Upfest – Natural adventures

7851. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (49)

Cheo, Greenway Bush Lane, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

This is the second wall painted by Cheo at Upfest this year, and I suspect probably slightly less official than his piece in Stillhouse Lane. I imagine that this was a vacant spot that was offered to Cheo by the Upfest organisers, knowing that he is local and one unlikely to offer up an opportunity. Cheo is much loved in Bristol and his work recognised by many, such is his presence in the city.

This aquatic romp is both imaginative and fun, featuring a couple of hapless pirate octopi who appear to have survived the sinking of their ship only to be grabbed by a rather angry looking fish with a bomb on his head. A scene that is so vivid and yet so cartoonish and unlikely as to be absurd, but here we are admiring it. Cheo has an extraordinary talent, and that he chooses to share it with us is a blessing indeed.

7850. Stillhouse Lane – Upfest 2026 (48)

Sprite, Stillhouse Lane, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

I watched a little while as Sprite was painting this piece, but wasn’t able to chat with her as she was deep in conversation with other people and then very focussed on her work and I didn’t want to disturb her. I regret that now because I like to get to know visiting Upfest artists, albeit superficially, to help bring my posts alive with some small insights.

The rat in this piece is brilliantly proportioned and presented. Rather cutely it is holding a dandelion in its little pink hands and behind a seed head is releasing seeds. A simple composition but with so much joy and optimism, represented by the large rising sun framing the rat’s head. Sprite has been to Upfest before, and her animal pieces are always memorable.

Sprite, Stanley Street, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21

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.

7848. Exeter Road – Upfest 2026 (46)

Georgiewebart, Exeter Road, Upfest 2026, Bristol, May 2026

How’s this for an upbeat piece of fun street art. Painted by Georgie Web Art, an artist and interior designer from Bristol, the piece is uplifting and works so very well on a hot May Upfest festival day. I rather like that the piece has been painted on textures and warped gate, turning it into a thing of beauty.

Georgie Webb Art likes her pinks and this playful piece features the lower half of a person wearing a spotty summer dress and cowboy boots balancing on a skateboard, set on a very pink background. The piece is simple and by only including half a person encourages the viewers’ brain to fill in the gaps and imagine the whole person and story. A great Upfest piece from an artist whose joyful work was showcased at Upfest 2021:

Georgie Webster, Myrtle Road, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21

7823. South Street – Upfest 2026 (45)

Xenz, Upfest 2026, South Street, Bristol, May 2026

Xenz has absolutely smashed it with this atmospheric neoclassical vista on South Street. The piece is an absolute treat for anyone strolling along North Street and a real head-turner. The wall is a special one and Xenz has more than done it justice.

It is interesting to see the changes that Xenz made to his largely complete piece when I passed by while he was painting, such as the lily pads and rocks in the water, and some white flowers on the creepers to the left. As you can imagine from the amount of intricate detail in his work, this piece took more than a couple of days to complete.

Xenz’ fantasy work allows the mind to drift into another world where calmness and peace are at the heart of everything. This is definitely a personal favourite from this year’s festival.

7822. Gathorne Road – Upfest 2026 (44)

Inkie, Upfest 2026, Gathorne Road, Bristol, May 2026

One of the ‘sure things’ about Upfest is that Inkie will give the Parsons Bakery a refresh, and offer another bakery related pun, this has become a tradition now and something to look forward to on the Upfest calendar.

This year Inkie has gone to town with his ‘Bready or not, here I crumb’, which is a groan of a pun, but actually rather good. The writing is outstanding in his bold style, and it is possible many seeing it won’t actually get as far as reading it, being seduced by the grand nature of the lettering.

Inkie completes the piece with one of his trademark stylised portraits. No need for a signature here. Inkie is synonymous with Bristol street art, and after Banksy, is probably the best known graffiti export from the city, alongside Nick Walker, perhaps. Brilliant to see this refresh and enjoy the humour of the piece.

Inkie, Upfest 2024, Gathorne Road, Bristol, May 2024

Inkie, Gathorne Road, Bristol, July 2019

Inkie, Gathorne Road, Bristol, June 2016

7821. Dalby Avenue – Upfest 2026 (43)

Peggy, Upfest 2026, Dalby Avenue, Bristol, May 2026

I only noticed after I lined this piece up to post that it isn’t actually finished. I’ll have to return and get a final picture, next time I am in that part of town. The Upfest piece is by Bristol tattooist and street artist Peggy, who has featured in Natural Adventures many times.

This piece is brighter than Peggy’s usual toned-down floral arrangements, but contains many of the same features and styling. You can see from this unfinished work what a difference the detailing can make. It is always great to see Peggy’s street work, which is quite different from much of the work we see day in day out.

7820. Stillhouse Lane – Upfest 2026 (42)

3Dom, Upfest 2026, Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, May 2026

It has been great to see that the representation of Bristol artists at Upfest this year was really strong and that most had been afforded a proper wall rather than a temporary board, which has been the case in the past. It gives the opportunity for Bristol talent to be seen in the host city.

This is a wonderful piece by 3Dom with so much symbolism and so many messages curated within his surreal dreamlike style. I think broadly speaking, it is a piece that wants to portray hope and optimism, but have a closer look and it is filled with images of sadness and doom. The images of lover and peace are pierced with arrows. Sharks patrol the black murky waters. The weight of love is heavy. Faces alternate between sadness and happiness. So much to see here.

I managed to have a long chat with 3Dom just after he had finished the piece, and he is such a gentleman, thoughtful and kind, and of course immensely talented. Outstanding work.

7819. Greenway Bush Lane – Upfest 2026 (41)

Zmaja, Upfest 2026, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, May 2026

Wow, how can work like this be created using spray cans? The richness and depth of colours and the brilliant use of shades to create a three-dimensional scene is incredible. The artist Zmaja is a Canadian-Serbian muralist and illustrator known for her cartoon-ish 3D animals, community-focused street art.

In this tea party scene, a fox and a rabbit are sharing a brew and a cookie and are accompanied by a couple of little yellow birds assisting with the sugar. A wonderful scene and story unfolds, but I can’t help feeling that there might be a sinister motive in the back of the fox’s mind, which once thought about, can’t be unthought. A superb Upfest piece.

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.

	Paul - Cawston Green… on 7851. Greenway Bush Lane…
	Dr B on Resting place
	scooj on 7848. Exeter Road – Upfe…
	scooj on 7849. East Street – Upfe…
	scooj on 7848. Exeter Road – Upfe…

	Paul - Cawston Green… on 7851. Greenway Bush Lane…
	Dr B on Resting place
	scooj on 7848. Exeter Road – Upfe…
	scooj on 7849. East Street – Upfe…
	scooj on 7848. Exeter Road – Upfe…

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