This is a stunning recent mural in Picton Street that perfectly illustrates everything that is so good about street art in Bristol. A Bristol artist, Kin Dose, has composed a locally relevant mural that tells a story of the street and its occupants. The piece has been painted above the Montpelier Local grocer, and I imagine was a commission piece.
Kin Dose, Picton Street, Bristol, July 2026
There are several Bristol references, the fox, Jeff Knight (The famous Big Issue seller) and CK1 graffiti (an artist who died several years ago but is remembered in countless tags today) as well as very local ones linking to various establishments on the street including The Cadbury, C&T Licata (the best Italian Deli), The Old England Pub and Montpelier Local itself.
Kin Dose, Picton Street, Bristol, July 2026
There is plenty more besides in this piece. The whole thing speaks of community and ties in with the Bohemian lifestyle reputation that the area enjoys. A wonderful piece fitting of such a wonderful street.
Who needs Upfest, when you have local artists that can do this? I got impatient with photographing this wondrous mural by Kin Dose, which every time I have been to take a look has had cars and vans parked in front of it. This is the best shot I have managed. This is not the first time Kin Dose has painted this wall, but I think that this might be his best piece yet, simply in terms of the complexity and detail in the artwork of the dragon.
Kin Dose, Nelson Street, Bristol, May 2024
The wall belongs to the Little Chinatown restaurant and I guess that this mural is a commission piece. There is a lot of movement in the piece, much of it created by the way the fur (hair?) on the head waves about. There is a whole lot of detailed work that has gone into the scales and the way thee light catches them.
Kin Dose, Nelson Street, Bristol, May 2024
The main subject of the dragon is set on an exquisite background of flowers and blossoms. To the top right, a rather creepy eye is keeping watch over the dragon. Words aren’t really good enough to describe this piece, which is one of the best of the year so far in Bristol. As a little reminder, here is a gallery of some of the great work by Kin Dose.
Some walls simply blow you away, and it can be difficult to do them justice with words alone, and perhaps less is more in such instances. This three-way collaborative wall in Nelson Street is by Kin Dose, s,w,a,l.t and Stiiv (or Swick) (not to be confused with our own calligraffiti writer Stivs), the latter two who were visiting Bristol as guests of Upfest. It is always a real pleasure to have these ‘spill-over’ extras from the festival.
Kin Dose, Nelson Street, Bristol, June 2022
The Tiger is by Kin Dose, and makes the most of his ‘airbrush’ approach to spraying, managing to create an extraordinary sense of depth in the fur and hairs of the creature. A stunning piece, which on its own would satisfy, but, wait for it… two more beauties sit alongside.
s.w.a.l.t, Nelson Street, Bristol, June 2022
The middle piece is from s.w.a.l.t and is a miracle of portrait work in greyscale augmented with graffiti writing, in the style of Pichiavo. This portrait is probably my favourite piece of the year so far. Simply stunning.
Stiiv, Nelson Street, Bristol, June 2022
Rounding off this beautiful wall is a robin perched on a fragmented branch, by Stiiv (Swick). There is life and character in this little robin, and as with Kin Dose’s Tiger, the fluffy feathers give this piece real depth. A beauty.
Perhaps take a moment, not to read my words, but to enjoy this wall.
Kin Dose, s.w.a.l.t. and Stiiv, Nelson Street, Bristol, June 2022
Happy Christmas folks, a very special day for us, just the nuclear family, no visits, no visiting, just us. Over the last two years we have become used to each others’ company and generally get on surprisingly well, so being together today for our festivities is stress free. I am in between preparing the turkey and sorting vegetables and have a slot to do this quick post.
Tom Miller and Kin Dose (Kin Official), Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2021
Two of Bristol’s finest artists, Tom Miller and Kin Dose (now referred to as Kin Official) have combined to produce this remarkable Christmas collaboration on Nelson Street.
Tom Miller, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2021
On the left is a very special mural from Tom Miller, as imaginative as usual and brimming over with winter themes. I think that the figure is handling Christmas parcels, emblazoned with hearts. There is so much movement and colour as you might expect with Tom Miller. A wonderful piece.
Kin Dose (Kin Official), Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2021
Next to Tom’s piece is an incredible Grinch mural by Kin Dose, who really is one of my favourite artists in Bristol. His attention to detail and photo realism techniques are awesome. In this piece, I love the coronavirus Christmas decoration, so in keeping with the Grinch character.
A perfect Christmas collaboration. Once again may I wish you all a very happy day.
I was passing by the North Street Standard about a week ago and there was a young lady sweeping the newly designed outside drinking area. I took the opportunity to ask her who had painted the shutters. She disappeared for what seemed a lifetime and eventually emerged to inform me that it was painted by Nick Harvey (Kin Dose). I thanked her kindly. What she hadn’t told me was that The Hass had a hand in the work too.
Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021
These shutters were probably in need of a makeover and with lockdown restrictions easing, what a great time to do it. The neon pink single-line drawings of people enjoying the bar is both striking and inspired and sets a tone for the establishment.
Kin Dose and the Hass, North Street, Bristol, April 2021
I would never have guessed the artists if I hadn’t been told, which is often the case with commissions, due to their bespoke nature. A fine street piece by these two miracle-workers.
There is so much construction work going on in Bristol it is quite mind-boggling, and this in the shadow of ten years of austerity and now a coronavirus recession – there are obviously still large bags of money out there. Construction usually means that, for a short while at least, temporary hoardings will be installed, and if you are lucky the constructors may commission street artists to paint them in the hope that they don’t get covered in unattractive tags.
Kin Dose, Temple Way, Bristol, September 2020
Temple way is no stranger to construction, but may be a stranger to the talents of Kin Dose whose meerkat piece is outstanding in every way. Kin Dose uses an airbrush technique that allows him to create the detail in the fur and the tree branch and so on. Sit back and enjoy this wonderful masterpiece from one of the very best.
Sometimes you have to be patient, and with photographing shutter pieces this can be particularly true. I have known about this wonderful cat mural by Kin Dose for a long time, it was painted during lock down, but every time I visited until recently the shop was open and the shutter up.
Kin Dose, North Street, Bristol, July 2020
This delightful cat was commissioned by ToyVille on North Street and is a fantastic permanent addition to the cluster of amazing pieces in this area of Bedminster. I don’t know if it is deliberate, but the cat is staring straight across the zebra crossing, giving pedestrians ‘the eye’.
Kin Dose, North Street, Bristol, July 2020
Kin Dose is simply one of the best and his technique of airbrush spray painting enables him to add the most incredible fine detail to his pieces, especially good for fur and whiskers. This piece is situated immediately to the right of his kingfisher commission that was painted a few days before.
There is something about kingfishers and artists. They seem to represent beauty and freedom and perhaps the slightest connection with nature that our urban societies have, in the main, lost.
Kin Dose, North Street, Bristol, May 2020
This shutter piece had been commissioned and painted during lock down, and I have a feeling that Kin Dose also painted the adjacent shop shutter at the same time, although I have not managed to photograph that yet.
Kin Dose, North Street, Bristol, May 2020
The whole piece has a feeling of vibrancy and movement about it. The abstract background of pinks, blues and whites setting up a rich frame for the kingfisher itself. The bird is exquisitely painted (it is not the first time Kin Dose has painted a kingfisher in Bristol) and a massive asset to this end of North Street.
This is one of two new murals near the entrance of Temple Meads station that were commissioned to mark World Mental Health Day and the associated football campaign #onyourside. Beautifully painted by Kin Dose (Nick Harvey) this piece depicts a Bristol Rovers player (one of two football league teams in Bristol) and is a rather unusual commission which Kin Dose has executed brilliantly.
Kin Dose, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, October 2019
Obviously there was some working together with (spoiler alert) Jody, who painted the other mural, because they both have a similar look and feel about them. What this demonstrates is the artist’s extraordinary talent for working to a brief and turning out something exceptional. We are lucky to have Kin Dose decorating our streets which he has done with such vigour over the past year or two.
Kin Dose, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, October 2019
Natural adventures 