Between the Briefs - David Samuel on Graffiti, Grit and the Creative Hustle
From painting walls in Kilburn to launching the UK’s first graffiti gallery, David Samuel shares the real day-to-day of a creative life built on instinct, resilience, and connection.
Welcome back to Between the Briefs — a series where we lift the lid on what creative work really looks like behind the scenes. In each edition, we talk to artists, designers, and makers about how they got started, what keeps them going, and the realities of making a living from doing what they love.
This time, we caught up with David Samuel, artist, maker and founder of RareKind Studio, whose career has spanned graffiti, galleries, and global brand work — all from a humble start painting t-shirts and selling spray paint out of a Brighton flat.
David shares how his creative practice has evolved, what it’s taken to keep going through shifting times, and why connection — not just commissions — is the real reward.
What does your creative work life look like day to day?
A typical day starts around 9am at my studio. I grab a coffee, check my to-do list, and get stuck in. Between the Brief times, pretty much daily I’m finding new clients, compiling cold pitches, chasing opportunity or concentrating on my personal artwork.
I’m lucky in that my day to day is really varied — one moment I’m answering emails or working on a design deck, the next I’m painting or building a sculpture. I move between digital and physical tasks throughout the day, which keeps things fresh.
I work in batches and never stop without ticking off at least one meaningful task — that might be adding a coat of paint, or locking down a layout for a project. It helps keep boredom and burnout at bay and the room in healthy vibe.
How did you end up doing this for a living?
I’ve been painting graffiti since I was 15, I’m from Kilburn and the scene was good. At 17 I went to a studio of a local graffiti artist, State of Art, he was painting custom t-shirts and doing commissions, an inspiring meeting and a seed was planted.
I moved from London to Brighton at 20 with a couple friends and integrated into the scene down there. Around that, graffiti-specific spray paints were just emerging — I had a hookup in London so I started selling paint from our sitting room to the writers in Brighton.
In 2001, when my son Josh was about to turn one, I painted a canvas of him for his mum. My friends were shocked in a good way and told me I needed to pursue this properly.
I started putting on shows, selling t-shirts, and taking commissions. In late 2002, I applied to The Prince’s Trust for a loan, and with a bit of luck and timing, got the chance to open a gallery in the basement of a shop that Id been supplying paint too.
In February 2003, I launched RareKind Gallery — the UK’s first graffiti art gallery — with £4.5k.
From there I expanded: more commissions, working with artists, selling clothes, music, paint. I returned to London in 2009 and reopened the gallery in Shoreditch, but the 2008 banking crash hit hard and I had to close in 2010. That’s when I pivoted and started RareKind Agency, which I’ve been running ever since — delivering work for clients from Universal and Nike to Ace Hotel and residential developers.
What do people often misunderstand about being self-employed?
There’s this idea that it’s all coffee meetings, painting and flexible hours — and occasionally it is — but most of the time it’s just consistent, focused work.
Being self-employed means wearing a lot of hats, managing multiple income streams, and keeping a never-ending to-do list in check. It’s rewarding, but definitely not a holiday.
What’s been challenging or unexpected along the way?
Honestly, I’m still surprised I’m doing this — it’s been one step to the next, and somehow I’ve held on. That’s been the biggest surprise. But it’s all challenging: every day brings a new skill to learn, a new problem to solve — whether that’s paying the bills or keeping a client happy.
My life and work are completely intertwined. The business supports the life, not the other way around, and I feel lucky for that — and work hard to keep it going.
What’s a small moment that felt like a real win?
Whenever I catch someone looking at one of my pieces of work, wether it be a mural, a painting, a sculpture — their pupils dilate, they pause, maybe a slight sigh — and then they may ask about it, what it is and we talk… that’s a win. Even if they don’t buy it, that connection that I sometimes notice means everything.
My work is all about connections so when someone finds something in the work that speaks to them — a resonation.
Have you ever felt like giving up the freelance life?
Yes — especially when I had to close the gallery in Shoreditch. That was a really hard moment. I didn’t know what was next. And there have been tough times with money — rent stress, slow payments.
But I’ve been doing this for so long now I understand the waves of the business; it always comes good. The idea of working for someone else feels a bit alien, but the security of it is always sounds good. I’m not sure I could do anything else; this is my life - it changes.
What do you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?
I wish someone (or maybe I wish I’d listened better!) had taught me more about cash flow, planning, and assessing risk. I tend to go all in on things, sometimes no matter the cost. It’s worked out, but some solid advice early on would’ve helped.
If I were giving someone else advice now, I’d say: trust your gut. And also — you don’t have to trust clients. That’s not negative, just realistic. Be clear-eyed, not naive.
David’s story is a testament to what’s possible when passion meets persistence — and how creative work, at its best, can carve out space not just for self-expression, but for community, connection, and long-haul resilience. You can follow his work at rarekindlondon.com and david-samuel.co.uk, or on Instagram at @rarekindldn and @davidsamuel_rarekind.
Between the Briefs is a regular blog series from Plan Make Do, spotlighting the creative lives behind the portfolios. Missed our last feature? Catch up with Jo Armitage’s story here.
If you have a story to share, we’d love to hear it. Reach out anytime: Contact us.