10 Questions with Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova) is an award-winning graphic artist and designer from Kyiv, Ukraine, specialising in art and fashion. Now based in Falmouth, UK, she creates intricate graphic designs digitally printed on silk, transforming them into both wearable accessories and interior art pieces. Her work, rich in narrative and symbolism, bridges the gap between fine art and fashion, turning everyday objects into profound conversation pieces. Natalia has exhibited internationally, including at the UN in Vienna, Basel Art Center, London Design Fair, and upcoming solo and group exhibitions in the UK. She has been recognised with prestigious awards such as the Epson Digital Fashion Competition, European Product Design Award, and International Design Awards.

www.nakol.art | @nakol3000

ARTIST STATEMENT

“My art bridges fine art and fashion, creating silk-printed designs that serve as both adornments and conversation pieces. Each piece holds a narrative, mysterious yet familiar, inviting the viewer into layered interpretations of dreams, memories, and shifting realities. By playing with spatial and temporal distortions, I aim to evoke a sense of timelessness. Wearing my designs allows the observer to experience an additional, personal dimension, strengthening or distancing connections, but never leaving anyone indifferent.”

— Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

INTERVIEW

First of all, let's start from the basics. Who are you, and when did you first get interested in art? How has your background shaped you as an artist?

My name is Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova), and I am an award-winning graphic artist and designer based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Now I am in Falmouth, England, with my 11-year-old daughter under the temporary protection of the Home for Ukraine program.
In my family, there was no foreshadowing of the appearance of the artist, but there was a dynasty of scientists. My grandfather, a well-known physiologist, collected paintings, antiques, albums, and books on the history of art, and most likely the environment of numerous works of art allowed me to easily start drawing. Later, I studied at the Kyiv Academy of Arts and Crafts named after Mikhail Boychuk, and also graduated from the Graphic faculty of NTUU "KPI". In my work, I tried to implement all the education I received. Formal and informal, including, of course, which was related to the art of visualisation. At first, it was advertising and shop windows, later illustrations for children's and adult books (publishing houses A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA, Glowberry Books, Sofia, etc.), then restaurant concepts from logos to their interior embodiment (Egoist, Bukva), magazine concepts and illustrations for them (GQ, Sho), corporate identity concepts and annual reports for large companies (Osnova-Solsif). I was also involved in developing the concept and its implementation for the TV show "Stars at the Opera" on the 1+1 channel. And finally, the transition to independent creativity, which began with graphic series and subsequent solo exhibitions, ceramic sculpture, interior objects, graphics on tableware, textiles and silk.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey from Kyiv to Falmouth?

My daughter and I moved to the UK at the end of October 2022. We applied to Rezet Ukraine to find a host. We waited 2 months for a visa. We were lucky with our hosts, Nona and Euan. We talked on Zoom and realised that everything would be fine. We have been friends ever since.
When the news of the Russian invasion came, I literally froze. It was hard to believe that what was happening was real. Friends and acquaintances from all over the world started calling us and inviting us to visit them. But for a while, we believed that everything would soon be over. We lived near a TV tower in Kyiv. And when a rocket exploded next to it and people died, we stopped hesitating and went to the West. But there was a feeling that something was helping us and acting in a very coordinated manner.

How would you describe yourself as an artist today?

Resilient, quietly persistent, and always inclined towards renewal. My art is rooted in endurance, much like an ancient plant that continues to flourish no matter the conditions.

Your work bridges fine art and fashion. What drew you to combine these two worlds?

My journey into combining fine art and fashion began one memorable summer night in a garden gazebo. While friends gathered around a fire and board games, I was struck by the shifting emotions and interplay of light and shadow, fire, a lamp, and the full moon, casting quick-changing excitement across faces. That evening inspired my first series of images exploring the nature of games and thrill; each piece was made square, able to hang in any orientation, expressing its own rhythm and colour, free from the constraints of the games themselves. Ironically, I don't enjoy playing games, except those with reversals. But after my first exhibition, people began suggesting these works would translate beautifully to silk scarves, making art more accessible while preserving their timeless, collectable spirit. This transition didn't feel like chasing fashion trends, but rather finding a way for my visual stories to live closer to people, blending fine art and wearability, with each still feeling like a lasting object, not a fleeting accessory.

Music Of Wind © Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

Winter Punks © Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

Why did you choose silk as the main surface for your designs, and what do you find most special about working with it?

I chose silk because of its unique ability to communicate light, colour and emotion; it's both timeless and surprisingly alive. For me, silk invites a dialogue: not only between artist and material, but between artwork and wearer, making each piece an object of beauty, memory, and continual discovery.
It offers a sensual, tactile connection; people are instinctively drawn to touch and interact with it, fostering a much more intimate relationship between viewer and artwork.
Its history as a symbol of luxury and artistry across cultures resonates with the idea of creating something collectable and enduring, not just decorative or fleeting.
Using silk is a conscious decision to root contemporary work in a rich, cross-cultural tradition, investing every piece with historical gravity, beauty, and the invitation to be appreciated slowly, as something both luxurious and meaningful.

How does it feel to see your art worn as accessories, compared to being displayed as interior pieces?

Selling my work as accessories means my art can travel, be seen, and experienced up close, transforming the wearer into a moving gallery. Each scarf is no longer only an object for contemplation but becomes part of someone's individual story, carried into the world and reimagined in daily life. This creates an emotional, evolving relationship between the artist, the artwork, and the audience, which is deeply rewarding and very different from seeing my work hanging quietly in an interior.

How does it feel to see your art worn as accessories, compared to being displayed as interior pieces?

My ideas arise spontaneously but regularly, as a natural need of my body and mind. I often begin with an abstract challenge, like creating a composition dominated by a particular colour, and then I accumulate, layer, and mentally arrange elements. This process leads to a final visualisation that resembles a palimpsest, where new meanings are added to familiar symbols and concepts. The prints reveal something both mysterious and familiar, offering multi-layered responses to external challenges, dreams, and premonitions. By manipulating spatial and temporal dimensions in my work, I aim to evoke timelessness.

Sailors & Fishmongers © Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

Pirates & islands! © Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

What do you hope people feel or think when they wear or encounter your designs?

Wearing these pieces feels like stepping into a personal narrative, where the artwork becomes part of their identity and daily rhythm. For observers, the prints create a kind of 'fifth dimension', a space of connection or distance that stimulates curiosity, emotion, and conversation. My hope is that no one remains indifferent; the experience is always evocative, intimate, and dynamic, much like the timeless, palimpsest-like nature of the images themselves.

From the UN in Vienna to Basel and London, you've shown your work internationally, and you have received several international awards. How have these milestones influenced your artistic path?

Presenting my work internationally, from the United Nations in Vienna to Basel and London, has profoundly influenced my creative path by exposing me to diverse cultures, artistic dialogues, and professional networks. Each event acts like a catalyst, broadening my perspective and enriching my artistic vocabulary. These experiences challenge me to explore new themes, experiment with techniques, and deepen the symbolism in my work to resonate on a global scale. Moreover, the opportunity to engage directly with international audiences and fellow artists has sharpened my sense of how art can transcend borders and create meaningful connections. Winning awards and exhibiting in such prestigious venues also reinforces my commitment to pushing boundaries between fine art and fashion, encouraging me to evolve while staying true to the narratives and multi-dimensional qualities central to my practice.

Spike Milligan © Natalia Shamrai (Kolpakova)

Lastly, what projects or directions are you most excited about in the near future?

I am very excited about deepening partnerships with concept boutiques and museums, which allow my work to reach a broader and more diverse audience in both art and lifestyle contexts. Collaborating with companies specialising in interior decor, such as wall panels, pillows, lampshades, carpets, and tapestries, feels like a natural extension of my practice, as it brings my designs into everyday environments while maintaining their artistic integrity. These projects offer exciting opportunities to innovate within the niche of my main product, blending fine art and functional design. I look forward to exploring new materials and formats that keep the narrative and symbolic depth of my work alive, making art more accessible and integrated into daily life.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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