Women in Art 278 Magazine January 2014 | Page 41

I en ART wom am a graphic designer who lives in Turkey, a lovely country which bridges Europe and Asia. I was born and raised in the beautiful and historic city of Istanbul, Turkey. I have two university degrees; Printing Technology and Fine Arts as a Graphic Designer. Artistry runs in my family; I grew up with art and at the end I became an artist. Fifteen years ago I began to make my own jewelry. For years I have researched about Anatolian history: Turkish lace, vintage crochets, semiprecious stones, authentic fabrics. People around me began to encourage me to share my designs with the world. After my husband and I left our jobs and lives in fast-paced Istanbul we decided moved to the seaside city of Antalya in southern Turkey and opened our Etsy shop. This is when my colorful journey begins. Colors and history fuel my desire to create unique designs. I feel so lucky for living nearby history and art. I love Antalya because it’s a beautiful city nearby Mediterranean Sea where history and nature come together seamlessly. There are amazing historical sites around Antalya. Many ancient civilizations have been here including Lycia, Hittite, Pamphylia, Byzantine, Seljuk, Ottoman ... I explore these ancient sites and draw upon their inspiration. Also I search for different Turkish traditional fabrics, which are slowly being forgotten. I think we have much to learn from ancient history and art that is around us. My intention is revive some forgotten designs of the past by using eco-friendly materials on jewelry and scarves. Diversity of Anatolian history and artistic creations give me the opportunity for using different techniques and materials. There is a historical tale behind each and every design such as techniques like crochet, screen print, wire wrap, transfer print. I love the creative process and researching; matching colors and combine them with different motifs. Each of my designs are oneof-a-kind or is produced in small batches to preserve the fun of wearing something unique. Everything I create is made with lots of love and lots of care.