Russh Magazine

Look. Really look. 
Take the time to see it in their eyes. 
See their hunger for experience, the 
wide-eyed optimism, the fear that eats into their soul and the glint that twinkles when something, anything small, turns out just right.

They are the ones with independent minds. Hunting (not-so-secretly) for extraordinary experiences. Giving desire its due thanks to some kind of chronic fantasy they can not shake. Sweating it out for their cause, unwilling to conform and eagerly embracing that path less travelled as a 
way of asserting a uniqueness of experience and something all of their own.

We went in search of the ‘starving artists’ for this issue but what we found instead was that with real hunger comes the very best fulfilment: inspiration. We learnt that individuality is bravery. That keeping it real is not about being radical at all, but doing what is true.

This can terrify many people and some of us know this all too well. Some of us wanted to be artists but weren’t willing to make the necessary sacrifices. And yet we can never escape the compulsion – the problem being that once you have an ideal about how things should be, could be, you will never again see them for how they really are.

And so we must celebrate this courage to take a chance. Like Diane Arbus, unafraid to lose what she had for what might be, or Anna Calvi, once a guitarist who whispered her melodies to the singer until one day she found the inner strength to give it a go herself. Here is our salute to the people who have rebelled, outraged convention, sacrificed or done 
the jobs they didn’t want just to support their dreams.

Likewise, everyone behind the creation of these pages works at 
one intensity, full throttle, turning against comfort in favour of pushing the limits.

As we grow out of acts of youthful defiance and into finding our own meaning, we look most for why we struggle and why we live. For this, we need to be a little foolish. We need to fear less. To be true to what we know. To do what we can with what we have. Make like mavericks in our own small way. And show commitment as best we can.

We hope you find what you are looking for.

OUR NEW ISSUE HITS STANDS APRIL 4.