About me

My name is Yuliya Kashapova, and I’m a freelance illustrator. I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine, and now I live and work in United States. I’m also a mom of two little kids, and we all (along with my husband and four dogs) currently live in Huntsville, AL.

My life until today can be divided into two major chapters: before and after 1999—the year I immigrated to the United States.

The “before” period is the tale of a classic Soviet childhood in pre-dissolution USSR, followed by coming of age amidst the realities of the first decade of Ukrainian independence. 

Surrounded by a concoction of influences, I began drawing during the early years. The brutally imaginative words of Nikolai Gogol and Mikhail Bulgakov, the surreal visions of Daniil Kharms and Lewis Carroll, the philosophic poetry of late-Soviet films, and the unique humor of Ukrainian and Armenian animation all played a significant role in shaping my artistic style.  

Shortly after immigrating to the United States, I earned a BFA in Studio Arts from the University of Virginia. The following years were filled with a deep exploration of creative opportunities: I spent time painting and drawing in the UK and exploring the United States on multiple cross-country road trips. I lived and worked (doing design, photography and illustration) in New York, New Jersey, California, Arizona, Virginia, and in Germany for a few years before moving to Huntsville in 2018. 

My illustrations have appeared in a few media outlets including The New Yorker, The New York Magazine, Brooklyn's DUCTs Magazine and other. Also, in 2014 I have joined forces with the novelist and journalist Adrian Barnes in bringing to life the heavily illustrated surrealist and nonsensical novel Satan à la Mode.

Interview with Ballpitmag.