Today we are getting acquainted with the work of Valeriia Udalova — a contemporary artist working on the edge of abstraction and surrealism. Her works, known to connoisseurs under the pseudonym Sabatovski, are not just canvases, but deep philosophical messages, where the "tree of life" and the human heart become guides to the world of self-knowledge. Valeriia's creativity is closely intertwined with ecological activism and humanistic values, which is confirmed by her cooperation with the international organization Greenpeace. Read about the path from a childhood hobby to a large-scale exhibition in London in 2026 in our exclusive interview.
Valeriia, where did your conscious immersion into the world of art begin? Do you remember that moment or event that prompted you to choose exactly abstraction and surrealism as your primary languages of self-expression?
I honestly admit that my attraction to art was strong since my very childhood. I suspect that I need to thank my incredibly talented close women — my aunt and grandmother. To what extent this attraction was conscious or not — I did not ask myself such a question back then. To be honest, art, and especially painting, has always been more to me than just drawing or an opportunity to buy a brand new paint and have a good time. I began to notice manifestations of my slightly rebellious nature back during school art lessons: upon receiving an assignment, I was in no hurry to just blindly execute it, instead trying to add some meaning to what I was feeling at the moment of working on the drawing.
Now I am already an adult. Having already faced, unfortunately, two wars and looking around at the world and people, I no longer want to go against them, but instead I am trying to find a point of unification for the world, that harmony which, it seems to me, we as humanity are slowly starting to lose. Surrealism became an ideal style for me, because this way, in a coded form, I can send a message to humanity.
Did such iconic images for you as the "tree of life" and the heart appear in your works from the very beginning or were they the result of a long search?
I went through a long journey in search of “that very style of my own.” For quite a lot of years, I painted only portraits of people and animals. I liked that feeling of “photographing” with a brush or a pencil a joyful moment of someone’s life. Upon receiving their portraits, people described their feelings of happiness and warmth, which, as most said, came from the heart. Then I realized how truly rarely we turn to our heart, because we were taught to listen only to the mind so as “not to make mistakes.” And I wondered… What if, indeed, sometimes listening to the heart is exactly what it means to feel life?
Thus, painting portrait after portrait, I began secretly from everyone to try to depict what comes out of my heart. But what pained me above all else? What can I do, and can I even do anything? The greatest impression on me was made by the animated movie “The Lion King,” where the father Mufasa told his son about the “great circle of life,” where we are all one whole. So over time, the “Tree of Life” appeared in my style as a symbol of the unification of everything living, along with my first painting in my already formed style — “We are all One”
What difficulties at the initial stage of your career influenced your creative style the most? How did resistance or, conversely, the support of the environment shape you as an artist?
As I already said at the beginning, I really need to thank my aunt and grandmother for the talent they passed down to me as the next generation. Just like my father, who never doubted the power of my inspiration and my “light hand,” as he jokingly noted. But my path was not as easy as I wanted it to be.
Despite success in my studies as a scientist, I still never abandoned art, because it is impossible to stop that which comes from the very heart. I heard various opinions: “to be truly professional in such an ultra-complex field, one must be born Frida Kahlo or be just as eccentric as Salvador Dali,” “you are simply wasting your time”; some did not believe at all that the paintings or portraits were painted by me, knowing about my talented close women.
But did all this stop me? As you can notice, not at all! Because every warm word, every smile, every request of “oh, show me your works too,” every pleasant discussion regarding one art style or another made me realize that art can unify even stronger than many can imagine.
What is primary for you in the central symbols of your creativity: their biological connection with nature or the sacred, spiritual meaning they carry?
For me, every painting and its main symbols carry both a sacred meaning and show a biological connection with nature. Look at a scientific photograph of the human nervous system. How does it differ from the crown of most trees that we see in a park, in forests, or just on the streets?
I believe that one can “tell” a story with a brush and show a spiritual unification with everything living. But one can also not forget that our biology and what we consider “dry scientific facts” are also a part of the sacred, of the natural. Therefore, with respect to our biological essence we will live, and with respect to our sacred connection with everything living.
Your styles require active work of the imagination from the viewer. Is it important to you that a person decodes exactly your idea, or do you welcome complete freedom of interpretations?
For me, first of all, it is important what the viewers themselves see and feel when they look at my paintings. What they think about when they see the canvas for the first time, and what — for the third or tenth time. When they see it live and when they see it in a photo or video. My task as an artist is to pass my feelings to the judgment of the viewer. It is important for me to attract attention. It is important that viewers ponder over their own things, even if they know the idea of the canvas, so that they even argue, passing their thoughts to loved ones, to me. This is exactly that connection and that very unification for the sake of which, in my humble opinion, art must and will live.
You frequently mention the therapeutic role of painting. Could you share a story when your art helped to unify people or became an instrument of personal healing for someone?
Although my idea of unification and the moral healing of soul wounds is one of the central ones, I could never have even imagined that one of my works would do this on such a large scale (as for me, of course). The painting “Heart that remains strong” was born from a deeply personal feeling — reflections on illness, resilience, and the quiet power of women. It is inspired by two women who deeply influenced my life: my grandmother, who resisted cancer, and my younger sister, who lives with diabetes every day. When I showed this work to friends, colleagues, and just good acquaintances, they almost always shared with me their own difficult experience or the experience of their closest ones. Many, after talking with me and seeing this canvas, finally after a long time called their parents, forgot offenses against friends, and wrote them a warm “Hi. How are you?”. I was a little bit shocked, but so pleased that someone finally had a long-awaited conversation, someone gained inspiration, hope, and an understanding that life is not so bad, and time is not so unfair as it might seem.
Donating a painting to the London office of Greenpeace is a strong gesture. What key message did you embed into this canvas for those who engage in saving the planet daily?
As a big admirer of the organization’s activities, for quite a long time I wanted to gift one of my paintings to the London office. So I finally did it, although I doubted a little that Greenpeace would accept my gesture. This work has the soulful title “We are all One” , demonstrating how inseparable people are from what they so desperately try to exploit. This is my sign of support for such an important organization. Of course, I hope that I will be able to do more, because it is much, much too early to stop. I deeply believe that art and ecological activism can work together for the benefit of our planet and ourselves.
At what moment did your creativity become inseparably intertwined with ecological activism? Was it an emotional impulse or a conscious decision to use aesthetics as a tool for protecting nature?
My path to eco-activism was also long, just like my path to “that very style of my own.” It started with careful waste handling, followed by a step-by-step refusal of plastic and fur products. In artistic terms, my path started with a school art exhibition “Save the Forest from Fires.” Our task was to call upon humanity (at least our school and our parents) to be careful with the world surrounding us, of which we are a part. Remembering that evening of creativity already as an adult and looking at the works of famous eco-artists such as Banksy, Blu, Ernest Zacharevic, and others, I realized: art is not only about paints, about something unusual, about history, but it can also become a strong gesture of support. Especially in such an important topic as the preservation of our only home — our Earth.
Do you believe that visual art is capable of being more effective than numbers and facts in environmental matters, and do you feel a responsibility for educating your audience?
Out of all doubt, I believe that art by itself will not replace numbers, facts, physical and financial help. But I take the responsibility to confidently and loudly state that in such a difficult mission, every voice, every caring gesture is of great importance. There are no small or big good deeds.
There are simply good deeds and open, caring hearts that make these gestures (of course, according to their strengths and resources). I hope to be useful too.
If you look back at your works from different years, how has your technical skill and work with color changed? What new facets of your "Self" have been revealed in recent canvases?
Reviewing my works from the past and comparing them with today’s, I noticed not only a dry refinement of technique and an improvement in the quality of the paintings themselves. I also noted to myself, and my close ones noticed this too, that my canvases, their “mood” and message change along with me. Just two or three years ago, I used a bright palette of colors, predominantly red shades. For me, it felt like a struggle — either still with the world, or with myself. And, definitely, this influenced the generation of the work’s idea itself, the caution (or lack thereof) of paint strokes, and even the understanding of my paintings by the viewers.
Right now I feel morally much better, I am more confident in my ideas and messages that I want to convey. I use warm and “calm” shades more and more; even brown and green have appeared. Also, there are more watercolor paints instead of exclusively acrylic. I chose watercolor as my main material for its fluidity and unpredictability. For me, it demonstrates the uncontrollable nature of emotions — how life can blur, “bleed,” but at the same time create an unexpected beauty. Watercolor requires a slight self-surrender, because it forces me to trust the process, just as one needs to trust time and healing.
After numerous victories in international contests (Golden Time Talent, Grand Final), what is true recognition for you today — international status or a "quiet dialogue" of a viewer with your painting?
First and foremost, it is important for me to convey my ideas, vision of the world, and draw humanity’s attention to problems that are much more important than internecine “games.” Through my works, I would like to lead a “conversation” with the viewers: for someone quietly, soothingly and supportively, for someone, perhaps, to become a thunderbolt from the clear sky — to unlock inner strength and confidence. If more and more people are familiar with my creativity, this will help me in my small mission, definitely. In unification not against someone, but for the sake of something — that is the most important thing, isn’t it?
In June 2026, your large-scale exhibition will take place in London. Will we see a continuation of already familiar series there, or are you preparing bold experiments that will surprise the public?
I am already waiting for another moment to share my creativity with the world. But I would like to keep my planned ideas a secret for you. Let it be a pleasant surprise.
In the world of modern technologies and global challenges, what do you see as the role of the artist? Is art capable of truly influencing the future of humanity and its connection with the Earth today?
Since the beginning of the birth of humanity, graphic images and drawings have been an inseparable part of our history. These works had and will have great significance both for the currently living generation and for future ones. For me, art and the artists who create are like guides in time, guardians of the history and culture of their countries and kingdoms. And as long as talented female and male artists are born all over the world, painting will live. I am sure of this.
