A CHAT WITH BLUE MOUNTAINS MURAL & FINE ARTIST: NASTIA GLADUSHCHENKO
Born in Odessa, Ukraine into a family obsessed with flowers and a heritage of growing fruits and vegetables for survival, Nastia’s favourite childhood memories are from the dacha (a country retreat) where her grandparents built their own little cottage to grow food, away from the city.
After migrating to Sydney, Australia at the age of seven, Nastia found art and specifically flowers helped her to connect with other kids at school, particularly as she was yet to learn fluent English.
Nastia now lives in our beautiful Blue Mountains with her husband and daughter and has been approached by many to paint her murals of botanical imagery in interesting and often restrained colour palettes in and around our region and further afield in Sydney, Orange and other regional areas.
At Thornton & Blake, we feel very honoured and frequently inspired to provide Nastia with the supply of Porter’s Paints in an array of beautiful colours to paint these murals. It is not uncommon for her to send a list of interesting colour palettes for us to mix for her next creation. Occasionally she will also lean into the Dulux range, mostly for specialty primers and undercoats with the odd Dulux colour thrown in here and there. It is also worthy of a mention that Porter’s acrylic paints are suitable for interior and exterior application, and therefore a flexible choice for murals across all applications.
Today, we are chatting with Nastia to learn about her influences and hopes and dreams in sharing a world of colour with her public and private murals.
1. What first inspired you to begin creating murals, and how did your artistic journey lead you to focus on nature and colour?
From a very young age, I loved painting. Although I studied Interior Architecture at UNSW and was passionate about the built environment, I wanted to find a playful way to combine these two interests. Nature and colour have always inspired me—growing up by the Black Sea, I spent much of my childhood outdoors, whether at the beach or at the dacha, surrounded by the vibrancy of the natural world.
2. Can you walk us through your creative process—from initial idea to a completed mural? Including the botanical elements you choose for each mural?
Every mural begins with a detailed questionnaire for the client, filled with personal questions about their favourite flowers, colours, and spaces. The responses help shape the concept, ensuring that each piece is unique and deeply connected to the client and the site. I avoid repeating shapes or colour palettes, as I want every mural to feel truly one of a kind. Once the concept is approved and the mock-up is finalised, I mix the paints, prepare detailed installation drawings, and then bring it all to life on the wall.
3. Many of your pieces are inspired by the natural world. Do you draw directly from observation, memory, or imagination?
All of the above—and usually in that order. I begin by observing the site and its surrounding environment, researching the plants I want to highlight based on the concept. I study books, reference imagery, and take my own photographs. When it comes time to paint, I rely on memory rather than direct reference, allowing me to fill in the details intuitively. This process keeps the work spontaneous and free, and it’s where my imagination truly comes into play.
4. Colour is such a strong feature in your murals—what role does it play in how you want people to feel when they see your art?
Joy, warmth, a feeling of being embraced and surprised. Colour is everything in my work and I definitely go through different phases of colours so while the work is site specific, it also represents my current mood/state.
5. How do you adapt your vision to fit the unique scale, surface, and setting of each mural space?
I try to keep an open mind for solutions and new ways of doing things. I’ve just been asked to paint a partially mossy, textured, beloved wall so I am exploring ways to stay true to my style while also embracing nature and the unique elements of the site.
6. Murals often live in public spaces. How do you hope your art impacts the communities that interact with it daily?
My goal with many of my public works is to transform the streetscape into something more inclusive, vibrant, and playful. My hope is that the abstract nature of my pieces invites interpretation and conversation—giving friends and strangers alike a reason to connect, share ideas, and engage with one another through the artwork.
7. What is the most challenging part of painting murals compared to other art forms you’ve practiced?
Painting murals is quite physical and often challenging due to the weather—conditions can change in an instant, and suddenly your paint is dripping while you’re standing in the rain trying to mop it up. But that unpredictability is also part of what I love about murals. The elements constantly interact with the work, shifting how colours appear throughout the day and adding an ever-changing, living dimension to the piece.
8. Do you have a favourite mural you’ve painted, and what makes it stand out for you?
A recent favourite would have to be a small mural I created for a private courtyard. The client worked in the arts, so she gave me incredible freedom to explore new colours and textures I’d been wanting to experiment with which turned out really special. It was also the first time I had a chance to play with high gloss medium layering in my murals and it has changed the feeling and mood of my mural work a lot. I painted while the landscape designers were simultaneously bringing the garden to life, and the collaboration made the space feel truly special. The mural is now surrounded by lush greenery (I took inspiration from the proposed planting), beautifully restored sandstone walls, and sits just behind a dining area—so I know it will become the backdrop to many joyful family moments, which I love
9. Why do you choose Porter’s Paints as your primary paint resource?
Because of my background in interior design, I’ve always loved Porter’s Paints and their beautiful colour range. After experimenting with a few other brands, I found myself consistently returning to Porter’s—not only for the depth of their colours but also for the milky texture and matte finish. There’s something about that finish that reminds me of the character and warmth of old, weathered walls, which I find really inspiring.
10. Looking ahead, what themes or ideas are you most excited to explore in your future work?
I’m currently exploring ways to bring more texture into my mural work, bridging the gap between my large-scale pieces and my smaller painted works. I’m also about to present a new body of work with Day Gallery at the Affordable Art Fair in Sydney, inspired by my childhood by the sea. The series draws on memories and old film photographs of bright, sun-soaked colours, pastel skies, and the deep blues of the Black Sea. Each piece feels like a love letter to that peaceful, joy-filled time in the 1990s in my seaside hometown of Odessa.
As well as large murals, Nastia creates works on canvas and her work is regularly shown at Day Gallery Blackheath
