7674. Tobacco Factory – Upfest 2026 (9)

Alex Dimond, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026
Alex Dimond, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

Three more small boards painted during the first weekend of Upfest. Unfortunately I missed the second week of boards, because they disappear after the Saturday, and I visited on Sunday. The first is an eye catching piece by Alex Dimond. Unusual, contemporary and most compelling.

Adam Beachey, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026
Adam Beachey, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

Next up is a fine piece by Adam Beachy. Some rich colours in this piece that appears to have a lot of symbolism – locks, chains and an ancient stairway. Not too sure what it all means, but it is a visual feast.

Michelle Urban, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026
Michelle Urban, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

Finally, a most attractive stylised piece of art by Michelle Urban has two women in red bathing costumes, paddling in the sea. The caption reads “Have you ever eaten an orange in the sea”. Your guess is as good as mine.

Three great examples of beautiful art in three very different styles.

7673. Stillhouse Lane – Upfest 2026 (8)

Cheo, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Cheo, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, May 2026

A quick one today. I am in Cornwall with work, and have an early start. I wrote this one last night. Cheo is a firm favourite at Upfest, where he gets to showcase his extraordinary talent in front of a much wider audience than usual.

Cheo, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Cheo, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, May 2026

This is a marvellous and imaginative creation set in an ancient Egyptian scene with mummies and aliens having a bit of a brawl. This is a wonderfully detailed piece, and there is so much going on, but it is the scarab beetle that wins the day for me.

7672. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (7)

The Art of Sok, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
The Art of Sok, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

What a wonderful bonus for Upfest 202 to have The Art of Sok come over from Wales to paint this absolute gem on Greenway Bush Lane. His comic-book cartoon style is utterly captivating and feels very contemporary in a kind of retro way.

The Art of Sok, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
The Art of Sok, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

The BS3 referred to on the cap is the postal district where Upfest is held, encompassing Bedminster, Southville, Bower Ashton and Windmill Hill. The two characters, captured in shades of pink are pictured standing in front of silhouetted buildings and a nighttime sky. It feels like there is a story here, leaving the viewer wanting to know more. A wonderful Upfest piece.

7671. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (6)

Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Nol is a favourite artist at Upfest and is well known for his friendly characters that have been gracing the streets of South Bristol for several years. The Dutch artist usually leaves behind a few ‘extras’ as well when he visits for the festival, and he has not disappointed on this occasion.

Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

This piece is on a new wall, painted for the first time at Upfest 2026, which is on the rear side of the Aldi supermarket. It is brilliant when the local businesses embrace the festival and make walls available.

Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Nol, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Nol’s cheeky characters are always superbly presented, crisp and clean, with great solid fills and bold black outlines. These three appear as if they are giant stickers slapped one on top of the other. I love the way he has incorporated the air vent and made it look like the metal ‘cover’ is peeling off the wall. Wonderful stuff from Nol.

7670. Cumberland Basin

Minto, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
Minto, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026

Minto has been turning out a series of outstanding pieces lately, and it feels like he has a new energy in his work. This one has a base of turquoise shades which make a strong visual impact.

Minto, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
Minto, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026

His piece is organised around the well disguised letters MINTO, but what brings his work to life is the detailing and the plethora of shapes, shadows, patterns, lines and if you look carefully, characters. His pieces are always a feast for the eyes and worth studying for a little while.

7669. M32 roundabout J2 (26)

John D'oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, April 2026
John D’oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, April 2026

More from the irrepressible John D’oh and his gallery of column stencils underneath the M32 motorway. I have reason to believe that he has recently painted a whole load more in this spot, so I will be planning a jaunt over there soon, maybe even today.

John D'oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, April 2026
John D’oh, M32 roundabout J2, Bristol, April 2026

The subject of this stencil is rather gloomy, with the Grim Reaper standing over a clock at two minutes to twelve and the ominous words ‘Time is ticking’. I guess for humanity. But then I hear the birds sing, and I am filled with hope.

Birdsong

.

Warm sunny May day

a day-long birdsong chorus

nothing else matters

.

by Scooj

7668. Cumberland Basin

Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026

Sled one, a self-confessed fair weather painter, has been getting going this spring with some beauties, including this outstanding piece as part of a small collaboration on the long wall at Cumberland Basin.

Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026

I suspect that this piece is a celebration of spring itself, with a cartoon sun playing a wind instrument from which a flower is emerging. Some stylised clouds round off the scene perfectly. It is incredible to think that most of Sled One’s work is painted without sketches, just straight off the top of his head. An extraordinary talent. More to come soon.

7667. Sparke Evans Park (150)

Mesk, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2026
Mesk, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2026

Two significant things are happening today. Most importantly, Arsenal will be getting their hands on the Premier League trophy at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park this afternoon, and fans can properly celebrate. Also important is that this weekend is the second of three in the Upfest Street Art Festival in Bristol, which I will be popping down to later on this morning. In the meantime, here is a beautiful piece of graffiti writing from Mesk, AKA Lazureness.

Mesk, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2026
Mesk, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2026

This is a wonderfully fresh piece, set on a white buffed wall, with a lovely clean look to it. The green fills, transitioning through the MESK letters, work incredibly well together, and along with the black drop shadow and small yellow strip detailing, leave us with a near perfect piece. So good to see.

7666. Brunel Way (357)

Lupa, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2026
Lupa, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2026

Lupa is Lupa. Her work comes straight out of the school of ‘what you see is what you get’, and I love it. There is an authenticity about her presentation, which can look a little scruffy around the edges sometimes, that gets to the heart and soul of graffiti writing in Bristol.

Lupa, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2026
Lupa, Brunel Way, Bristol, April 2026

This piece features her characteristically chunky letters, filled with a nice combination of purple and mint green and some reversed out spots and lines. I believe that I have only met Lupa once – I think it was at the Cheltenham Paint Festival – but her artwork transmits positive vibes and a cheerful, carefree disposition. Her work always cheers me up. You can see her updated gallery here.