Meet: Oksana Muminova, a Ukrainian jewelry designer and educator. Her creative journey is impressive, ranging from winning music competitions to achieving victory in an American gallery, where her work surpassed hundreds of other entries. After moving to the United States, Oksana took a bold step, transforming her hobby into a lifelong career. In her hands, velvet, crystals, and beads become pieces of couture embroidery that blend elegance with deep symbolism. We spoke with Oksana about her incredible path to find out what inspires her to create such masterpieces.
Your journey into jewelry creation began with other art forms—painting, embroidery, and music. How did your experience in music, particularly playing the piano and teaching, influence your current creative work? Do you see any parallels between composing music and designing jewelry?
Music is my first great love; I could talk about it endlessly. Playing the piano always has been and remains a part of my life—I would say music is my soul. The piano and teaching taught me the most important thing: how to feel depth and convey emotion—not with words, expressions, or gestures, but with form, color palette, and imagery. Music has rhythm, pause, harmony, tension, and release—and I find those same principles in jewelry design.
When I work with velvet, crystals, and beads, it’s similar to constructing a musical phrase. Every element must “sound” at the right moment and be in its exact place. Sometimes, even the choice of a crystal—an elongated oval versus a rounded oval—completely changes the mood and tonality of the brooch, even though the shapes seem similar. Music gave me discipline, an appreciation for detailed work, and the ability to hear an internal rhythm. Furthermore, it gave me the capacity to convey through creativity what cannot be expressed with words. Pedagogy, in turn, taught me how to share this with others. In this sense, jewelry for me is an extension of music, just in a different form.
This idea is very close to my heart. Even from my youth, I loved reworking old, forgotten items—giving them new life. It always seemed to me that every object holds a memory, a soul, and if you approach it with care, it can reveal itself in a new way.
During my student years, this became a genuine passion. Most often it involved clothes, but sometimes it was interior items or old, worn-out books. I could rework a forgotten coat into a fashionable vest—simply by changing the cut and replacing the buttons with modern ones. There was something special about that process, like I was finding a new sound for an old melody.Now, this love manifests especially brightly in my art. I strive to transform material into a story, connecting fragments so that they “sound” anew. Even the very same flower petals, when connected differently, create completely different images: here—a delicate rose, and there—a fantastical flower that doesn’t exist in nature.
You mentioned that you used to rework old items. Has this idea—of transforming and creating new from old—carried over into your current art? What does it mean to you?
On your website, you mention that the desire to "restore the integrity of your soul" led you down this path. Could you elaborate on that? How does creativity help you in this process?
When major changes happen in life, the soul seems to lose its balance. For me, that moment arrived three years ago: emigrating to another continent with two small children. We left everything and flew to a new home where we had nothing but suitcases full of clothes. At the time, it felt like creativity was something unnecessary, something that didn’t matter when there were so many worries and problems—starting life from a clean slate, bad news from Ukraine, the anxiety and fear for my parents.
But over time, after about a year, I realized it’s impossible to live without inspiration. I wanted to feel that state of harmony and calm that creativity provides again. This desire to restore myself, to put my soul back together, led me to a new kind of art—jewelry creation. Now, for me, creativity is a way to return to myself. Every time I dive into my work, I feel it bringing my foundation back.
How do you feel in your new country—the United States? What has changed in your creativity since the move?
At first, it was difficult: everything around me was new and different. But that very fact allowed me to discover something more within myself. In Ukraine, I was mostly involved in music, and creating brooches was just a hobby. I embroidered intuitively, simply working with a needle and thread: beautiful brooches—a flower or a bird—would result. Here, in America, I felt the desire to go further and become a professional. I started studying, mastering complex techniques, learning couture embroidery, and diving into the world of textile art. Gradually, I began to invent my own ways of working with crystals and developing original methods based on my accumulated experience. Doors I hadn’t noticed before started opening for me. My works gained depth and meaning. America gifted me new horizons. Here, I realized that my Ukrainian soul and my experience are what make me special. More freedom and boldness to experiment appeared in my creativity.
You create jewelry using the technique of couture embroidery. What do you find most interesting about this technique? And in your opinion, what makes your work unique and recognizable?
I create jewelry using both couture and needle embroidery techniques. What fascinates me about the couture method is the incredible combination of delicacy and expressiveness. No matter what material I use, it always looks light and refined in the embroidery. It’s an art where every detail plays its part, but together they form a cohesive image. For me, it’s similar to music: each note by itself is just a beautiful sound, but when joined in sequence, they give birth to an entire melody. I love that this technique requires time, attention, and respect for the material. Each piece I create becomes special because I put a part of my soul into it. And every soul is unique, unrepeatable, and if you don’t copy anyone or plagiarize, this uniqueness definitely manifests in your work, leading to an individual style and recognizability.
How do you choose the materials for your work—the velvet, crystals, and beads? Do you have any favorite materials that you prefer to work with?
Materials are like a palette for a painter to me. I love to say, “I paint with beads, seed beads, and crystals,” and it’s truly accurate, as they have an incredible number of shades and shapes. I love velvet for its depth and softness—it seems to hold a secret. Crystals—for their play of light; they give the jewelry life, a breath. Beads—for their endless variety of forms. But what I enjoy most is combining them so that harmony emerges between them. Sometimes the material itself suggests the idea—as if it wants to become part of something greater. Still, my favorite material is velvet; it’s my foundation. Based on the shade I choose, I set the tone and mood for the piece.
You independently master new directions in textile art. How do you seek inspiration? And how do you find the courage to try something new?
Inspiration for me is always born from life. It can be a melody, a conversation with a person, or even silence. Sometimes the shadow of an object suddenly resembles the outline of a bird or a flower—and a new idea appears. I believe that everything around us is capable of being its starting point. Daring to try something new is always a step taken through fear. For instance, in business, an experiment can be too costly, making it hard to commit, but in creativity, it’s different: the new is always a flight of fancy. If something doesn’t work out, then different inspiration will arrive, and something else—perhaps even more valuable—will be born. I am certain that development is possible only when you step beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone.
Please describe your creative process. Where does the work on a new piece of jewelry begin? Is it with a sketch, an idea, or the material?
Most often, everything starts with a feeling or an image: what my jewelry will be like, or which style or outfit it’s meant for. For example, if it’s a coat and a hat, I certainly won’t create a yellow airy flower—it will be a massive brooch on a wire frame, in plum or autumn shades. Sometimes I immediately see the finished silhouette in my head, and sometimes I come across a piece of fabric in an unusual shade or a beautiful crystal that has been lying in a drawer for a long time. I then create the entire piece around it. I might sketch an outline, but more often I allow the process to unfold naturally. It’s important for me to preserve vibrancy and spontaneity. It’s similar to musical improvisation: there is a theme, but its development is always unpredictable. That’s how my jewelry is born.
Your work—a velvet necklace—won first place in a competition in the USA. How did you feel when you found out about it? And how did this success impact your creativity?
When I found out about the win, I couldn’t believe it right away. I had often heard words of admiration for my work, and that’s what pushed me to show my creations here in America. The understanding of handmade art is different here; the values and the level of craftsmanship are completely different—I’m referring to embroidered jewelry. I decided to send photos for the qualifying round. A few weeks later, they wrote to me saying that out of over 700 works, mine and 55 others had been selected for an exhibition that would last a whole month. I thought then: how many people will see my creation during that time! I was already happy. But when they informed me that I had won first place, I was genuinely in shock.
This moment gave me tremendous strength. For me, it’s not so much about the award as it is a sign: my path is the right one. This success inspired me to move forward more boldly, to trust my style, and to not be afraid to share it with the world.
Could you tell me about your favorite or most significant work? What story or emotion is embedded in it?
There are two works that became particularly significant for me. The first is a jewelry box. This was a true experiment: I combined new techniques and worked with materials I had never even heard of before. Thousands of stitches, almost half a year of work… I poured so much of my soul into it that every element became a reflection of myself. The second work is a brooch that is more than just jewelry to me. It was born in a moment of longing for Ukraine, for home. I described it this way, and this is the emotion with which I created this brooch:
“Soft velvet — the night sky of my Ukraine.
Golden wheat ears — the pain and pride of the land I was forced to leave, but never stopped loving.
I create this not as an ornament, but as a reminder.
Of the home that lives in my heart.
Of the roots that cannot be torn out.
Of the strength that I took with me. In every stitch — a longing for home, for the voice and embrace of my dear mother…
This brooch is about love, freedom, pride, and the quiet pain of separation. Golden, strong, my… Ukraine.”
You write that your jewelry pieces are not just beautiful objects, but works that carry a story and emotion. How do you embed these meanings into your creations?
I never create jewelry just for the sake of form or sparkle. It’s important for me that there is an idea, a feeling, a memory—a story—behind every piece. It’s similar to a narrative: when people are given a text to read and asked to draw an illustration for it, everyone creates their own image. It’s the same for me—first, a story or an image arises in my head, and then I begin to “paint.” Sometimes it’s a memory of home, sometimes it’s a dream of the future. But then, the jewelry starts to live with the person who wears it, and it continues to write a new story—their personal one.
Many Ukrainian artists are currently working outside the country. Do you feel a connection with Ukraine in your creative work? If so, how does it manifest?
I always feel a connection with Ukraine. My home and my parents are there. Currently, my sketch album is full of patriotic motifs, and many jewelry pieces with a Ukrainian soul are yet to come.
I love how beautifully strength and tenderness are combined in Ukraine. This is my core energy. Even while being far away, I feel that Ukraine is always within me. And if after moving I felt that the longing for home was depleting me, now this connection to my roots nourishes and inspires me.
How do you see your future in creativity? Do you have a dream for a specific project or collaboration that you would like to achieve?
I see my future in developing and expanding my horizons. I want my jewelry to become recognizable as a unique language. I dream of collaborations with clothing designers, publications in magazines, and creating art objects that blend fashion and art. But most of all, I want to remain true to myself and continue to create in a way that inspires others. I also want to tell those who are reading this and feel a talent within themselves but are afraid of something: don’t be afraid to meet your talent halfway. That is the only way new doors—where there were none before—will begin to open for you.
