It was Minto’s birthday paint jam in the tunnel a little while back, and this was the second of two pieces that he painted during the celebrations. I know it was the second, because when I first photographed it, it was unfinished, and I had to return, as did Minto a few days later.
Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2025
The piece features a portrait of a man wearing a hard hat with the words ‘Dylan, Floris and Minto’, in front of which is a rather worse for wear looking rabbit. I am not sure what any of this is all about, but it must mean something to the birthday boy.
Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2025
The paint jam was probably the best attended in 2025 and a great gesture from all the artists who turned up to celebrate. It was also a great source of material for Natural Adventures, for which I thank each and every participant. Looking forward to something equally impressive in November 2026
One of the central tenets of graffiti art is to protest against perceived and real injustices. Walls have been used for centuries to express support for, or dissatisfaction with, those in power, and this example from Rowdy perfectly demonstrates this.
Rowdy, Stapleton Road, Bristol, January 2026
The piece demands the freeing of the Filton 24. You might ask who they are, so I recruited ChatGPT to provide a summary as follows:
The Filton 24 are a group of pro-Palestinian activists, many linked to the direct-action group Palestine Action, arrested in connection with an action at the Elbit Systems UK site in Filton, Bristol in August 2024. Elbit Systems is an Israeli-owned defence company, and the protest was intended to disrupt what activists say is the company’s role in supplying military equipment used in Israel’s operations in Gaza. During the action, protesters breached the site’s perimeter using a modified vehicle and caused damage to property and equipment.
Initially, a small number of activists were arrested at the scene, with further arrests made later through coordinated police raids, bringing the total to 24. Police used counter-terrorism powers during the investigation and detention phase, although the protesters have not been charged with terrorism offences; instead, they face charges such as aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder. All have been remanded in custody, many for unusually long periods before trial, which has sparked controversy and criticism from civil liberties groups. Supporters argue the prolonged pre-trial detention and use of terrorism-related powers represent an excessive response to protest activity, while authorities point to the seriousness and planning involved in the action.
Rowdy has added one of his fabulous cats, as if to add some humanity to the words, which on their own are not as potent. I love it that street art and graffiti is a way that voices can be heard, whether you agree with them or not. There is something authentic and visceral about it.
I genuinely thought that DNT had all but stopped painting walls, and haven’t found any of his work since May 2024. What an amazingly pleasant surprise it was to find this mural-style piece at the far entrance to the Boiling Wells Road tunnel a week or two ago.
DNT, Boiling Wells Lane, Bristol, January 2026
‘Be happy, be brave, be cheeky’ is a phrase that would probably chime for a great many street artists, that sits above the tunnel entrance surrounded by a stunning floral display. There are some other ‘doodles’ that make it into this ensemble; a pair of shoes, an octopus tentacle and an alien spaceship. I would love to think that this might signal a return to our streets from the artist, but I won’t hold my breath. Instead, I will enjoy this beautiful and refreshing piece.
The turnout for Shade One’s birthday paint jam might have been relatively small in numbers, but was of the highest calibre. You know that you are well respected as an artist when Soker turns up and paints you a birthday celebration piece.
Soker, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2026
Soker is simply one of the best graffiti writers around, and although this looks like a relatively ‘quick one’ it still oozes class. The letters spell out shade with beautifully blended fills. The black outline picks out the letters beautifully and the cloudy pink, purple and green bursts around the edge of the letters rounds the piece off perfectly.
Back to doors of England photographed during my travels around the country with work. This series of doors from York were photographed in June 2024, during a work trip for a team meeting. At the time our team members were distributed around the country in Otley, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Nottingham, so going to the York office seemed reasonable for those from the North. For me, of course, this was quite a schlep from Bristol, but one I was happy to make.
As is customary for me staying in faraway towns and cities, I went up the night before, and made the most of my evening, and early morning, to explore the city, which, although I had visited once before, a year earlier, for a large conference in Harrogate, and posted here in TD 225, 226 and 227.
This selection is reasonably random, but demonstrate the incredible spectrum of door styles and periods. I hope you enjoy them.
Wide black door and blue door, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Wide black door, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
White door of a brick and timber framed house, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Pink gates and archway, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Two adjacent black doors each with very different surrounding styling, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Columned portico entrance and black door, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Stunning brick entrance and solid wooden doors of Grays Solicitors, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
Modern pair of church doors and entrance, York, North Yorkshire, June 2024
More to come from this trip to York. Next week I am away on holiday, so it is far from certain that I will be posting a Thursday Doors, but I will try. Have a great weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post and his Sunday recap.
Mamil and Logoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2025
Logoe and Mamil visited Bristol a few weeks back and decorated several spots with their script writing, including this beauty in Dean Lane. Unfortunately, in their enthusiasm, they painted over a tribute piece for Dorns, which upset a few people in the local graffiti community. This wall, however, was up for grabs and the pair did a great job.
Logoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2025
I have been an admirer of Logoe’s work for several years, and he has developed his script writing into a serious art form. Set on a stripy wall, the letters spell out LOGOE as if they were written with joined-up writing on a page, with the addition of a deep drop shadow. His trademark oval spots complete the piece nicely.
Mamil, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2025
This trip with Logoe is the first time that I have encountered Mamil, and I have to say I rather like his clean skinny letter style. The two circular forms at each end of his letters add so much to the structure and flow of the piece, without which the writing could be quite ordinary. You might be able to make out the shape of a bicycle, which is a clever way to present your letters. The style is easy on the eye. Great collaboration from the pair.
As I mentioned before, though, two other collaborations that Logoe and Mamil painted on their trip were tagged/dogged before I encountered them. It is a pity that ‘respect wars’ like this break out, but there is little I can do to help, and have to observe as an onlooker. The images below show you what happens if you disrespect a tribute piece…
Logoe and Mamil, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2025
I don’t visit this little corner of Bristol all that often, so it was great to ‘find’ this lovely mural, which has been a spot for less formal street art in the past, by Cock Dicks. It looks like Cock Dicks didn’t have a ladder, but in a way the ‘grass height’ of the piece works rather well beneath the large expanse of green on the wall.
Cock Dicks, Belle Vue Road, Bristol, January 2026
The cartoon-style magnified landscape is beautifully laid out, and the flowers and insects all have rather sleepy faces. I particularly like the dandelions, which have been beautifully observed, and the one on the right being bald but for three remaining seed heads. This is a lovely piece that, without doubt, brightens up these residential streets.
This is a really wonderful, piece by Benjimagnetic tucked away behind the hedge alongside the swimming pool wall. He seems to have had a recent burst of energy this winter and painted a few pieces in quick succession.
Benjimagnetic, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2026
The colours of the letters GRO (blue, Green and black) work perfectly against the hint of a red background. There are plenty of fine rectangular details in pink and green within the letters themselves, filling the space very nicely. Unusually for a Benjimagnetic piece, the letters are really easy to read, and rather more solid than many of his pieces. Nice work.
Shade One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2026
There are a few artists in Bristol who specialise in portrait pieces, and at the top of the tree are Shade One, Mind49 and Stivs. Shade One celebrated his own birthday paint jam with this magnificent portrait of a young woman on the long wall at Cumberland Basin.
Shade One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2026
What makes this piece super-special is that it has been painted using greyscale colours, but somehow that is not the first thought one has when first seeing it. The cartoon style is more forgiving than photorealism, but nonetheless equally effective. The blue background complements the detail in the portrait. Superb work.
Natural adventures 