When our Foxylab New York team saw Nastia’s work for the first time, we definitely decided to do a collaboration with her.
N. KFKS is an incredibly talented artist and graphic designer. The scope of her talent is limitless: from graphic design, illustration, 3D, packaging design, product design to projection mapping to videos, murals, concept art, game and experimental design.Working all over the world, she has accumulated more than a decade of experience in the design industry and has participated in many international exhibitions.Whatever Nastia does, she does it with passion. In our interview we talked about her passion for work, travel, hobbies and her upcoming collection with Foxylab New York.
During my last two years at school, I studied in architectural class and after in the Academy of Architecture & Art at the faculty of graphic design. Around that time, I started skateboarding and snowboarding. A lot, of course, came to me from that subculture. Also, I was very into manga & anime like Samurai Champloo, Ghost in the Shell, Ergo Proxy, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note & many more. All those epic visual styles were around me already. After I got my master’s degree, I moved to New York, where I learned to ride a flatland bmx. Street style was always a part of my daily life and shaped my design tastes.
Passion. It’s like plenty of ideas in your head, and you want to do them all at once. Sometimes you can’t live without creating something new.
I think when you create something, it’s always a part of you; it is a mix of your vision and a sense of beauty in some way. Since I’ve learned the history of art in the academy, I have fallen in love with Japanese culture : the spirit, beauty, philosophy. Also, I was fortunate to spend all my holidays as a kid in the mountains, sea and lakes around my native town: so I’m a big fan of nature. That’s why you can see many Japanese and natural influences in my works.
It is hard to say which one because I have plenty of great projects, and I’m so grateful for that. Maybe the first big project I collaborated with my friends, we made live-drawing on an abandoned factory. It was new for me, as I realized I could create at more levels, not only drawing but filming, editing, and most fun is collaborating.
Other amazing projects were in New York in the iconic place Zakka in DUMBO. I created live-drawing & art exhibitions there, met so many remarkable people & got so much inspiration from that place. I still think it was the best graphic/art/design store in the town. That store’s owner made it an extraordinary place for customers & artists, very rare nowadays.
Also, my projects in Shanghai and Singapore. It was a significantly different experience, with exciting communication and cultures.
The idea is certainly good, and it seems to be a transition to some new level for art. But I don’t like that it’s bad for the environment. On another side, there is a changing trend, focusing on more environmentally friendly options. It is much more interesting.
It’s about finding ways to reveal your personality, your character. Every person has their internal struggle, and when the character can find a way to understand this, it will lead him/her to a better future: where you can be anyone, and any paths will be open to you.
The collaboration turned out marvelous. I saw samples, and it looks incredibly cool! I can’t wait to share.
I didn’t count till now, and actually, not as much as it might seem: 37 countries. My favorites are Indonesia, Hawaii, Japan, Iceland, the South Caribbean, and all kinds of islands. It is challenging to say what place is my #1, in total, I think TRAVELLING is the key.
I have many interests, from different techniques and directions in the art to extreme sports, but most of all, I like to travel. I love that ideas and inspiration can flow from one field to another. So you as an artist always have lots of stuff you want to work on.
Initially, it was my parents; I am very grateful to them because we traveled a lot when I was a kid. Then I continued to travel and live in different places around the globe. Two tips: Adventures always teach something new. Travel is the best education you can give yourself.
Initially, it was my parents; I am very grateful to them because we traveled a lot when I was a kid. Then I continued to travel and live in different places around the globe. Two tips: Adventures always teach something new. Travel is the best education you can give yourself.
I’ve been making indie games for some time now, but since I have a baby, I’ve postponed the process for a while, so I can spend more time with my family.
