Mural – Natural adventures

7771. Exeter Road – Upfest 2026 (40)

Rafamon, Upfest 2026, Exeter Road, Bristol, May 2026

There are some murals that appear at Upfest that simply brighten your day. They have that uplifting vibe, without being overtly spectacular or knowingly understated. They are just sunny and vibrant and good for the soul. This delightful mural by Rafamon is one of those pieces.

You can see simply by the design and content of the piece that it has a South American look to it, so it is no surprise to learn that Rafamon is from Brazil. Set on a deep blue ‘sky’ the piece features a hummingbird created in a stylised composition of colourful feathers and flowers. A festival piece with a fiesta appearance. Lovely work.

7770. Tobacco Factory – Upfest 2026 (39)

Artez, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, June 2026

My favourite piece from Upfest 2024 was an outstanding composition by Artez, and this year the Serbian artist has again excelled himself with this incredible study on the large premium wall of the Tobacco Factory.

Artez, Upfest 2026, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2026

In this piece, two people, a man and a woman are presented in a gentle acrobatic pose. Although the body positions look quite unnatural in that you’d rarely see people together like this, there is a calmness and tenderness that emanates from it. Artez, whose real name is Andrej Žikić, uses brushes to paint his murals, rather than spray cans.

There is no question about it that this piece was one of the highlights of Upfest 2026. It would be nice if they could remove the parking spaces in front of the piece, but I don’t suppose that you can have everything that you want.

One of the things I enjoy most about this wall, is that you can catch glimpses of it from further away, which creates a whole different experience and context for the viewer. The image below is Artez’ piece from 2024. What a brilliant artist.

Artez, West Street, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024

7715. Gwilliam Street

Farrah, Gwilliam Street, Bristol, May 2026

Farrah has been very busy in the Windmill Hill area of Bristol, but I only found this out when I went on a little drive there recently. She has done a job on the Windmill Hill convenience store, that I’m sure has made it a bit of a local landmark – more tyhan simply a shop.

Her impressionist style draws on influences such as Vincent van Gogh, and she uses single brush strokes in a repeating pattern to create this vibrant organic effect. Often, Farrah will have a focal point in her pieces around which her patterns swirl, but not on this occasion, where the pattern simply ripples through the walls.

Farrah has certainly upped her game and is painting some really large walls, many of them commissions, and it would seem that she manages to make a living from her art, which can be a real struggle for artists. I’m sure that the people of Windmill are rightly proud of this work.

7688. Willway Street – Upfest 2026 (11)

Sophie Long, Upfest 2026, Willway Street, Bristol, May 2026

I haven’t seen anything by Bristol-based artist Sophie Long for an age, but if anything can get her out painting walls, it is Upfest. Renowned for her animal portraits, Sophie Long has surpassed expectations with this outstanding piece of a mother and baby gorilla.

Colour and drips are key elements that Sophie Long likes to incorporate into her work, and there is plenty of both in this piece. Her gorillas have the expression of love and compassion, but there is also a vulnerability here that speaks of the fragility of their existence in a human dominated word. Outstanding work from Sophie Long – you can see more of her work in this updated gallery.

7679. Mina Road (17)

Krimsone, Mina Road, Bristol, March 2026

Once in a while, a high-end piece creeps under the radar, unannounced, and only noticed when passing by. This beautiful mural by Krimsone is one such example. How could I bot have known about it before? I think that this demonstrates how difficult it is to keep on top of the street art scene in Bristol – there are so many moving parts all of the time.

The mural itself is a wonder. A human form with a bird and flower face is huddled underneath an umbrella (quite appropriate for Bristol). The beautifully painted hands are holding the umbrella. Although there are four windows in this wall, they go unnoticed, such is the compelling nature of the mural itself. A superb addition to this public space.

7622. North Street

Dave Bain, North Street, Bristol, April 2024

Dave Bain is a muralist whose work I have photographed in both Bristol and London. I think he is an artist who errs towards commissions, and I don’t think I can recall any ‘street work’ on illegal walls from him in my time recording street art and graffiti in Bristol. I guess that for some that earn a living from their work, crossing the line can be high risk.

This is a loverly piece sitting above the entrance of the Flour House cafe on North Street – which their Instagram profile states was voted the best cafe in Bristol in 2022. The mural is a contented and comforting scene in which a lady seems to be immersing herself in the atmosphere and ambience of the place. The words ‘who cares wins’ is a nice twist on the better known slogan ‘who dares wins’. An all round wholesome piece.

7613. David Street

This outstanding mural commission by Zase tells a story of days gone by in the Old Market area of Bristol. The piece was painted last autumn, as far as I can make out, on the side of the recently renovated Shepherd’s hall. The building had played host to The Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, a sort of guild/masonic outfit that protected the interests and welfare of sheep farmers. The murals on the building reflect this history.

Zase, who is famous for painting several large murals in Bristol, has opted for sepia tints in these pastiche pieces to mimic old photographs of the late 1800s and early 1900s, capturing a bygone era perfectly.

I cannot be the first person who has marvelled at the mural, in a fairly busy part of town, just outside the centre, which I understand took Zase about ten days to paint.

We don’t have many of these historical/commemorative pieces in the city, which tend to be quite corporate, if you know what I mean, and the Bristol street art scene is generally quite edgy, so this is a little unusual. Fine work from Zase, and a big shout-out to the sponsors of the piece.

7573. Henrietta Street

Esme Lower, Henrietta Street, Bristol, March 2026

I love the crossover that one gets to see between the professional muralist/artist that gets paid for commissions, and the same artist painting the streets for pleasure. Esme Lower is one of those artists who seems to span these worlds with ease, and this 9is one of her commissions in the heart of Easton.

This mural is at the entrance of the Bristol Sweet Mart, the largest supplier of ethnic foods in the southwest of England. Esme Lower’s piece features some of the herbs and spices that the outlet is well-known for, and somehow captures the south Asian vibe really well. It was an unexpected pleasure coming across this piece on a recent stroll in Easton.

7553. St Marks Road

Tanith Gould, St Marks Road, Bristol, March 2026

When it comes to commissions, there are probably two kinds of artist; those whose living is based on their artwork, and for whom commissions are factored into their income, and those who happen upon commissions that supplement their income, but whose primary income lies elsewhere. I think that Tanith Gould sits in the first category.

I lover her work, and this outstanding golden lion on the wall of The Journey Tibet to India restaurant in Easton is wonderful. Small businesses like this are enlightened when they commission such works, because they help stamp an identity and recognisable landmark for the establishment. Once they have paid for the original commission, it works hard for them every single day, giving them a solid return on the investment. I have not yet been to the restaurant, but having seen this beautifully painted lion, I am left curious and interested in going. Great work from Tanith Gould.

7542. Easton Road

Mr Penfold, Easton Road, Bristol, March 2026

I have said it many times on these pages, that it is always worth varying routes and going away from the beaten track because once in a while you will find something new in an unexpected place. I only occasionally drive down this road, but was pleased I did due to finding this mural by Mr Penfold.

Mr Penfold’s work is so distinct, his abstract designs incorporating bold colours and great shapes, where the spaces in between the elements are as important as the elements themselves. Bright and precise, this is a beacon of joy on an otherwise mundane stretch of road.

	Sheknowsallblog on 7787. Brunel Way (363)
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	Sheknowsallblog on 7787. Brunel Way (363)
	Sheknowsallblog on 7788. M32 roundabout J2 (…
	paulh121 on 7776. M32 Cycle path (316…
	scooj on 7785. Brunel Way (362)
	scooj on Thursday Doors – 16 July…

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