Esme Lower (Melo) absolutely smashed it with this massive commission on the harbourside from September/October last year. The opportunity was facilitated by Upfest and supported by Bristol Bid and Redcliffe and Temple Bid.
Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025
The brief was to bring together elements of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, inspiring women of Bristol and local references to the harbour and businesses. So not too much of a challenge there then. Her upbeat cartoon scenes and characters lent themselves very well to the brief, and the outcome is hugely impressive, as the pictures below show. Well done Melo!
Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025Esme Lower, Monarch’s Way, Bristol, October 2025
I don’t visit this little corner of Bristol all that often, so it was great to ‘find’ this lovely mural, which has been a spot for less formal street art in the past, by Cock Dicks. It looks like Cock Dicks didn’t have a ladder, but in a way the ‘grass height’ of the piece works rather well beneath the large expanse of green on the wall.
Cock Dicks, Belle Vue Road, Bristol, January 2026
The cartoon-style magnified landscape is beautifully laid out, and the flowers and insects all have rather sleepy faces. I particularly like the dandelions, which have been beautifully observed, and the one on the right being bald but for three remaining seed heads. This is a lovely piece that, without doubt, brightens up these residential streets.
I can think of few artists I would rather post on my birthday than Bloem. I have enjoyed her emergence and development so much over the last couple of years and I genuinely can’t think of a much better birthday present.
Bloem, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2025
This is a stunning mural piece, beautifully crafted, full of all the things you’d expect from Bloem… hands with long nails, chains and flowers. I suspect there is loads of conscious or unconscious symbolism here, but I’ll not attempt to analyse it. The split between the two colour schemes of pink and blue is expertly worked. All in all this is a stunner. Bravo!
Although I photographed this piece by Zoe Power back in April, it had been painted some considerable time before that, years, I think. This entrance to the Bimm Institute is tucked away behind the Full Moon pub in Stokes Croft.
Zoe Power, Wilder Street, Bristol, May 2025
The busy and bright mural is beautifully designed around the archway and surround to the entrance of the building, with the emphasis being on the arch. Full of colour and optimism, the piece adds so much to an otherwise rather ordinary building.
This futuristic cityscape by Conrico has made it straight into my favourites for 2025. It was painted over the central section of a three-way collaboration by Sled One, Oust and Stivs, and if you look closely to the right side of this piece, you’ll see a shout-out to Oust.
Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025
There is so much depth in this piece, not only literally with the deep perspective of the street scene, but also emotional depth. Conrico depicts a world without humans, who have been replaced by AI robots, who have inherited the ordinariness and drudgery of their human forebears. It feels like a direct replacement, rather than the shiny new world we are being promised by Elon Musk and the like, and presents an alternative view of the future.
Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025
The mural is full of pathos, perhaps epitomised by the touching scene in the foreground where a robot is crouching to pet a cat, a real cat. All of this scene is painted with Conrico’s unique style that looks like the whole thing was painted with brush strokes. This is a truly outstanding work. Bravo Conrico, Bravo!
Sled One, Oust and Stivs Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2025
A couple of really quick posts today, I forgot that I was going in to the office today and haven’t left myself much time. This is a wonderful mural from Silent Hobo on the newly opened Last Chance Saloon, which was revealed about two weeks ago.
Silent Hobo is wonderfully adept at painting these large murals and capturing so much that represents the young people of the city with stories and emotions throughout the piece. Two large walls beautifully painted.
Silent Hobo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2025
Silent Hobo has painted city scenes and dropped clues that it is Bristol, such as the hot air balloons, but also the architecture of the buildings. The beautiful scene above the front entrance of the saloon is relevant and heart-breaking, stirring up all kinds of emotions. Brilliant work from Silent Hobo.
Amber Bardell, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
This is why I love the Bristol Mural Collective so much. This piece is unlike anything you are likely to see on the streets very often. It could belong on a sketchbook page and never be seen, but here it is in the middle of a quiet lane displayed as a piece of public art.
Amber Bardell, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
I haven’t seen any work by Amber Bardell before, and I’m not sure whether she has painted murals before, but this is a charming illustration mural of a bird pecking up four-leaf clovers, in keeping with the luck theme of the paint jam. There is a child-like quality and simplicity to the piece, which is nicely painted. A great contribution in Lucky Lane.
Amy McHugh first came onto my radar at the last Bristol Mural Collective paint jam on the Greenbank hoardings with a peace for Palestine mural. This time she has gone bigger with a nature theme and some comforting words for ‘Rob’.
Amy McHugh, Lucky Lane, Bristol, September 2025
The words are written in a lovely illustrative font, and I guess were painted with a brush. They say: ‘I’m sorry it’s so tough – it’s ok not to feel ok – one thing for sure is change – I’m sending love today – for Rob and all who struggle’. Kind words accompanied by kind birds and animals. The naive style is enchanting and would work well as illustrations in a picture book.
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 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.
Whenever I run a street art doors post, it tends to signal that I am busy or under pressure and haven’t had time to sort out a ‘regular’ post. I have just returned from holiday and simply haven’t been able to prepare for the continuation of Marrakesh Doors that I was expecting to post today.
The reason it is quicker to post about street art doors is that all the pictures have previously appeared on Natural Adventures in my street art/graffiti posts, and are ready to go, which means the only bit I have to sort out is this writing bit.
These pictures were mostly taken in May last year, many of them painted during the Upfest 24 paint festival (the largest street art festival in Europe). I hope you enjoy them.
M. Oldhues, Ashton Road, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024Abraham.O, North Street, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024Zoe Power, Wilder Street, Bristol, May 2024Yoliws, North Street, Bristol, January 2024Jagung, Upfest 24, West Street, Bristol, May 2024Emotional Waterfall Art, Upfest 24, Exeter Road, Bristol, May 2024Bex Glover, Upfest 24, Stackpool Road, Bristol, May 2024Sepr, Upfest 24, The Nursery, Bristol, May 2024Shane O’Malley, Upfest 24, Bedminster Down Road, Bristol, May 2024Stewy, Grevile Smyth Park, Bristol, May 2024
I sincerely hope that normal service will return next time as I continue with some more wonderful doors from Marrakesh. Have a great end of week and weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Natural adventures 