Nataliya Shatalova (Beaverton) is a Ukranian traditional artist who specializes in making Motanka dolls-- dolls that are made through laborious and strict weaving and knotting techniques. Shatalova is passionate about sharing her traditional craft and emphasizes the importance of a cultural practice that is done with great care, intention, and continuity.
Bio
Nataliya Shatalova (Beaverton) is a Ukrainian traditional artist who specializes in making Motanka dolls; dolls that are made through laborious and strict weaving and knotting techniques. Shatalova is passionate about sharing her traditional craft and emphasizes the importance of a cultural practice that is done with great care, intention, and continuity.
Motanka dolls are a traditional craft of doll-making that act as a talisman and protect families from evil. Motanka dolls have a variety of forms that represent different purposes, such as the Cleansing Doll, the Traveler Doll, and the Fertility Doll. Shatalova currently teaches workshops on how to make the dolls, fostering significant cultural exchange and understanding, and regularly donates proceeds to aid Ukraine. Shatalova shares, “Creating Motanka dolls is a therapeutic escape and contributes to my pride in my Ukrainian heritage."
Shatalova was able to reconnect with Motanka dolls when she moved to the United States in 2000 and received the dolls as a wedding present. Growing up, her family had fears of sharing details of the practice with her, as the oppressive regimes in the occupied Soviet Union did not view Ukrainian traditional practices as ‘morally fit’; however, she remained curious about the dolls throughout her childhood. After receiving the dolls as an adult, she was inspired to make the dolls herself, using traditional fabrics she owned. Her mission is to bring this traditional craft to as many others in the Ukrainian diaspora as she can reach.
