From March to April, he shared these talents – including woodworking, painting, drawing, and music – as the Artist-In-Residence at the  Bubbler at Madison Public Library

“Philosophically, I’m really on the same page as the folks here.” Rushing said. It’s all about accessibility, completely unpretentious art-making, and it’s free to the public. The Bubbler has had such a great roster of other artists-in-residence that I’m proud to say that I’m friends with a bunch of them, and I’ve been able to work with them in a variety of capacities. For me, the opportunity to participate in the art residency program was something that I just had to do.”

During his residency, Rushing led multiple workshops on the subject of wood carving and whittling. For these classes, he has drawn upon expertise that he attained in his early twenties while working as an assistant to a professional carpenter in the United Kingdom. There, he found a natural fit for his aptitude in crafts, and fell in love with the art of woodworking in the process.

“There’s something about carving that is really high risk, high reward which is thrilling,” Rushing said. “You’re always at risk of making mistakes, and the material has its own attitude and kind of speaks for itself. I’m constantly in a fight with the lumber, and that’s a challenge which I really like.”