A week or two back I was lucky enough to meet Dibz for the first time. Dibz is a well respected local wildstyle writer whose black book contains works that have been sprayed by crews in London and New York, so he tells me.
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2016
This piece was one that I photographed back in May, and really shows off his style. The letters are disguised, but once you know it says Dibz, you can begin to work it out. This is all part of the game for wildstyle writers. I will soon post the piece he was working on when I met him in September. How many more Bristol artists are there out there to uncover? It seems there is no end to the talent here.
Hot on the heels of the previous post is another grand piece by Sky High. This one rather pre-dates the one in Dean Lane, and is in another part of Bristol entirely. When I took the photograph (back in June), I thought this was a collaboration because of the names of Deam and RPM on the periphery, but I guess this was just a respect thing going on – maybe they sprayed with him on the day.
Sky High, Magdalene Place, Bristol, June 2016
Sky High’s pieces are so vibrant and the block lettering is in such a distinctive style. So far these are the only two of his works that I have seen, but both of them are winners. I’ll be looking out for more of his work on my trips to London.
A short while after Upfest, this wonderful piece appeared at Dean Park. Sky High is a writer whose work spells out ‘Sky High’ using different styles and colours for each of the letters set on a contrasting and interesting backdrop. This work is typical and really wonderful.
Sky High, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2016
His colour selections and lettering are exceptional. The piece didn’t last very long at all. This particular wall sometimes only lasts a day before being painted over. During Upfest it was painted twice in one day. More of Sky High’s work to come in my next post.
From one of the hot spots for graffiti art in Bristol, I recently found this quick piece in chrome by Soker. Any artist that paints this wall knows that their work will be gone in a matter of days, so knowing that, one can’t help thinking that they do this because they just love doing it.
Soker, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2016
What a wonderful way to be. To use one’s creative talents and produce things because you enjoy it. Surely this is what life is about? I think that what street art gives us all is a reminder that creativity is something we all have capacity for and can all celebrate. Even people like me who spend their lives chained to a desk. Street art is liberating and can set us all free if only for a moment. Soker sets me free.
Another Bristol writer with a distinctive style is Whysayit. His work appears all over the place and he often collaborates with other writers and appears as a pair of works in the same colour regimes but differing styles.
Whysayit, Upper York Street, Bristol, September 2016
This cheeky little piece is in the doorway between two larger walls favoured by Bristol writers such as Epok, Deamze and Kleiner Shames. Whysayit shortens his style for throw-ups by just spraying the letters YS. Really worth taking a look at his Instagram account.
Well this may well be my last post before Upfest 2016 festival which begins tomorrow, and for which I have already seen a few early works on Instagram. There is a certain privilege that goes with being a Bristol street art blogger, and that is that each year, the largest gathering of street artists in Europe happens right here, in my back yard.
Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016
Another privilege is to watch, all year round, the work of these two wildstyle writers who are at the top of their game. This simultaneously painted pair of pieces is on the back wall of the Vector car park. Deamze is on the left, and Voyder is on the right.
Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016
The Deamze writing is reminiscent of a piece I posted back in June from the M32 cycle path. It uses the same greens and has his customary character and ASK motif.
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016
The Voyder piece is really unusual and something quite special. In his Instagram feed he has tagged the piece with #lichtenstein, and you can see the pop art explosion of colour and form.
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016
I love, love, love this. Voyder has absolutely cracked it with this one. Interpretive and in the style of a great artist and brilliantly executed. I can ask no more. Both of these will now have to make way for new pieces for the festival tomorrow. So excited.
This is another wonderful bit of wildstyle writing from Bristol’d rising star, Sled One. A modest piece from a little while ago on the northern steps down into the Bearpit. What I really like about Sled One’s work is that although his writing works always incorporate his name, they vary so much in their construction. No two pieces are alike.
Sled One, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2016
I notice that he will be at Upfest and has a site just to himself. I am so looking forward to seeing what he gets up to. I saw the map and list of artists coming to Bristol next weekend for Upfest. It is staggering just how many will be here. I do hope that I can catch up with as many as possible. It promises to be an amazing festival.
The last time I posted about this spot, it was decorated with a collaboration between E.Lee and Copyright. Shortly after I blogged about the piece, it had been replaced by this Soker piece.
Soker, North Street, Bristol, June 2016
I rather like this simple burner by Soker. It is colourful, beautifully crafted and in some way humorous…I can’t quite put my finger on why though. Maybe it is the light fixture in the middle. I don’t know. I know that I like it though. I expect it has been over-painted by now though.
A little while ago, I took the short loop into Moon Street – I do this about once a week – from Stokes Croft, just to see if there was anything new. It seems that turnover there has slowed a bit in recent weeks so I was pleased to find this collaboration. It is something quite different in light backwashed colours. It almost feels as if the pieces are incomplete…I have returned since, and thy are unchanged.
Fois, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2016
The right hand side of the two is clearly by Fois – the extra touch of the cowboy hat rounds this writing off perfectly.
Unknown artist, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2016
The writing on the left hand side though is a mystery. I don’t know who it is by, and given that Fois seems not to use digital social media (at least publicly), it is hard to establish the artist. It is one I will have to return to if I find out anything more.
UPDATE: Thank you Duncan. The second piece is signed Ysae, and is similar to other writing by the same Artist in the Bristol/Swindon area. Unfortunately at this time I know no more than that.
Although nowhere near the site of Upfest, I fully expect most of the Stokes Croft and Bearpit areas to get complete make-overs during the festival weekend.
Just a quick post this time of the very prolific Voyder. This piece was down on the hoardings with pieces by Sepr and Deamze and Sled One, so I guess it was part of an ASK get together.
Voyder, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016
This is so typical of the outstanding pieces Voyder produced in a style that is unmistakably his. Although prolific (I make that assumption from looking at his Instagram stream), I think some of his works are quite inaccessible. He seems to spend a lot of time in large derelict buildings, which are off the beaten track, and certainly not on my radar. I think I have a large enough territory without seeking out new places.
Natural adventures 