5790. Cumberland Basin

Mr Draws, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Draws, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024

Mr Draws is one of the most enduring and endearing artists in Bristol. His writing is familiar, albeit unconsciously, to any Bristolian who keeps their eyes open, and has been for several years. This large piece in Cumberland Basin is a cracker, which reminds m a little of a koi carp.

Mr Draws, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Mr Draws, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024

This is a very nice piece of writing from Mr Draws, with his typical letter shapes, a nice deep drop shadow and some nice fills. The gold ‘A’ draws the eye, and I have noticed a few pieces lately that have contained a gold letter… perhaps it is a thing. This is a fine piece from a fine artist.

5789. Brunel Way (253)

Lewse, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2023
Lewse, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2023

Today is the first day of our skiing holiday, and it is going to be a bit of a challenge to write posts this week. Forgive me if they end up being a little brief. I have found a quiet moment before we have got going this morning to post this rather lovely piece of writing from Lewse.

Lewse, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2023
Lewse, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2023

There is no question about it, Lewse is utterly underrepresented in Natural Adventures. Her accomplished pieces, sometimes accompanied by characters, appear reasonably frequently, but a special feature of her work is its longevity, with many pieces lasting a year or more. This is a perfect example of her work, with a Pink Panther character and some beautifully filled letters, along with a superb blue patterned background. A fabulous piece of graffiti writing.

5787. M32 Spot (180)

Bloem, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024
Bloem, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024

The day I met Bloem was a red letter day for me, as I have been hoping to bump into her for quite a while, and this was the piece she was painting at the time. Formerly signing her work as Hiccup, Bloem emerged onto the scene during 2023, with a wonderfully original creative approach, treating us to some pieces the likes of which we haven’t really seen in Bristol before.

Bloem, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024
Bloem, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024

Carrying the motif ACAB, the piece features a hand with long nails holding a small vase with flowers poking out of the top and a little creature peering over the lip of the vase. There is a little story going on here, I’m sure. To add a bit more interest, Bloem has created a patterned cloud background in pinks and greys. A lovely piece painted in her inimitable style.

5786. Cumberland Basin

Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024

After quite a long hiatus, it appears that Kid Krishna has returned with some gusto and inspiration, which is always great to see. Kid Krishna has a writing style unlike any other artist I know of, but what is fascinating about that is that he has several alternative styles that sit within his style, if that makes any sense at all.

Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2024

This is a colourful piece an a nicely buffed wall, that I have to take on trust spells out CRIE, which is what the artist usually writes. I can never be too sure with his work whether it is planned or spontaneous, and this uncertainty persists even though I have watched him a work several times. Looking at this piece, it certainly looks like it has evolved around a letter framework, but I doubt there was a black book rendition of it. This was painted alongside his painting partner Markinetic earlier this month.

5784. Dean Lane skate park (682)

Werm, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Werm, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023

This sumptuous red and gold piece of graffiti writing is one half of a collaboration with Noise, which I posted a few days ago. The pieces were painted as a contribution to the World Wall Stylers theme for December. On reflection I perhaps should have posted the pieces together, but firstly I couldn’t capture both pieces in one photograph and secondly felt they both deserved to have a post of their own.

Werm, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Werm, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023

I met Werm a week or so back for the first time in a while and it was great to catch up. I like this piece a lot. Werm has started to simplify his work a little, and in my view that is a good thing, concentrating on the impact of the piece rather than its technical complexity. Sometimes less is more, and definitely it works in this instance. The colours go a long way to enhancing the quality of this one. Great stuff from Werm.

5783. Greenbank (102)

Mysto, Greenbank, Bristol, December 2023
Mysto, Greenbank, Bristol, December 2023

I have seen a few pieces by Mysto about the place recently, and feel like I might have seen work by the artist before in Bristol, but I’d have to go back through my archives (an impossible job) to be certain. There is something very captivating about these large letters and how they are presented.

Mysto, Greenbank, Bristol, December 2023
Mysto, Greenbank, Bristol, December 2023

The most striking thing about this piece, on first inspection, is the overall diamond shape within which the letters ‘MYSTO’ sit. The 3D ‘barcode’ shadow is consistent and lifts the letters very neatly. The highlight is the beautiful fill work which seamlessly blends three tones of green in horizontal layers across the piece. This is a nice accomplished piece of graffiti writing from Mysto.

5782. Dean Lane skate park (681)

Sake, Dean Lane, Bristol, Dacember 2023
Sake, Dean Lane, Bristol, Dacember 2023

Sake is an old school graffiti artist who only paints occasionally these days, but who has been painting for a long time. It has been great to see this wall, one of my favourites, getting quite a lot of attention recently, but having said that, nothing seems to last very long, and I think this piece disappeared quite quickly.

Sake, Dean Lane, Bristol, Dacember 2023
Sake, Dean Lane, Bristol, Dacember 2023

The writing, and fill in particular, are reminiscent of early New York graffiti writers, something that Sake carries off with authenticity and style. The letters are nicely presented and the driop shadow really good, but it is the pink stars running through the letters that win me over in this cracking piece.

5781. M32 Spot (179)

Sub, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024
Sub, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024

Although I have seen several pieces by Sub dotted about the place, this is the first time I have posted one on Natural Adventures. I met him for the first time when he was painting this piece alongside Bloem, who I also met for the first time – it appears that they often paint together, which I kind of already knew, but the penny only fully dropped properly when I saw them together.

Sub, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024
Sub, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2024

This is a very nicely worked piece with large bold letters and a solid blue fill flooding across the whole thing. The letters are nicely formed, and apart from the green smudges, the piece is simple, with only some feature lines on the drop shadow, providing a sense of perspective. I have a feeling that there is a lot more to come from Sub, and I will watch his development with interest.

5780. Frome Side (28)

Claro_que_sssnoh, Frome Side, Bristol, January 2024
Claro_que_sssnoh, Frome Side, Bristol, January 2024

I only venture down under the M32 alongside the canalised River Frome when I don’t have the dog with me, so it doesn’t happen very often, more is the pity, because there are often some cracking works to be found, such as this lovely large piece of graffiti writing from Claro_que_sssnoh.

Claro_que_sssnoh, Frome Side, Bristol, January 2024
Claro_que_sssnoh, Frome Side, Bristol, January 2024

This wall is large, and there is a steep ledge just in front of it, so the best way to take pictures is from the opposite bank. The writing is instantly recognisable as Claro_que_ssnoh’s work, and spells out HONS in his unusual angular/curvy script. Great colours and a decent background help to make this one stand out a bit. Another one for the gallery.

5778. M32 Cycle path (249)

Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024

Just a reminder that Face 1st remains one of my favourite Bristol artists. He and his PWA friends provide the rhythm and bass upon which the Bristol street and graffiti art scene thrive. This piece, I think a solo effort, takes us back to a simpler version of Face 1st’s work.

Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024

This laughing girl piece with the letters FACE making up her hair is a theme that Face 1st has used to great effect for many years, and here, he is reminding us that he is happy to keep revisiting the idea, in his unstoppable way. What is a little different to similar pieces from the past is that the letters are made to look chunky and deep some good 3D work. Keep ’em coming.