Ajax Piper, Upfest 2026, Exeter Road, Bristol, May 2026
This is one of my favourite pieces from this year’s Upfest. There is something about the classical style with a contemporary twist that really appeals to me, and the artwork in soft colours is perfectly executed. This could hang with pride in any gallery in the land.
Ajax Piper, Upfest 2026, Exeter Road, Bristol, May 2026
Ajax Piper is an artist I have only come across once before, and that was at the Cheltenham paint festival in 2023. The two ladies are relaxing in a woodland setting with toadstools at their feet. The piece is arresting as one of the ladies is looking straight out at the viewer, and the other glancing downwards. Another element of interest is the abstract nature of the trees, particularly the one on the right. A superb piece by Ajax Piper for Upfest. Bravo!
Ajax Piper, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
This is the second small gallery of Cheltenham art photographed at the Cheltenham Paint Festival 2023. I am posting this as the 2024 festival begins at the end of this week, and I felt it would be good to share some of last year’s pieces as a bit of a warm up.
Not all the pieces were painted last year – the Alex Lucas mural (feature image) was painted a few years ago, but I only got round to photographing it last year. I hope to be visiting Cheltenham for this year’s festival alongside Paul H, and am getting pretty excited about it all. Enjoy the gallery:
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
Alex Lucas, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
This piece was actually painted in 2020 for the Cheltenham Paint Festival. Still looking magnificent.
Ajax Piper, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
I don’t know an awful lot about Ajax Piper, but I believe he is a British artist who hasn’t been painting for too long, or so his website might suggest.
Wispa, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
A wonderfully colourful and vibrant piece by RBF artist Wispa (featured reasonably regularly on Natural Adventures).
3rdeye, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
3rdeye has produced this typically mysterious piece with one of his creature characters and plenty of eyes.
Curtis Hylton, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
One of the featured artists at the CPF 2023 was Curtis Hylton, who smashed it with this outstanding large mural on the side wall of the Holiday Inn Express hotel in the centre of town.
I will need to do a few more posts from the CPF 2023, and some more unposted pieces from Upfests passim. So much to do and so little time to do it.
Natural adventures 