7925. River Avon (128)

Mr Draws, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Mr Draws, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

What an interesting abstract piece from Mr Draws. It is possible the black splashes spell out DRAW, but that is wish fulfilment more than anything else really. The piece is beautifully presented and uplifting, perfect for a stroll alongside the river.

Mr Draws, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Mr Draws, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

The colourful background, made up of random shapes is very typical of Mr Draws’ work… no need for a signature. Going full on abstract works incredibly for his style, and I have to say that I really like this piece. Something different to say. The white spots round it all off nicely.

7924. River Avon (127)

Avem808, River Avon, Bristol, August 2026
Avem808, River Avon, Bristol, August 2026

With each new piece from Avem808 there is a greater level of complexity and ever expanding stories. This is an elaborate combination piece, with a whole lot of action going on.

Avem808, River Avon, Bristol, August 2026
Avem808, River Avon, Bristol, August 2026

To the left, there is a car and a mash up dog, or so it looks to me, with lots of action and merging of ideas. To the right, a very fancy piece of writing with a deep drop shadow, which I am assuming spells out AVEM, but could be anything really. This is a piece that demonstrates what can happen when the imagination runs wild.

Glossa

Steps, Glossa, Skopelos, Greece, September 2026
Steps, Glossa, Skopelos, Greece, September 2026


.

Contour hugging streets

interconnecting stairways

hillside solutions

.

by Scooj

7923. Stillhouse Lane – Upfest 2026 (60)

Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026
Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026

This is the last in this batch of Upfest pieces and is by an artist who has visited Bristol a few times recently. This, however is Guimeujoven’s biggest wall to date, and really rather magnificent.

Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026
Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026

I have has a little difficulty photographing this particular piece, it seems that every time I visit, there is a car parked in front of it, and so I haven’t managed to get a complete front image, even with a wide angle.

Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026
Guimeujoven, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, May 2026

The piece is a wonderful collection of unusual characters perfectly painted with such incredible depth in the work. The characters look like scouts on a hike through a woodland, and one of them appears to be turning into a monster. This is a breathtaking piece, perfect for Upfest.

7922. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (59)

I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

I have said it before, but it is repeating, that there was a good blend of local and visiting artists at Upfest this year, rather more Bristol-based artists had a rare chance to paint, like I am Ian, with this bright cartoon piece in Greenway Bush Lane.

I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

The portrait piece is a rather bizarre scene of a person with a very large nose smelling a flower. The flower stalk is of a most peculiar shape, and being held carefully by a hand, while a wasp comes into shot, looking like it might do some damage. A strange and weirdly compelling piece.

7921. Greville Road – Upfest 2026 (58)

Yum Yum, Upfest 2026, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2026
Yum Yum, Upfest 2026, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2026

It is possible to put artwork into broad categories, and it is something I do a lot of in my descriptions. This piece by Yum Yum for Upfest 2026, I would describe as an abstract doodle piece.

Yum Yum, Upfest 2026, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2026
Yum Yum, Upfest 2026, Greville Road, Bristol, May 2026

Lots of faces and patterns are scattered across an orange background, evenly spaced and outlined in two tones of red. Yum Yum has painted these doodles over some white random squiggles that I am not too sure about, and leave me feeling the piece is incomplete. I believe it would be more impactful without the white, but that is a personal opinion, not a criticism of a bright and lively piece.

7920. West Street – Upfest 2026 (57)

Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026
Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026

This is an astonishing dream-like fantasy piece painted at Upfest 2026 by Graff Matt. I am not sure I know much about the artist, but I can only marvel at his work, which taps directly into the creative mind of a child.

Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026
Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026

The imaginative and perfectly painted piece depicts a bashed up Mini car with a wooden shack on top, with wings and a wind turbine giving the whole structure the gift of flight. A little boy sits at the top of the flying machine. Simply brilliant.

Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026
Graff Matt, Upfest 2026, West Street, Bristol, August 2026

7919. Tobacco Factory – Upfest 2026 (56)

Georginart, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026
Georginart, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

Back to May and some more pieces from Upfest, starting with these boards by Georginart and Ladygabe, in the Tobacco Factory. It seems such a shame that these pieces only get seen for a day, if you blink you’ll miss them. This first delightful piece by Georginart is a two-tone cartoon style character piece of a young woman reclining. Clear and simple, and beautifully portrayed.

Ladygabe, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026
Ladygabe, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

The second board is by Ladygabe, and altogether more complex and sophisticated. It is a portrait set among flowers, with the two elements blending well. Lots of pinks and purples in this very pleasing piece. It is a pity I completely missed the boards on the second day, but you snooze, you lose in this game.

7918. Peel Street Green (69)

Butch, Peel Street Green, Bristol, August 2026
Butch, Peel Street Green, Bristol, August 2026

Here is Butch again, this time turning up in Peel Street Green and treating us to one of his combination pieces. The letters are accompanied by a green character with big facial features.

Butch, Peel Street Green, Bristol, August 2026
Butch, Peel Street Green, Bristol, August 2026

His trademark overlapping letters in brown and black are beautifully finished with a blue drop shadow, a colour combination I personally wouldn’t have chosen, but actually works really well. Butch just gets better and better.

7917. Cumberland Basin

Stivs, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026
Stivs, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026

Sometimes I just can’t see the wood for the trees, as my grandmother would say. Missing the obvious that is right in front of me. When I first saw this piece, I couldn’t work out the artist. It was familiar, but I couldn’t pin it down. It had something of Noise about it, but that didn’t seem right. If I had bothered to look at the signature I would have seen it was by Stivs.

Stivs, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026
Stivs, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026

It took Stivs to point this out to me when I met him at this spot a few days later painting another piece. Slightly awkward. He said it was a birthday tribute for a friend (Boezi?). Of course the calligraffiti letters should have been enough for me to realise. Anyhow it is nonetheless a lovely piece from Stivs.