weston-super-Mare

Sophie Long, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Bristol artist Sophie Long is a favourite, not only in her home city, but also on the street art festival circuit, so it is no surprise to find a piece by her in Weston-super-Mare for the Weston Wallz project. What is perhaps a little surprising is the scale of the piece, taking up two entire walls of a corner building, occupied by ‘Dolphin Square Kitchen’.

On the front of the building, Sophie Long has painted a happy dolphin, some coral and a jellyfish, and this fits very nicely with the restaurant below and the overarching marine theme of the Weston Wallz project, but it is what lurks on the side of the building that I expect will generate most interest.

The open-mouthed great white shark looks like it will be making short work of the restaurant branding – or it is targetting the 20 mile an hour sign. The piece is beautifully painted, with the mottled shades of the shark’s skin faithfully reproduced. Another fine piece in a string of amazing festival pieces from Sophie Long.

5278. Weston-super-Mare

Curtis Hylton, Weston wallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

The Upfest team, through the Weston Wallz project, have secured some of the most commanding walls imaginable, and handing this one to Curtis Hylton was a master stroke of vision and confidence. Rarely will you get such an uninterrupted view of an epic wall like this one, so massive congratulations to all involved

Many of the murals painted for Weston Wallz carry a marine theme, due to the proximity of the town to the Severn Estuary seaside. In this outstanding piece, Curtis Hylton has painted an eclectic collection of seals, an eel and some freshwater goldfish, with a rather nice starfish thrown in for good measure. The seals and eel have been given the Hylton treatment, incorporating flowers and petals into their form.

The attention to detail and perfect rendition of wildlife is a gift that few artists have. The goldfish, in particular, are beautifully recreated, although their presence disturbs me a little as a marine biologist, because they are out of place here. I would love to know what Curtis Hylton’s explanation might be.

This statement piece is a triumph and just another reason for the local people of Weston-super-Mare to be super-proud of their town. Outstanding!

Thursday doors – 8 June 2023

Doors 224 – Doors of Weston-super-Mare (2)

Obviously, I like to take pictures of doors, especially when I visit places that I don’t go to all that often, it becomes a bit of a habit to stop and look at a door that grabs my attention. It is difficult to know what constitutes a ‘good’ door and a door that is nothing out of the ordinary. I think this selection of doors from Weston-super-Mare on the north coat of Somerset sail quite close to the wind in terms of being ordinary, and being a little bit more interesting than that. I will let you be the judges of that, though.

I hope you enjoy this selection:

Double arches with doors - Wadham Street Garage, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023 — Double arches with doors – Wadham Street Garage, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Double door for a small business, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Green front door that looks like a garden gate, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Pink door with kick-plate, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Vibrant red door, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Black doors on the side of a restaurant, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

A short one this week – a very busy work day ahead.

May I wish you a great rest of week and weekend.

by Scooj

	paulh121 on 7352. Cumberland Basin
	Sheree on 7352. Cumberland Basin
	paulh121 on 7350. Hillgrove Street (9…
	Bill Bisgood on Thursday doors – 11 Dece…
	scooj on Thursday doors – 11 Dece…

	paulh121 on 7352. Cumberland Basin
	Sheree on 7352. Cumberland Basin
	paulh121 on 7350. Hillgrove Street (9…
	Bill Bisgood on Thursday doors – 11 Dece…
	scooj on Thursday doors – 11 Dece…

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