He was born on 9th of March, 1960, in Kyiv. The childhood has passed in Batyeva Gora, in a settlement of the railwaymen. His father Nicholas Gopkalo worked on Kyiv car-repair. His mother Raisa Kostikova was an architect in "Kyiv-project". He went to school № 78. From 5 form he was engaged in studio of painting in Young Pioneer Palace, and also he was engaged in studio of ceramics. From 8 form during 4 years he studied in painting in studio of the artist Stanislav Patsievsky.
1977-1983 – the Kyiv art institute, architectural faculty.
1983-1988 – service in the Army, he was the artist-designer of the officer club in Kalocha, Hungary.
1989-1997 – an artist-designer, an advertising combine Ukrkoopsoyuz.
In 1998 he has taken a great interest in Tripolska culture (ceramics), he went in campaigns by the tourist on mountain Crimea, whence later and the plots for pictures of a series "Old Yalta ", Gurzuf, Bakhchisarai and Sevastopol "Khersones" have appeared. The love to Crimea began with archaeological excavations in Khersones, Laspi, Eski-Kermen.
Now he is engaged in design and repair of flats, he writes pictures for the private persons. He is engaged in Sakhadzha yogi. Consciousness of the artist influenced French impressionists, Polenov, Vasilkovsky, Orlovsky, Pimonenko and, certainly S. Dali.
The workshop is disposed in Batyeva Gora.