7196. Lucky Lane (8)

Ruby Guymer-Parker, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Ruby Guymer-Parker, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

The Bristol Mural Collective paint jam in Lucky Lane, a couple of weeks ago, has introduced me to a number of artists I haven’t seen before. The wonderful thing about the Collective is that it brings studio artists out of their comfort zone and gets them painting on walls. These aren’t regular street artists, and they bring something completely different to the scene.

Ruby Guymer-Parker, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Ruby Guymer-Parker, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

Many of the pieces painted at the paint jam were themed to be in tune with the name of the venue, Lucky Lane. This four-leaf clover by Ruby Guymer-Parker, is nicely designed and framed in a neutral blue circle, simple and impactful. Studio artists tend to use brushes for their work, rather than spray paint, which is a whole other ball game. An interesting piece.

7192. Lucky Lane (7)

Mind 49, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Mind 49, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

What a stunning piece by Mind 49 painted at the Lucky Lane paint jam a couple of weekends ago. The theme for the mini-festival, organised by the Bristol Mural Collective, was luck, although I’m not sure how Mind 49’s piece plays into this, if at all.

Mind 49, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Mind 49, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

The obscured portrait, a feature of Mind 49’s work, shows the eyes of a person peering through what appears to be a floral balaclava or headdress. It is an incredibly powerful piece, which is not only painted beautifully, but also conveys a raft of possible emotions – grief? contempt? sadness? resignation? stoicism? – there is certainly something downbeat about it, and yet it is surrounded with beautiful flowers. Lots to think about in this amazing portrait piece.

7190. Lucky Lane (6)

#DFTE, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
#DFTE, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

Our street philosopher, #DFTE, has been at it again, this time with a large mural piece painted during the recent Bristol Mural Collective paint jam in Lucky Lane. Nobody else does anything like this, so it is always easy to identify his work.

#DFTE, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
#DFTE, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

‘Dream big and believe in yourself’ are fine words, and just the confidence boost we could all do with from time to time. It reminds me of a wonderful piece of graffiti that used to be in the centre of Bristol that simply said ‘You look beautiful’. #DFTE’s big and bold letters have the most wonderful drips, something he has developed and perfected over time. I still haven’t yet met the artist, but it is just a matter of time I am sure.

7187. Lucky Lane (5)

Pelmo, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Pelmo, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

While I was away on holiday, the Bristol Mural Collective held a paint jam in Lucky Lane. I had been told by Nina Raines, the organiser, that it was happening, and was really sorry to miss it. Because I wasn’t there, I don’t know whether this wonderful piece by Pelmo was already there or was painted on the day.

Pelmo, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
Pelmo, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025

Pelmo has painted in Lucky Lane a couple of times before, so I am guessing he lives nearby. This is a fabulous composition of a man, with a paunch, sitting on a bench in a rather surreal landscape, including a couple of sunflowers in pots with music 🎵 tumbling from them. A bright, witty and rather peaceful mural by Pelmo.

7151. Greenbank (170)

Rtiiika, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Rtiiika, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

This is another clear and unambiguous message painted at the Bristol Mural Collective’s Palestine protest paint jam held last month on the long hoarding at Greenbank. The piece is by Rtiiika, which, although unsigned, is so characteristic of her style.

Rtiiika, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Rtiiika, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

‘Gaza is starving’ – ‘Let aid in now’, two messages that have been persistently ignored by the Israeli Government. Every day brings new stories of the war crimes being committed by the Israeli Government, and still the international community does nothing to stop this. Trump is impotent and has been played by Netanyahu. Is it only me that sees the parallels between the Israeli state’s behaviour now and their justifications, and the behaviours and justifications of the Nazis during WWII? Surely the irony isn’t lost? One might have expected more compassion from a people who experienced some of the worst persecution in modern history. BTW, this does not make me an antisemite, just in case anyone was wondering, but it makes me very much opposed to the fascist elements of the Israeli Government.

Sorry, but I had to go there. Normal service will resume immediately.

7136. Greenbank (168)

Ailish, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Ailish, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

This piece is another belter from the recent Bristol Mural Collective paint jam, protesting for peace in Gaza and Palestine. Ailish has painted an abstract piece filled with doodles and symbols surrounding a central phrase ‘this is inhumane’, a sentiment that we all feel but are so powerless to do anything about.

Ailish, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Ailish, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

It almost feels trite talking about the artwork when the subject matter is so serious, but it is the artwork and the public nature of it that helps to convey the message and build on support for innocent Palestinians. The patterns and shapes are made up with the colours of the Palestinian flag, as is the centrepiece, creating an overall busy piece wit(a simple strong message. Great work from Ailish.

7127. Greenbank (166)

Amy McHugh, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Amy McHugh, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

Another powerful combination of imagery and words from the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam that was themed on Palestine. This particular piece by Amy McHugh is visually impactful using the image of a dove of peace carrying a flower, and shedding a tear.

Amy McHugh, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Amy McHugh, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

The colours, as with most of these paint jam pieces, pick up on the colours of the Palestinian flag, which are all represented. The words “None of us are free until we’re all free – Palestine” are interesting, especially their approximation to the Jewish poet Emma Lazarus who wrote in 1883, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” It is a sentiment I believe many of us can agree with, but I fear we might be in for a long wait.

This is a strong message of support for Palestine and the people of Gaza and the West Bank by Amy McHugh.

7123. Greenbank (165)

Werm, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2025
Werm, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2025

This is another contribution to the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam, protesting against the war in Palestine from a couple of weeks back, painted, quite obviously, by Werm.

Werm, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2025
Werm, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2025

Werm has used has symmetrical writing to great effect, incorporating three horizontal stripes of red, green and white to represent the Palestinian flag, with the tidy 3D drop shadows providing the black colour. While I wholeheartedly support such protests, I wonder how much they will change anything. It seems that while Trump is in power, the Israeli Government will act with impunity, knowing that Trump is only interested in some kind of business transaction outcome that will make him richer and adored. He cares nothing for people, for victims.

Thank you, Bristol Mural Collective, for organising this paint jam.

7118. Greenbank (164)

Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

Conrico has been knocking out some outstanding pieces this year, and continues on that journey with this belter, painted as part of the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam in support of the people of Palestine.

Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Conrico, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

This is a vibrant piece which mixes up Conrico’s themes. The wonderful landscape, and small house are inspired by Japanese culture, into which he has incorporated a Palestinian flag and a woman wearing a keffiyeh scarf. The dramatic sunset sky complements the piece perfectly.

7114. Greenbank (163)

Zoe Power, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Zoe Power, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

I have mentioned many times before on Natural Adventures how much I love the way street artists capture the moment or the mood of the city or country as a whole. In saying that, I would reflect that most, not all, street artists are aligned with progressive or left leaning sympathies. It is rare to see right-wing or fascist street art that evolves beyond slogan tags. This potent piece by Zoe Power is one of many painted during a paint jam organised by the Bristol Mural Collective up a Greenbank a couple of weeks ago.

Zoe Power, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Zoe Power, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025

Zoe Power has kept her message and artwork simple and unambiguous. The captivating piece features two faces looking at one another with tears, symbolising sadness and tragedy, painted in the colours of the Palestinian flag, with the words ‘Boycott Apartheid’ book ending the work. Who, in their right mind, could support the slaughter of innocent civilians on such a mass scale? Has the Israeli leadership learned nothing about attempted eradication of a people? Zoe Power and her collaborators are keeping the tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes out there and protesting through their art.