Imagine, blurring the line between murals and nature, where real plants, shadows, and textures of the surroundings bleed into the paint, where the universe itself completes the art. When art touches a wall and grows alongside nature, it thrums with life. When colours blend into vines and trace the outlines of leaves and bark, the art begins to breathe. Globally, several artists have been experimenting with such ideas.
Nishad V A often came across such works by foreign artists online. The harmony between painted forms and the surroundings always fascinated him. But he never thought he would try it himself until one day, by chance, the opportunity presented.
“I used to admire how creatively artists merge their art with their surroundings,” Nishad recalls. “One day, I was passing by a relative’s house and noticed a perfect frame on their compound wall. I didn’t tell them. I just picked up my brushes and started painting. To my surprise, they really liked it. And when I posted it on social media, it got so much attention, I did not expect it at all.”
Since then, Nishad’s wall art has taken on a life of its own. His portraits, often of children, don’t just sit on the wall; they blend with the leaves above them, smile through bursts of flowers, and borrow their hair from overgrown creepers.
A girl’s calm gaze is framed by jasmines in bloom, another child reaches out from beneath a crown of yellow blossoms, and an old wall becomes a face remembered. Each mural shifts with the light and seasons, making nature a backdrop and an essential part of the story.
Nishad’s artistic journey did not begin with street art. He has worked for years in creative roles as an art director and later as a creative head in various firms. But over time, he felt an urge to dedicate himself more fully to art.
“I was doing a lot of work indoors — on canvases or digital platforms. But those works are limited to specific spaces and people,” he explains. “I wanted my work to be out in the open, where anyone walking by could see it. The best way to do that is through wall art.”
Making that shift was not easy. He had to cut down his full-time job to part-time, giving more space to his passion. Now, with a backpack full of brushes, acrylic paints, pencils, and tools, he would start his day early, walking the streets and looking for the right spot. If a wall felt right, he would ask the owner for permission, and if they agreed, he would get to work, often finishing the mural by evening.
Apart from murals, Nishad also experiments with chalk powder art, miniature pieces, knife drawing, and transforming unused materials into canvases. “Anything can become my medium. Even a broken piece of tile or an old glass can be part of a painting. I enjoy challenging myself that way,” he says.
Social media, too, played a major role in his journey, though it was not always part of the plan. “At first, I did not think of social media seriously. But when I started sharing my work online, everything changed. Suddenly, people from Bengaluru, Chennai, and even the UAE started reaching out with enquiries for wall paintings.”
His Instagram reels and videos have now gained millions of views. But while the numbers are flattering, Nishad says it is the emotional response from people that drives him the most. That also explains his deliberate choice of subject matter. Many of his works feature children’s faces — bright-eyed, cheerful, and innocent.
“I wanted people to feel happy when they see my art. The innocence in a child’s face brings that instant warmth. That is why I chose that theme. It’s something I don’t see others doing much in this style, and I wanted to be different.”
Though Nishad has had dreams of working in cinema, his ultimate goal is to be known and remembered as an artist. “People have different perceptions about what art should be. But for me, it is simple, art is something that makes me happy while doing it. And if it can make someone else happy too, that is all I need.”
So, the next time you are walking through the streets of Chavakkad in Thrissur, look closely. You might just see one of Nishad’s murals peeking out from a wall, smiling back at you through a cluster of vines, wrapped in colours, and alive with the breeze.
