860. Dean Lane skate park (60)

Sometimes you get lucky and see pieces by great artists that come and go in the twinkling of an eye. This was a quick one sprayed by Inkie to celebrate the opening of the ‘Graffiti Nation’ exhibition at Upfest back on 28 April 2017.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

Inkie told me that he had sprayed it quickly that day and had also worked on his contribution for the exhibition an the day as well. A busy man. This is a wonderful work, simple in its colour selection but with such beautiful writing and lines.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

When I look at something like this, it appears to have an effortlessness about it, the work of someone completely in command of his craft. It was painted over fairly swiftly.

857. St Werburghs tunnel (13)

It seems that street/graffiti artists tend to have peaks and troughs in their activity. I suppose that, like the rest of us, life, jobs, family and so on just get in the way a bit. I introduce this piece with this observation because Sled One, who was extremely productive last year, seems to be a little quieter. This may just be a false perception, and I am not seeing his stuff as much as I used to – I might be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

This is of the usual high standard that Sled One attains, it appears, with such ease. This wildstyle writing is so very easy on the eye, like much of his work. I particularly like the ‘accent’ lines he uses to emphasise the letters or that wisp around the piece giving it a sense of animation. I will not tire of his outstanding work.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

831. M32 roundabout J3 (40)

It has been a little while since I have seen a Sled One piece, but this one has been worth waiting for. A crocodile, or is it an alligator? with SLED written into the main part of the body.

Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017

There is a lot to like about this piece; the colours, the backdrop design, the writing and of course the reptile with its stylish purple glasses. This was my second attempt at photographing the work. The first time was on a very bright day, and there was a shadow cast across half of the wall…sometimes overcast days can be a blessing.

Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017

830. M32 Roundabout j3 (39)

I was lucky enough to meet Ments at the Graffiti Nation exhibition opening evening at the Upfest shop in April. As with all other graffiti artists, he looked nothing like the image I had conjured up in my mind. It is interesting what assumptions we are capable of making before actually meeting a person.

Ments, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, June 2017
Ments, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, June 2017

Ments came to Bristol but is originally from East Anglia, and if street art is your thing, it is probably an obvious move to make. This piece is of such a high quality and showcases the organic feel he gives to his work.

Ments, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, June 2017
Ments, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, June 2017

This wildstyle writing is complex, but look carefully and you might be able to make out the letters MENTS. His work is so distinctive and seems to improve from piece to piece.

825. Raleigh Road, Vector (13)

The temporary hoardings in Raleigh Road are something of a honey pot for several members of the ASK crew. Given that there is little, if any, tagging on this space, I wonder if it is a curated legal wall. I guess I ought to know really.

Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, May 2017
Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, May 2017

This is an amazing wispy and colourful piece by Soker, and slightly different from the work we are used to seeing from him. It is interesting that the board had been blacked out before the piece was sprayed, suggesting that this was part of an organised event.

Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, May 2017
Soker, Raleigh Road, Bristol, May 2017

Soker, Keeping Things Fresh (KTF).

820. Dean Lane skate park (53)

I really like the work of Hire, especially as I now know what to look for in his work. His writing is really well disguised and has something medieval about it, swords clashing…or maybe that is just me. I suppose another interpretation would be Gothic.

Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

I think it is the detail and jagged shapes that I like about his work, and although technically good, there is something rather raw about it. Really great graffiti writing.

802. M32 roundabout J3 (38)

I haven’t seen much of Epok’s work of late, so it was great to see this trademark piece on the M32 roundabout back in April. His wildstyle writing is always perfectly executed, and the precision and geometry betrays the large amount of care that goes into his works.

Epok, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017
Epok, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017

He has made great use of accent colours and patterns in green and white, to make the black and brown lettering stand out. Another high quality piece from one of the best writers in town.

Epok, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017
Epok, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2017

794. Dean Lane skate park (48)

Now that I know what I am looking for, and recognise the signature I will be featuring more of Hire’s work as and when I come across it. He is the artist who sprays the large buck toothed bunnies, which appear from time to time.

Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

This is a wildstyle piece which, if you look carefully spells out HIRE, although it takes some convincing to be sure. This is a nice quick piece which all forms part of the rich mix you can find down at Dean Lane.

 

775. Kings Square Avenue (4)

There are several street/graffiti artists in Bristol who never seem to stop, and ranking high amongst those is Deamze. This compressed piece is from a few weeks ago and takes the format of his wildstyle lettering and a character.

Deamze, Kings Square Avenue, Bristol, April 2017
Deamze, Kings Square Avenue, Bristol, April 2017

I am guessing that the character is some kind of hog or pig – probably from a cartoon series that I never watched on TV.

Deamze, Kings Square Avenue, Bristol, April 2017
Deamze, Kings Square Avenue, Bristol, April 2017

The colours in this work, especially the dayglow pink and green set on a purple background create an eye-catching piece for passers by. Deamze has occupied this spot for as long as I have been blogging, and probably sometime longer than that.

 

 

774. Dean Lane skate park (46)

As Whysayit pieces go, this really is a first class one. Sprayed on what is probably the premium wall at Deaners,  it oozes with confidence and colour. I think what really marks this out from his other work, is that he has taken a bit of time to prepare a backwash, and it definitely helps the writing to stand out.

Whysayit, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Whysayit, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

I liked this piece from the moment I saw it, and although it didn’t last long (nothing much does here) I’m glad I got to see it.

Whysayit, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Whysayit, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017