By Ashton Thomas
The first time he came to Ruston, it was for a job interview. The second time? He had a U-Haul.
Meet Nicholas “Nick” Bustamante: a California-born, North Louisiana community member and creative who went from a proponent of playing it safe to a believer in taking risks.
Born in Southern California, Bustamante never foresaw himself living in Ruston. He moved to Humboldt State University as a first-generation college student, the son of a father who never graduated high school, with no idea he would become a university professor and professional artist. It was a long journey to get to where he is today.
“I didn’t have the path paved for me,” Bustamante said. “Because of that, my knee-jerk reaction was always to play it safe.”
His risk aversion couldn’t last long as an art major; as he illustrates, few disciplines have the rigid critical structure that an art program does. Art students spend dozens of hours on a project, then sit in a public setting of peers and professors to hear critiques — it’s not like waiting until you get home to open your test grade.
It might sound intimidating, but this sort of education helped Bustamante grow into the type of person who could apply for jobs across the country. He explains, “What I remember from that degree is not how to be a better painter, but how to be better as a person.”
Upon graduation, Bustamante began job searching, and he didn’t limit himself to California. It was a daunting process. “Getting out of your comfort zone is where growth happens,” he said. His way through was leaning on what studio art had already taught him: how to see a bigger vision and how to take on something without knowing how it would turn out.
Nearly 22 years later, Bustamante has found himself putting these lessons into practice in ways he never expected. His art has become a familiar part of Ruston’s landscape, but the projects themselves are only one part of the story. Each one has pushed him into unfamiliar territory, introduced him to new people and taught him something he didn’t know before.
Mural painting opened up a new direction for Bustamante’s work. His first project, a collaboration with Whitney Causey in Homer, proved to be a worthwhile departure from the studio and led to further work. By the time the pair painted the geometric rainbow across from Ruston’s Dixie Theatre, a mural that has become a popular photo spot, Bustamante had begun to find his footing in a medium that was once unfamiliar.
The experience later led to a mural-painting class at Louisiana Tech, where Bustamante discovered the value of learning alongside his students and being comfortable with not knowing everything, even as the teacher.
“Something I’ve learned when you get into those situations is to be a forever learner. There’s value in putting yourself in situations to be vulnerable,” he said.
That mindset shaped his work with the VISTA (Visual Integration of Science Through Art) Center at Louisiana Tech. Bustamante initially responded to an email seeking an artist who could help with scientific visualization. Although he had no background in the field, he taught himself digital painting. The project, like the mural painting, eventually became a class — and then, a major.
“I learned a lot about science, but through the process I also learned a lot I didn’t know about art,” he said.
Why keep volunteering to learn new skills, new disciplines and new art forms?
For Bustamante, the value of these experiences goes beyond learning a new skill. Whether he is painting a mural or working alongside scientists, he sees art as an opportunity to ask questions and enter conversations he would not otherwise encounter.
“I think it’s all about finding common ground and having a sincere desire for knowledge,” he said.
That desire has shaped the way he approaches his students and his community. He believes that being an artist does not mean having all the answers. Instead, it requires remaining open to change and recognizing what can be learned from people whose experiences differ from your own.
Bustamante’s personal life is evidence of that openness. He would not have met his wife, Hannah, if he had not taken a chance and moved to Louisiana; the two found each other at an art crawl downtown, a connection made possible by his decision to step into a setting very different from the one in which he was raised. Art crawls, theater and music scenes, downtown galleries and supportive neighbors were things Bustamante hadn’t expected to find in a town Ruston’s size. To him, they became part of what made the community feel like home.
“This place provided me an opportunity to have a voice and contribute to the community in a way I’ve never had the chance to do, you know?” he said.
His contributions extend beyond murals. Bustamante has participated in art tours and the North Central Louisiana Arts Council, along with projects like the Bulldog Project, Rock Island Greenway, the Lincoln Health Foundation and more. After nearly 22 years in Ruston, he has developed a deep appreciation for North Louisiana and for the ways people here make space for one another.
“I’ve really gained a deep love and respect for the culture here; it’s really unique, and it’s something I try to get my students to understand,” he said.
For Bustamante, students are not separate from the community simply because they attend Louisiana Tech.
“You’re not just a student in Ruston,” he tells them. “You are part of Ruston.”
He has watched student artists contribute to the community through various projects, leaving pieces of themselves behind; often, those who have moved to larger cities will return with their children, eager to show them the chapter of Ruston they helped write.
When Bustamante creates something new with his students, it’s not merely about brushstrokes and color theory. It goes far beyond what is seen.
“A mural is not just a painting on a wall. It visually embodies the spirit of a place,” he said. “I think there’s something pretty special and magical about that.”
Bustamante is quick to recognize that his work would not be possible without the people who support it. He has seen locals engage with and encourage the arts on an unimaginable scale.
For him, that support is a large part of what makes Ruston special. He has found opportunities here that he does not believe he would have encountered had he stayed in Southern California.
“There’s physical evidence I’ve been here. I don’t know where else I could possibly have the opportunity to do something that’s this meaningful, and I sure wouldn’t know my neighbors like this if I had stayed in California,” he said.
“I didn’t even know places like this existed.”
