A native of Gadsden, Alabama, Nathaniel Bustion began his artistic journey studying commercial art at Colorado State University on a basketball scholarship. After graduating, he played professional basketball in both the United States and Antwerp, where he also pursued a fine arts degree at the Antwerp Academy of Art. Returning to the US, he taught at the Studio Watts Workshop, a vibrant community arts center in Los Angeles. It was there that he met the influential Black artist and educator Charles White, who became his mentor and helped shape his artistic direction. Bustion later earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the Otis Art Institute (now Otis College of Art and Design), solidifying his foundation in the arts.

Bustion’s artistic explorations took him to Africa, where he immersed himself in ancient ceramic techniques, learning from traditional artists and drawing deep inspiration from their practices. Throughout his career, he worked across ceramics, engraving, lithography, painting, and sculpture, using these varied mediums to delve into his African American heritage and the Black experience in America. His work resonates with a profound sense of cultural identity and creative experimentation, and has been exhibited at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Thomas Hall Art Gallery in Dallas, Texas; the California African American Museum in Los Angeles; the FDG Art Gallery in Los Angeles; and the Altadena Library.