Mural – Natural adventures

7968. Lime Road – Upfest 2026 (61)

Sian Storey, Upfest 2026, Lime Road, Bristol, May 2026

I continue with another batch of outstanding pieces from this year’s Upfest, which was held in Bristol during May. Next up is this huge mural by Upfest regular Sian Storey, whose delicate portrayal of birds is second to none.

This piece extends across most of the side of an estate agent premises on Lime Road, at different levels, but Sian Story has accommodated for that and somehow made her piece flow across the whole wall. The piece features two magnificent peacocks and their splendid feathers.

Thrown into the mix, to add colour and form, and to decorate the ‘white space’, Sian Storey has painted some beautiful flowers in pinks and oranges that complement the peafowl perfectly. A truly stunning piece and triumph for Upfest.

Thursday Doors – 17 September 2026

Doors 371 – Doors of Madeira (part II) – September 2025

For the second week running I am trying to get ahead of the game with Thursday Doors (I wrote this last week in a small pocket of time early one morning), because I am so busy at work before heading off for some September sun for a few days. I have to say that the need for sun is somewhat diminished, having had such a sunny and hot late spring and summer here in the UK this year, but the need for a break has never been so welcome. In fact, by the time you read this I will already be relaxing by a pool overlooking the Aegean Sea.

I have also had to interview for my own job (writing this in the past, although it hasn’t happened yet). I have been pooled with 16 colleagues for 10 posts. Most are good friends and we can’t all make the cut. This is unbelievably stressful, but I know too that it happens, and know I will have given it my best. It feels pretty awful that 37 years of continuous employment and loyalty will have boiled down to how I performed in a 1 hour interview last Monday. This is due to a restructure (cuts) in our Directorate, the culmination of decisions made some 8 years ago by the then Secretary of State, Liz Truss… remember her? Her legacy of destruction is long and deep. I mention this sorry tale simply because it is contributing to the stresses I am under at the moment, making it difficult to find time to do all the things I want, or like to do.

That’s quite enough of that I’m sure. On to happier things. This is the second post from our family holiday in Madeira last September and contains painted doors from a celebrated street in ther heart of Funchal, the capital of Madeira. I hope you enjoy this selection which left me like a dog with two tails while walking along this street.

Door with portrait and instrument, Travessa das Torres, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Door with portrait, Travessa das Torres, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Panelled door with fish eyes painted in each panel, Travessa das Torres, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Door with a bar scene, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Door with a stunning bakery scene, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Colourful painted door, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Door with a painted character, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025 — Door with a painted character (le petit Prince?), Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

Door with a painted cliff scene, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, September 2025

So that’s it for another week. I am not sure I will be posting while I am on holiday, it just depends on how organised I am before going away. There weill be more from Madeira, that’s for sure. Have a lovely 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 and his Sunday recap.

7887. St Mark’s Avenue (14)

Bethan Richards, St Mark's Avenue, Bristol, July 2026 — Bethan Richards, St Mark’s Avenue, Bristol, July 2026

Typically, when I think of an avenue I have in my mind’s eye a semi-rural tree-lined straight road leading to or from a special town or estate. St Mark’s Avenue brings that idyll instantly back down to earth. It is a narrow back alley, full of bins and until recently rather grubby and neglected, but thanks to a small local community group, it has been transformed with planters for pollinators and some rather fetching street art from local artists along the way.

This piece, by Bethan Richards, an artist I haven’t come across before, fits the allocated space so very well. The illustrative design style reminds me a little of Zoe Power, a Bristol artist who is well known on the mural scene. There are lots of nature connection themes in an urban landscape, which really captures the essence of the improvements being bade by community groups in this area. Lovely work.

7858. Quakers Art Lane

Hazard, Quakers Art Lane, Bristol, June 2026

Around a month or so before Upfest, the organisers of the festiival curated a wall in the heart of the shopping district of Bristol, which played host to a number of well-known artists and provided a bit of a teaser for the main festival, as well as brightening up this little corner of an otherwise dull and grey space.

The timing of this mini-event roughly coincided with the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, and this portrait piece of our national treasure by Hazard, while not particularly flattering captures the age and intensity of the great man. I cannot think of anyone living who has done more to raise the wonder of nature and bring it into our homes, but also quietly and diplomatically raise some of the more challenging issues of our time such as biodiversity loss, climate change and most contraversially spiralling global population.

Hazard, who has close associations with Bristol having lived here for a number of years, is much loved in the city. This piece showcases her ability to capture images, Sir David and the owl in this case, and bring them to life with a lively colour palette, and breaking up that which we know and are accustomed to with geometric shapes and interventions. This is a brilliant piece by Hazard, depicting a personal hero. Bravo!

7849. East Street – Upfest 2026 (47)

Trav, East Street, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

These corner buildings on the end of East Street have been Upfest spots for a few years now and are perfectly situated to be viewed from a distance from the mini roundabout in front of the Steam Crane pub. This time the wall has been painted by Trav (@travmsk), an American artist who has painted in Australia and America, but his appearance at Upfest this year is his first trip to Europe.

The mural appears to depict street lamps which, together with the background elements of the piece have strong geometric qualities. There is something simple and pleasing about the piece, and not too much to explore in terms of story. Looking at Trav’s Instagram account, he is a highly accomplished graffiti writer with a strong, blocky, 3D style that brings out his strong design qualities. Something a little different for Upfest.

7845. Nine Tree Hill (9)

Luke Embden, Nine Tree Hill, Bristol, July 2026

This mural is a relatively new doodle piece on the side of a little café in Stokes Croft. It is by Luke Embden a mural artist and illustrator from London. The piece would have been a commission, but I am surprised it wasn’t awarded to a Bristol artist, given that there are so many high-quality muralists to choose from. Perhaps the story being told is suited to Luke Embden’s style best, and of course, Bristol artists get commissions in towns and cities all over the country too.

I believe the piece is one of several commissions by the homeless charity St Mungo’s to highlight the plight of the homeless community and how the charity works to get their lives back on track. This piece follows the story of Ray in pictures in words in a piece that is so full of detail it needs plenty of time to be viewed. I rather like the photographs with the people enjoying a coffee and a chat in front of the intricate piece.

7839. Picton Street

Kin Dose, Picton Street, Bristol, July 2026

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.

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.

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.

7829. Lodge Causeway

Sepr, Lodge Causeway, Bristol, July 2026

This is a magnificent piece by Sepr which I was lucky enough to find quite by accident recently during a trip to scout out three hoardings in Fishponds. I had been aware of the piece for a while, but simply didn’t know where it was.

It is annoying that many of the best walls and spots are adjacent to car parks, and because of that parts of the pieces painted are obscured by vehicles. It is a known known, but nonetheless irritating. You have to get really lucky to find such murals with a clean view. This piece is unsurprisingly on the side of the Greyhound pub.

Sepr has stuck well to the brief , featuring a greyhound racing round a dog track, with some creatures gambling at a table on his back. Added to the charming scene are random animals – a hedgehog and mole, some rabbits in a tortoise car and more rabbits in a bird-shaped aeroplane. So much going on and plenty of good humour – a classic Sepr piece.

Gage Graphics

A gallery of outstanding graffiti and high-end murals from Bristol-based Gage Graphics (AKA Ollie Gillard)

Instagram: @gage.graphics

Website: gagegraphics.co.uk

All photographs by Scooj

Gage Graphics. Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

Gage Graphics, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2022

Gage Graphics, Alpine Road, Bristol, November 2021

Gage Graphics, West Street, Bristol, June 2021

Gage Graphics, Upper York Street, Bristol, May 2021

Gage Graphics, St Luke's Road, Bristol, December 2020 — Gage Graphics, St Luke’s Road, Bristol, December 2020

Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020

Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020

Gage Graphics, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

7813. Quaker’s Art Lane (2)

Esme Lower, Quakers Art Lane, Bristol, June 2026

Esme Lower’s stock is sky high at the moment, having been Upfest’s featured artist this year, with her artwork adorning all the marketing materials, posters, maps etc. She has simply had the best breakthrough year and now sits at the top table of street artists in Bristol, which is high status indeed.

This stunning mural was painted by Esme Lower as part of a Pre-Upfest commission organised by Upfest to promote the Festival, and to stamp Bristol’s identity an a street art city in this shopping area between Cabot’s Circus and Broadmead. The largely symmetrical mural sits above one of the many Costa Cafés, and adds a vibrant and joyful atmosphere to this otherwise dull alley. Her colourful cartoon style shines through and tells a story of people and flowers. I love the two guys sitting at the table, setting the context of the piece off perfectly. Upwards and onwards for Esme Lower.

	hitandrun1964 on 7975. M32 roundabout J3 (…
	Paul - Cawston Green… on 7973. St Werburghs tunnel…
	scooj on 7973. St Werburghs tunnel…
	scooj on 7969. Greville Street –…
	scooj on 7968. Lime Road – Upfest…

	hitandrun1964 on 7975. M32 roundabout J3 (…
	Paul - Cawston Green… on 7973. St Werburghs tunnel…
	scooj on 7973. St Werburghs tunnel…
	scooj on 7969. Greville Street –…
	scooj on 7968. Lime Road – Upfest…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: