Nata Ibragimov is an artist like no other. Be it through visual art, body art or her performance career, she utilizes her talents to innovate and express her craft.
Nata has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She also has a background in competitive rhythmic gymnastics. These two completely different skill sets have facilitated her in the life as a circus artist, where she can share her imagination with the rest of the world.
1. Could you please introduce yourself?
I’m Nata Ibragimov, a visual and performance artist, currently based in Las Vegas.
2. You are incredibly talented in many ways. How did you come to learn of all of your talents?
As a child, I was a competitive rhythmic gymnast. The skills I learned in the sport eventually led me to a full-time career as a circus performer. I also have a degree in illustration, which is what led my art career.
I was fortunate enough to combine the skills and talents together, so my creativity and visual art skills come in handy when I’m creating my performance pieces, and vice versa, my performance career inspires a lot of my art. It all goes hand in hand.
3. A friend of mine said that every part of you is art—you look like art, your body moves like art, your brain creates amazing works of art. How do you see yourself?
Hah, thank you. I don’t really plan or think of what my art looks like, but I do put a lot of myself into it, so it’s no wonder that it shows through my work. I think most artists put themselves into their work. There is even a term for it: “Meraki”.
4. A few pieces of yours seem to remind me a bit of Margaret Keane. Who are your major influences when it comes to your artwork?
I do love Margaret Keane’s work. I have a large number of contemporary surreal artists that I love and follow, but I can’t say there is a specific influence in my work. I actually put a lot of effort not to look at too much work by other artists, because by being inspired there is a chance to start imitating them, and I don’t like that. I’d rather come up with my own style and technique.
5. Your hoops acts are gorgeous. I watched the videos online and was stunned by your talent. Where did you learn such a talent, and where can we see you perform?
Thanks. I was a rhythmic gymnast for many years. After retiring from the sport, I taught myself circus hooping through YouTube and a lot of trial and error. At the moment, I work as a freelance performer, so I take projects as they come along. Due to the pandemic a lot of big show projects have come to a halt, so there isn’t a specific show to go see.
6. Your tattoos are stunning. My favorite one I believe was inspired by Singing in the Rain. Which tattoo is your favorite that you’ve done?
I love tattoos that come from my original art. I recently did an illustration of a sad clown that’s become my new favorite piece.
7. I went onto your Etsy site, DelicatelyOdd (https://www.etsy.com/shop/delicatelyodd). Could you explain how you go about designing and making your art pieces, such as Munch and Ocean?
Needle felting was just a hobby I picked up while on tour with a circus company a few years ago. Spending hours on the road gave me a lot of time to try new things. I created one little creature and people seemed to like it. So, I created a few more. Eventually I opened an Etsy shop and found a couple of artisan gift shops in Los Angeles to sell my creatures. Lately I haven’t been spending a lot of time on creating creatures because the other art forms have been taking priority.
8. You are already so busy with everything you are working on. However, is there any kind of art that you want to pursue but haven’t tried yet?
Realistically, I have no time for anything new at the moment! But I’d love to paint a mural one day in the future. It seems intimidating and way out of my comfort zone to paint that large, but then again, everything I’ve done so far has felt impossible at some point, so I’m keeping an open mind for when that opportunity arises.
9. I found you on Instagram, and I saw your website and YouTube videos. I also loved
your coloring books on Amazon (which are amazing!). Where else can we see your work?
My website is the best place to find my work. I consolidate it all there and have links to all the other platforms (www.nataibragimov.com).
10. What is next for Nata Ibragimov? Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
My goal for the next few years is to become an established tattoo artist with a long waiting list of clients. And as far as performances go, I hope to become part of a creative team and performance team for a circus show, so I can use all my skills to some capacity.
