7793. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (39)

Vane MG, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026
Vane MG, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

This is an extraordinary dreamlike piece that is utterly captivating and perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Upfest. The piece is on a wall that is new to Upfest this year, at the back of Aldi, to be precise. Each segment of the wall offers artists a large canvass, and it has been one of the real highlights of this year’s festival. This piece by Vane MG is simply stunning.

Vane MG, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026
Vane MG, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

Vane MG, a Colombian artist and designer based in London has created this figurative work in pinks, reds and blues that really catch the eye.  A girl, wearing a helmet of some kind with a visor that distorts her face, is set against a blue sky and flowers and petals, that blend in with the subject. I’m not sure what Vane MG has in mind with the decorations on the helmet, but she has created two beautiful hearts and some encrusted gems. I think that thinking too hard about what it all means would be a mistake, and to enjoy it for its sumptuous colours and design would be my advice. A superb Upfest piece.

7792. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (38)

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

Another Bristol artist to grace the Upfest stage this year is Minto, who somehow managed to get away with painting two pieces rather close together. Sometimes artists pull out at the last minute, and opportunists make the most of the blank space.

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

This first simple white on black piece shows what is possible, using only one colour with some great outlines and a bit of shading. I can’t imagine that it would have taken Minto more than a few minute to create this cartoon doodle, and it is very much an extra piece thrown into the mix.

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

His other piece only a few yards away is also a bit of a quick one, but more along the lines of what we see frequently in Bristol. The letters spell Minto, and the pig character has been nicely incorporated alongside them. If I am honest, I don’t think Minto put too much effort into these pieces, and probably turned up more for the crack than the artistry, because he has been smashing it with much more sophisticated and well-finished pieces than this recently.

7745. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (29)

My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

An unusual and rather grotesque piece by My Dog Sighs at this year’s Upfest, one of two very different offerings by the artist. I don’t think I have ever seen something similar to this by My Dog Sighs, and it is a departure from some of his staples, although the eye is very much a part of his repertoire.

My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

My Dog Sighs has managed to use the space perfectly to present his ugly and distorted monster face. The mouth is perfectly placed over the door, consuming all that enter here, and there are dropped eyes either side of it. The eye on the right is a window of the building, but looks like an integral and deliberate part of the character piece.

My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
My Dog Sighs, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Stretched green skin with stitches and warts add to the overall creepiness of this character piece. The signature eye is what gives this away as an MDS piece, in which you can see a reflection of the viewer and a wall and tree behind. Such incredible detail everywhere you look. Utterly outstanding in every aspect.

7742. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (26)

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

What a rare treat, not only to find a new piece by DNT for Upfest, but to be able to catch up with him and have a chat while he was painting this piece alongside Zake and DJ Perks.

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

Compared to when I first started this blog, ten plus years ago, DNT has slowed down his pace of work considerably, and spent some of the period abroad. I got the feeling that he really enjoyed painting this piece and getting back into the groove, and it was great to see that.

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

The piece returns to a space theme which he has always enjoyed, with a humanoid robot character and an alien robot, and in between them some curious space flowers, one with a large eye. There is a great story going on here, and it looks like a frame taken from a longer comic book kind of thing, leaving the viewer wondering what as going on and what will happen next. I hope DNT uses Upfest as a springboard to painting more often on the streets of Bristol, we have missed him.

7727. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (23)

Zebra Pozer, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Zebra Pozer, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

The range of pieces at this year’s Upfest was notable from extreme high-end murals to regular Bristol graffiti writing and pretty much everything in between. This is a vibrant doodle-style piece by London-based Zebra Pozer.

Zebra Pozer, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Zebra Pozer, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

The artist claims that he isn’t seeking perfection but bringing spontaneity and fun to his work, and I can completely buy in to that philosophy. Set on a pink background, the characters in this piece are crammed together and splashed with pinks, blues and yellows that breathe life into the black outline folk. Something a little different.

7711. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (18)

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

Cheba has been painting his cosmic pieces as long as I have been blogging, and probably considerably longer than that. This one at the back of Aldi, is a beauty and quite one of his best in my opinion.

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

Undaunted by a window and a couple of air vents, Chiba has created an incredible cosmic scene which lets our imaginations run wild. It is the reflection in the window that abruptly brings us back down to earth. An incredibly beautiful piece from Chiba.

7691. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (14)

Octofly Art, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Octofly Art, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Octofly Art has visited Bristol a few times for Upfest over the years and her work has improved significantly over that time. She comes from Italy, from Valle Camonica in the North of the country, and graduated from the “Santa Giulia” Academy of Fine Arts in Brescia in 2014.

Octofly Art, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
Octofly Art, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Her cartoon style is endearing and witty with a positive vibe and uplifting outlook. This caricature piece on the new wall at the back of Aldi, shows a sardine tucked up in its tin, with a pillow. The tin is tagged with Bristol to recognise the host city of Upfest. A fun piece, perfectly presented for this space. Below are a couple of her previous appearances at upfest:

Octofly Art, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Octofly Art, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

7689. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (12)

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

At Upfest this year, there was a strong contingent of local artists, and some wall space made available to showcase everyday talent that I am privileged to see every time I walk out to take pictures, but that visitors to the festival might not be so exposed to. This balances out the presence of high-end murals in harmony with authentic street and graffiti art.

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

Ments is a Bristol artist who spans the gap between graffiti art and something more sophisticated. I spent a while chatting with Ments as he was finishing off this piece, and he explained that it was loosely based on the letters MENTS, although the ‘T’ kind of melted away. He was interested in the soft shapes and colours, presenting as an abstract form, being simultaneously both familiar and alien. A brilliant artist, and a fine Upfest piece.

7675. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (10)

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

When it comes to stylised pieces, this one from Jeroo is right up there with the very best. There are lots of things going on here, with a peacock being at the centre of it all.

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

Stairs and crystals and some other shapes make up the body parts of the peacock in this high-definition adventure. While the content of the piece is a little surreal, the execution and photorealism are on point. A superb piece from Jeroo.

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.