8006. M32 roundabout J3 (807)

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026

It might be a bit easrly to say who has been my artist of the year, but Stivs is right up there. His work this year has been quite exceptional. His emphasis has shifted a little away from large calligraffiti pieces to more combinations and portraits. Here we have a portrait sandwiched between two pieces of writing.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026

To the left we have some lovely letters (which had been written a few days before) spelling out DSC is a beautiful calligraphy style. Sharp and precise, the letters are beautifully decorated and pop beautifully from the wall.

 

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026

The portrait and STIVS letters were painted together in one session and work very nicely together. The letters, in a fine calligraffiti script form have a light and rather flowery quality – pretty to look at.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2026

The portrait is my favourite part of this three-parter. Splashed with colour and cleverly shaded, the poprtrait is both edgy and tender. So full of colour and, texture and depth, an extraordinary piece of work from Stivs. He is on fire!

7996. Lucky Lane (23)

Amyleejones and Emma Char, Lucky Lane, Bristol, October 2026
Amyleejones and Emma Char, Lucky Lane, Bristol, October 2026

This is a wonderful piece in Lucky Lane, which I understand might have been painted for World Women’s Day in March this year, and not part of the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam. It is a collaboration between Amy Lee Jones and Emma Char and really rather special.

Amyleejones and Emma Char, Lucky Lane, Bristol, October 2026
Amyleejones and Emma Char, Lucky Lane, Bristol, October 2026

It is hard to know how the collaboration was divided up between the artisrts, but I would guess one of them took care of the portraits and the other the patterns on the clothing and the writing. It is a very calming piece and a fabulous celebration of women by women. The words ‘Like other women’ can have several meanings, which is a clever touch.

7985. Peel Street Green (73)

Stivs, Peel Street Green, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, Peel Street Green, Bristol, October 2026

This spot is often occupied by 3Dom until it gets bombed. However, Stivs, who is on fire right now, has painted this outstanding portrait piece, worthy of the spot. The combination piece has the calligraffiti letters ST and (I)VS either side of the portrait.

Stivs, Peel Street Green, Bristol, October 2026
Stivs, Peel Street Green, Bristol, October 2026

The balance of light and shade used to provide depth and profile to the subject’s face is less subtle than in some of his portraits, but the quite brutal application of colours is in fact incredibly effective. I absolutely love this piece – what an amazing piece of free art for the local community.

7969. Greville Street – Upfest 2026 (62)

Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026
Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026

I don’t really want to write too much about this astonishing portrait piece by Epod 3000 for fear of diminishing it. Without doubt, this is one of my favourite pieces from this year’s Upfest festival.

Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026
Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026

The piece conveys so much about the subject of the portrait. Her flamboyant clothes, her facial expression and her head resting in her hands tell a story for each of us to interpret in our own way. But of course it isn’t just about the content and composition but also the craft and execution of the piece.

Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026
Epod 3000, Upfest 2026, Greville Street, Bristol, May 2026

Much of the impact of the piece is created by a light source to the right and slightly above the subject casting shadows across her face and onto the wall behind. This is brilliantly done. Also, the folds in the material of her clothes is masterfully done at this scale and with spray cans. All in all, this is an outstanding piece by Epod 3000.

7961. St Werburghs tunnel (598)

Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2026
Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2026

An interesting and rather curious portrait piece by Minto peers out from the tunnel wall at passers by. The portrait is composed of an obvious outline and conventional eyes, while the rest of the piece is filled with fragments of shapes and colour to complete the whole.

Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2026
Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2026

The cartoon face a find a little unsettling, but it is a skilfully crafted piece and very much presented in Minto’s rather crowded style. Lots of ‘white space’ and busy bits. Great work from the graffiti writer.

7956. Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham

Gent48, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, September 2026
Gent48, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, September 2026

More quick ones today, there is fishing to be done. This is another piece by Gent48 in Birmingham. It is quite an old portrait piece, but the artist is clearly respected, because the piece is still here and untagged.

Gent48, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, September 2026
Gent48, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, September 2026

The cartoon-style character is painted with a sepia tint, making it look like an old photograph. I’m not too sure what the back story is, but it is a nice piece.

7951. Montpelier Park

Stivs, Montpelier Park, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, Montpelier Park, Bristol, September 2026

It feels like not much has changed in Montpelier Park for a long time, with a very attractive collaboration between j9449j and Lupa dominating the wall. When I returned from my recent holiday I popped up there on the off chance something might have changed. It was worth snooping around, because tucked away in ther far corner was this new portrait piece by Stivs.

Stivs, Montpelier Park, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, Montpelier Park, Bristol, September 2026

I think it would be fair to say that Stivs has been on fire this year, truning out dozens of fabulous portrait pieces and calligraffiti writing all over the place. I am not sure if this portrait is of a particular person, or a figment of his imagination, but it is quite beautiful and given that it is painted entirely in shades of yellow/gold, with black and the odd touch of white shaded highlights, a teriffic feat. A masterpiece from a master artist.

7934. River Avon (130)

Hire and Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Hire and Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

This is an interesting and well worked combination collaboration alongside the river from Hire and Stivs. Hire’s graffiti writing is to the left and a combination of writing and a portrait by Stivs on the right.

Hire, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Hire, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

Hire writes ODIAH most of the time these days, having moved on from the previous HIRE letters used in the past. The piece does hark back a little to when Hire used to produce very spiky pieces, and the combination of greys, black and red work very nicely.

Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

Stivs has painted the portrait centrepiece, which has anime cartoon overtones and is accompanied with the words “If you use your head, even sweets won’t make you fat”.

Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

The final bit of writing, spelling STIVS, is written in a soft calligraffiti style adopting the same colour scheme as used by Hire with the inclusion of some blue. A fine collaboration.

7929. River Avon (129)

Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

Such has been the consistency of sunny days this summer, the shadows cast on this piece have forced me to photograph it on at least three occasions, but my patience paid off at last with these ‘clean’ pictures of the combination of letters and characters by Stivs.

Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

Judging from the buffed background in two slightly different shades of blue, it looks as if these two cartoon portraits might have been painted on different days. The first portrait is accompanied with a D and C in calligraffiti style, part of his DSC tag. The portrait in gold and brown tones and with slightly exaggerated cartoon features is fantastic.

Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026
Stivs, River Avon, Bristol, September 2026

To the right, is a floating S written in a slightly different style, and a three-quarter portrait view, much more angular than the first, of a man with a tight haircut and goatee beard and large hoop earring. Once again the features are somewhat exaggerated. All beautifully finished as you might expect from Stivs. I’ll need to find out more about the characters next time I see him.

7922. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (59)

I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

I have said it before, but it is repeating, that there was a good blend of local and visiting artists at Upfest this year, rather more Bristol-based artists had a rare chance to paint, like I am Ian, with this bright cartoon piece in Greenway Bush Lane.

I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026
I am Ian, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

The portrait piece is a rather bizarre scene of a person with a very large nose smelling a flower. The flower stalk is of a most peculiar shape, and being held carefully by a hand, while a wasp comes into shot, looking like it might do some damage. A strange and weirdly compelling piece.