It is always a great pleasure to find any writing by Rusk, and this relatively simple piece in the tunnel under the M5 at L Dub came as a nice surprise. There is a nice shout-out to DJ Perks, whose work dominates this spot, and I am guessing that they painted together on this occasion.
Rusk, L Dub, Bristol, January 2024
The bubble style writing is nicely filled with graded browns and a red base. Unfortunately the red paint is a little thin and looks a little patchy. What stands out for me though is the way the little white spots at the tops of the letters, create an incredible 3D effect helping the letters to pop out from the wall. Classy work from Rusk as always.
Urban wasteland, Lawrence Weston, January 2024
It would seem that Rusk took a moment out to leave his mark nearby, too.
Dibz, Shade One and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
This is one of the last pieces I photographed in 2023, and what a belter of a collaboration it is, bringing together the outstanding skills of Dibz, Shade One and Rusk. As always, the light under Brunel Way rarely allows photographs to do the street/grafitti art pieces justice, but I think that it is possible to see what a classy collaboration this one is.
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
On the left is some superb writing from Dibz, which is a tribute piece to a supporter of his work, ‘Marie’. What this piece of graffiti writing shows is that you can give Dibz any number or combination of letters, and he will be able to create something beautiful with them. The pink and black drop shadow against the gold letters works so very well.
Shade One, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
Shade One’s work is really something special, and this portrait piece of a young person wearing a hoodie and baseball cap set against the moon and silhouetted buildings, is exceptional. The portrait is painted in greyscale, and although there is a lack of colour, it doesn’t matter one jot, because the shade and shadows provide perfect depth and texture. A very fine piece indeed.
Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, December 2023
On the right, Rusk, who is often found painting alongside Shade One, has created some gorgeous letters spelling RUSK, reflecting the gold and pink colours seen in Dibz’ piece. By using two tones of gold (bronze/brown) transitioning horizontally through the letters, it gives the illusion that the letters are a solid bar being tilted and catching the light in different ways. A tight and classy piece and collaboration.
One of the unwritten rules of photographing street art is always take pictures when you can, even if street furniture is in the way, because if you wait the piece might not still be there at all when you return. It is annoying that there is an obstruction in front of Rusk’s piece in this collaboration with T-Rex, but that is the reality, and it is the best picture I have.
T-Rex, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2023
T-Rex has been able to get out a fair bit this autumn, which is really great to see as moments will be limited with a little one to look after. Everything that T-Rex does so well is here to feast on, great letters, fabulous fills, a funky drop shadow in pink and black and of course the Tyrannosaurus Rex character. Lovely work.
Rusk, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2023
Rusk has been so busy lately, in fact I can’t remember a time when he has been out painting so regularly. As precise as ever, this piece has a distinctive mid line running horizontally through the letters, with little flashes of white along it giving the impression of a shiny flat metallic surface, clever stuff. Great to see these two out painting together.
By the time you read this, I will be in Birmingham for a greater team gathering, the first since Covid19 first struck, and long overdue. I will be (I am writing this last night) arriving 45 minutes early and will try to sniff out some street art in the Birmingham New Street area (if there is any – I know there is tons in the city, but I just don’t know where. Keeping my fingers crossed. This is a belter from Rusk, who makes his second appearance in as many days.
Rusk, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2023
I would describe this piece as being funky, it reminds me of the rather carefree 1970s, when fashion and style took a monumental dive, which we can only now really appreciate through rose-tinted spectacles. Pulsating with colour and flashes, there is a lot of disco movement in the letters RUSK. Of course the whole thing is finished perfectly and a complete banger.
Rusk and Theartofsok, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
There are times when you need to keep your eyes open and think rather than make assumptions. When I first saw this modest Rusk piece I raised an eyebrow, because it was obviously a ‘quick one’ but that the incorporation of a face was something a little different from rusk. My assumption was that this was a solo rusk piece but deeper thought brought me to the conclusion that it was a collaboration, and then the penny dropped that Theartofsok had painted a piece only a stone’s throw away at the same time and the face was in his style. This was a collaboration.
Rusk and Theartofsok, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2023
Rusk has been quite busy painting in Bristol lately, which is great to see, because he does tend to go through quiet periods, or paints in unusual and faraway spots. The writing here is classy as ever, beautifully filled and bordered. The profile face to the right-hand side by Theartofsok is outstanding, and its beauty is in its simplicity. A very fine and unexpected little collaboration, which I can’t imagine anyone saw coming.
Rusk and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
Some collaborations are so good they simply ooze class, and any observer would be able to notice that something a little bit special is happening here. Rusk and Shade One have paired up once again in Dean Lane to give us this fabulous treat.
Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
The writing from Rusk is beautifully proportioned and finished to his usual very high standards. The purple drop shadow works spectacularly well with the green/grey letters. Two stand out details are the white shine running horizontally through the piece and the yellow stripes on some of the letters. Utterly outstanding.
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
The portrait piece by Shade One on the right is, I think, a tribute piece to Shimz. The wonderful attention to detail and extraordinary capture mark Shade One as the best photorealistic artist in Bristol right now, and how different his style is from only a couple of years ago, when his characters were more cartoony. This is simply brilliant, and the combination with Rusk is a real worldie in my mind.
At one end of the long wall in Dean Lane, we can see Rusk doing what Rusk does best. It is a pity that he doesn’t paint as much as he used to, but his considered and meticulous approach to his writing is something that never changes.
Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2023
There is nothing fussy or flashy about this writing, which spells out RUSK, but it is a high-class and beautifully neat piece of work. The winning combination of colours, green and orange, are magnificent, and the 3D drop shadow is excellent, with a vanishing point bottom centre of the piece. The writing definitely benefits from the grey buffed background and is finished with some nice green and yellow spots, although I am not convinced yellow was the right choice, although actually it might have been the perfect choice. It was a real treat to stumble upon this one.
Fade, Dibz and Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
2023 has been the year of epic collaborations, under Brunel Way, at Dean Lane and at other spots in Bristol as well. Quite why there have been so many collaborations and paint jams this year is not clear, but perhaps it has something to do with being in a post-Covid era where friendships have been refreshed and cemented. Friendships and relationships have perhaps never been so important as we navigate our way through a period of political and social instability with the terrifying backdrop of war, and the biodiversity and climate crises.
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Fade, Dibz and Rusk have joined up to paint this Pink Panther themed wall. Fade has hit the ground running since arriving in Bristol a few months ago, and is fast becoming a regular presence on the walls of south Bristol. Equally at home painting letters or characters, Fade has created a fabulous Blue Aardvark accompanied by some superb pink writing spelling out FADE, all finished immaculately.
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
In the middle of the collaboration is some outstanding writing from Dibz flanked on the left with a beautifully depicted Pink Panther and on the right by Rusk’s Inspector. The blue and pink colour combination once again proving to be an absolute winner.
Rusk, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2023
Finally, to the right, is the Rusk piece painted in a typically classy style from one of my favourite writers in the city. Rusk’s continuous, joined-up letters are filled with pink and tan colours that fade beautifully, the bottom half of which has a kind of metallic bronze appearance. This is a highly accomplished and enjoyable collaboration from some of Bristol’s very best. We are truly blessed.
The paint jam on the new hoardings on St John’s Lane turned out some very special pieces, including this gorgeous writing from Rusk. Before posting it, I really ought to have gone back and photographed it without the mottled light on it, but I am both lazy and impatient, so have decided to post it warts and all.
Rusk, St John’s Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Rusk has been turning out this very special ribbon-style writing for little while now, and I have to say that I definitely like it. It is almost like a transition between flat wild style and anamorphic style, having plenty of three dimensional depth to the letters sitting on a flat background. Great colours, great letters spelling RISKY beautifully presented and finished.
Rusk is a lovely bloke, and although I have to remind him who I am pretty much every time I meet him, he always makes time for a chat. I was in the right place at the right time when he and several other artists were having a bit of a paint jam on the St Paul’s side of the M32 roundabout. This was one of a really classy gallery of pieces.
Rusk, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2023
Rusk has painted a graffiti writing and character combination with a little slogan and probable theme of ‘born to die’. The writing is, as always, first class and as neat and tidy as you’ll ever see. The metallic feel is worked hard with combinations of white and grey and clever highlights and stars. Along the top of the piece, the grim reaper is calling out to bypassing pedestrians and cyclists… you’re next. Beautiful work from Rusk.
Natural adventures 