The magic of autumn

Nataliflora, Ukraine

"Odesa artist Nataliia Mashkina was born on May 21, 1970. This artist’s whole life has been a kind of struggle. Nataliia has been diagnosed with serious health and immune system problems since birth. Even in early childhood, doctors predicted that the child would not live till adulthood. But maternal love, fortitude and Nataliia’s own love for life have overcome. Nataliaa stubbornly went in for sports and creative art, knowing that every day could be the last. Therefore, going in for sports helped her strengthen her body, while the thirst for life and love for the world around her spilled out in a huge number of other talents and hobbies. After all, she wanted to do everything in this moment, right now, as tomorrow might simply never come. Nataliia simultaneously studied at a sports school, a music school in a vocal class, a fine arts studio, attended a modern dance studio and was a member of the city literary association (she wrote prose and poetry). She won regional literary competitions, was a laureate of art competitions for young talents and participated in national handball championships. Nataliia has always taken an active life position, trying to protect those who need help and support. Since childhood, her motto has been: "You must be strong when there are weak who need your help." Surprisingly, she herself struggled with numerous diseases all her life. Every day was filled with pain that no one even knew about, except for her mother. What was easy and simple for ordinary people Nataliia achieved literally with sweat and blood. During her training blood was often trickling from her ears and nose, while severe headaches made her lose consciousness. But this only made her stronger and more stubborn. Nataliia suffered her first stroke at the age of 22, right in the gym. Then two more microstrokes followed and she was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma. Nataliia reached adulthood and survived, contrary to the predictions of doctors. She took this as a sign that she needed to devote herself to serving those who needed protection and help. In 1987, after graduating from school, Nataliia and her friend go to St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) to enter the Mukhinsky Art School (now the Stieglitz Academy). Having completed her first year of distance learning, Nataliia is transferred to the Institute of Physical Education (also to the distance learning department), because her country was coming to face very difficult times in its history. At the same time, Nataliia works day and night to support her family and earn her living. She continues to actively engage in volunteer activities with young people. She creates a youth theater for difficult teenagers, conducts needlework circles for children from poor and single-parent families, works as a trainer in a boxing gym, trying to do what she can during these difficult times for her country. Painting and literature become her outlet and the very light that shines even in the darkest times. In 1998, having survived several tragedies and two clinical deaths, Nataliia decides to go as a novice to the monastery of St. Archangel Michael. For the next three years she is directing the church choir, painting and embroidering icons. She is supervising the construction of churches and bell towers, hoping to serve God and people in the spiritual field. But, after falling from the bell tower during construction work, Nataliia gets a serious spinal injury and returns home. Almost all of the following year she spends without movement. Maternal love and care, as well as the fortitude of Nataliia herself, do not let her lose heart. This is how another kind of creativity is born - weaving flowers from beads in real size and decorative elements - lamps, floor lamps, candlesticks. Painting is being combined with iconography. Nataliia continues, in spite of pain and trauma, to make complex chasubles from fabrics, beads and semi-precious stones for icons and shrouds. She enters the Odesa Theological Seminary at the regency department. But again she is forced to leave her studies due to serious health problems. Painting becomes the very spiritual light that helps her overcome the darkness of bodily ailments. And yet life develops in such a way that the less strength and health Nataliia possesses the more the Lord sends poor suffering cats to her. Dying, sick, frostbitten... Blind kittens thrown on the threshold and street cats hit by a car. Those who come to her door with the last of their strength, as if feeling that they will not be betrayed and abandoned here. And the more rigid and merciless the surrounding world becomes, the kinder and dreamier Nataliia's art turns out to be. She leaves academic painting and creates her own unique world - the Universe without evil. Cat painting. A world in which there is no place for human vices, pain and evil, but only magical creatures that hold the entire universe within themselves. Painting gave Nataliia strength when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Mother, who all her life has been her quiet guardian angel, friend, inspirer and supporter in all endeavors. For two years of constant surgeries and hospitals, Nataliia was always next to her mother. But no one saw Nataliia crying at night in the hospital corridor, as everyone is used to seeing her constantly smiling. The soul of the artist cried and died next to her mother, and the paintings continued to smile cheerfully and give faith in a fairy tale and a miracle. Once, when asked by TV journalists who believed that cats should somehow survive on their own, and we should rather help homeless people, for example, Nataliaa very aptly noted: "People are endowed with free will. They choose their own way of life. Cats and other animals turned out to be defenseless before the world of people. They were certainly created for Paradise, and only because of humans, they ended up in a real hell." And it is true. Doesn't she know this, going all her life through pain and trials, where every day begins with pain and ends with pain. And somewhere in between all this is LIFE. Life that is full of smiles, compassion, empathy and support. Life as a feat. Life as an overcoming. Life, filled with so much care and love for hundreds of people and animals that it never occurred to anyone what it costs this woman, going through life with an unchanging smile, to keep moving. Now the Odesa artist has a mini cat shelter. Although a shelter would be a crude name for it, as it is nothing other than a small world filled with happiness. A world for fluffy magical creatures deprived of a home, for cats abandoned by their owners escaping the war. And that is what the real "Universe without evil" from the Ukrainian artist Nataliia Mashkina is like."