Having only recently ‘discovered’ the beautiful floral art of Peggy, it turns out that I have been photographing some of her work for a while, but didn’t know who she was, so hadn’t posted any of it. I took this photograph back in July, and am pleased to share it now, because it represents yet another type of art on the vast spectrum on offer in Bristol.
Peggy, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2022
Peggy creates some outstanding designs for her body painting work, and then upscales some of these for walls. Beautifully painted, these designs provide a unique and refreshing addition to any spot that she paints.
Peggy, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2022
To the right of the piece, Peggy has pasted three of her designs on the wall, and I remember thinking at the time, maybe we have a new wheatpaster in town. Sadly, I haven’t seen any more since then, but I live in hope. Lovely work from Peggy.
This is an easy piece to overlook, and sometimes it is the pieces that are ‘in our faces’ that this can happen to. I’m not sure how long this paste-up by David Puck has been on this hoarding, but it is one of a few large portrait wheatpastes that he has gifted us over the year, but the first I have posted on Natural Adventures.
David Puck, Temple Way, Bristol, December 2022
Let’s hear it for the wheatpasters! This form of street art is very much the poor relation in Bristol, which is a pity, because I have always rather liked them, and it was Kid Crayon’s wheatpastes that first got me curious about street art a few years back. David Puck has created a portrait of a woman resembling Marilyn Monroe, beautifully painted with a leafy print. The words ‘Apathy to nature tells of inner style’ would appear to be a quote and may have inspired the piece. It is so good to see work like this in Bristol, and I will see if I can dig out and post some more David Puck.
Although small, this wheatpaste was probably the most striking piece of street art that I came across in Porto. The placement of the piece was key, being on a bright yellow wall in a side street. The curious would stop and take a closer look, others would stroll on by without a glance.
Antoine Caramalli, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
The wheatpaste is by a French? artist Antoine Caramalli whose work appears to be strongly themed and considered. The two characters, a man and a girl are riding an octopus, and why not? And the man is wearing a pair of blue and red 3D glasses, a recurring theme in the artist’s work. Unusual and intriguing.
While there is a full spectrum of street art and graffiti in Porto, from high-end worldies to tags and burners, there seems to be a particular acceptance of using street art to decorate utility boxes in many parts of the old city. An artist who has taken full advantage of this is Oaktree, who paints delightful scenes with brushes either directly onto the surface or as wheatpastes.
Oaktree, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
There is something beautiful and nurturing about Oaktree’s designs that fit the spaces expertly and add a touch of colour to the streets, enhancing the visual amenity of the utility boxes in a way that is commensurate with Porto’s highly decorative streets.
Oaktree, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
Oaktree’s pieces contain characters going about their everyday business or joined in an embrace and whatever they are doing there is a feeling of care, love and kindness that pervades each piece.
Oaktree, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
I was a little surprised when I got back hoe just how many Oaktree pieces I had photographed, and rather than post each one separately, I thought it would be a good idea to post this mini-gallery instead.
Oaktree, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
How great it would be if all local authorities around the world were as enlightened as Porto’s, and permitted or even encouraged the decoration of utility boxes, which, let’s face it, are among the ugliest structures known to man.
Oaktree, Porto, Portugal, June 2022
The final piece in this collection is a large wheatpaste, and perhaps my favourite of all the Oaktree pieces I saw, with its simple, rather dreamy design. If you are lucky enough to visit Porto, be sure to search out these little gems.
When artists come to Bristol for Upfest, they occasionally leave behind some ‘extras’, and this is exactly what My Dog Sighs did in a couple of spots around Bristol with these wheatpastes. In Bristol, wheatpastes have never been all that popular, which is a pity, so to see these superb paste ups from such a significant artist is a real joy.
My Dog Sighs, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2022
The first paste up features MDS’ Everyman character painted on a newspaper background, with the profound statement ‘our secrets sleep in winter coats’. Although this looks like an original artwork, it is in fact a print, which in no way devalues it(except in monetary terms), as many wheatpastes are prints that are replicated in multiple venues.
My Dog Sighs, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2022
The other two prints feature rather more subtle characters, more akin to the artwork he has been developing from his crushed can pieces. At one time MDS might have been in danger of becoming a one trick pony, however he has spread his wings and diversified so much in recent years which is great to see.
My Dog Sighs, Leonard Lane, Bristol, May 2022
I think these three were in Leonard Lane, but I can’t be one hundred percent sure as I took photographs of his wheatpastes in several different places. The final piece has one of his pigeon-people that MDS has been painting for two or three years. Fabulous stuff. You will always find me partial to a bit of paste up work.
My love for wheatpastes is a theme that runs through my posts on Natural Adventures, but sadly, there is not much of a paste-up culture in Bristol, and I think, perhaps counterintuitively, that it is less tolerated by the authorities than spray-painting. It is good therefore, that from time to time visiting wheatpasters visit the city and pop up a few decorations for us to enjoy, like this one from qWeRT.
qWeRT, North Street, Bristol, December 2021
If you like what you see here, it might be worth a quick look at the qWeRT gallery I put together some time ago, but have updated just now. qWeRT has used the rather tatty door as a perfect spot for the bug-eyed character to express its love, a great sentiment that we could all do with plenty of.
Paste ups tend to be few and far between in Bristol, and there is nothing like the culture of wheatpastes here as there is in Shoreditch, for example. I suppose that their rarity makes them extra special, and when qWeRT visits the city, it is always refreshing to see his goggle-eyed characters.
qWeRT, North Street, Bristol, December 2021
This one in North Street is immediately above a Stewy stencil of a sheep, and is perfectly positioned under the coping stone of the wall. Although looking a little worse for wear, this piece isn’t actually all that old and is one of several that appeared in the North Street area a couple of months back. Creative and fun, qWeRT will always be welcome in Bristol (as far as I am concerned).
A few years ago, it was the wheatpastes of Kid Crayon that fired up my curiosity about street art, but they are not common in Bristol, so whenever I find one it is always cause for celebration.
Mudra, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2021
Mudra arrived in Bristol last year and immediately made an impact with several of his characteristic face pieces and writing. Now, if you hunt around in the Cumberland Basin you will find this beauty ‘data muncher’ which I very much hope is the first of many wheatpastes from him. Classy.
It is weird how easy it can be to completely miss things, I think the expression is something like ‘you can’t see for the looking’. I must have walked past this qWeRT piece dozens of times, but only noticed it recently.
qWeRT, Jamaica Street, Bristol, June 2020
The placement of the googly-eyed pasteup is absolutely perfect, blending in with a larger mural on the wall from Cheba. It all works so well together. I have always said that half the skill of wheatpasters is their ability to find just the right spot. Get that wrong and the impact can be diluted, get it right and it is amplified. Love this one.
A second post of wheatpastes by Jarvis only this time there are three individual paste ups for the price of one. I posted a piece by this artist about a week ago, knowing nothing about him, but a rapid comment from theartblogger54 confirmed the artist’s name and even shared his Instagram account.
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
As far as I can make out, Jarvis appears to live in Bristol and I think probably in Easton, which would explain the location of these paste ups. On the left hand side of the triptych is a bare chested male figure with an interesting six-pack on display and an all-seeing third eye.
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
In the middle is a blue face with some kind of atomic structure in the neck area. It is a decent coloured sketch amplified by being one of three posted on the M32 roundabout notice board.
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
On the right is the third figure with a very long neck and a flower in his/her hair, and if I had to choose I would say that this drawing was the pick of the bunch. It would be great to see more of these sketches appearing about the place. This is what street art is all about, a spectrum of different styles, abilities and techniques which gives it such broad appeal and accessibility.
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