Tag: Hugs

7776. M32 Cycle path (316)

Hugs, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026
Hugs, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026

I know that I have quite a few pieces by Hugs in my archives, which I will have to dig out. Hugs’ work has some similarities with Dog Bless the Band, in that the anti-style writing is made up of large conjoined letters, filling the space, with fine details subtlely scattered around.

Hugs, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026
Hugs, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, June 2026

In this piece, which Hugs has annotated with the words ‘Vein melter’, the fill is like a blended wash of orange and light brown, with what look like inky doodles dotted about. I imagine that if Gerald Scarfe were to write graffiti, it might look a little bit like this. There is something about Hugs’ work that I find quite compelling – nice one.

7521. Sparke Evans Park (146)

Hugs, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2026
Hugs, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2026

I am taking a bit of a punt on this one, because it can be difficult to be sure who the artist is of an unsigned work… you have to go on style alone. I haven’t seen much lately that I could nail down as a dead cert Dog Bless the Band piece, although there have been a few candidates. He used to make it a bit easier by always writing MOTEL with a very distinctive ‘M’, but those are not necessarily the letters here. The selection of modest earthy colours is another indicator as well as the soft and blended fill style. Looking at his previous work, I think that I am reasonably confident it is the work of Dog Bless the Band. Update – and I would be wrong – the piece is by Hugs (although the styles are remarkably similar).

Hugs, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2026
Hugs, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2026

I have to say that I am a big fan of this style of writing, there is something organic and ‘mother earthly’ about it. It is gentle and unthreatening, almost as if created by nature itself. I will be on the lookout for more from this artist, and may have to raid my archives to dig out some ‘probables’ that I can attribute to him. Very nice piece.

130. British Road

Another wonderful My Dog Sighs work that was painted at the same time as Upfest 2015, but not directly as part of the event. The owner of the house (on the corner of British Road and Victoria Place) asked My Dog Sighs if he would paint the ‘Hugs’ character on the side of her house, and this is the result.

My Dog Sighs, British Road, Bristol, September 2015
My Dog Sighs, British Road, Bristol, September 2015

Although quite different in subject matter to his eyes or his tin cans, there is something simple and charming about ‘Hugs’. I am a big fan, and very much hope that My Dog Sighs will make a return for the 2016 Upfest.

My Dog Sighs, British Road, Bristol, September 2015
My Dog Sighs, British Road, Bristol, September 2015

8/10