I am a Turkish Figurative Artist. Born in 1992 in Istanbul, Turkey, I immigrated to New Orleans in 2021.

The seeds of my interest in creating art began as a child when l got selected for the talented students' program in the primary school. Since then Art has acted as a bridge for me, a way to express to others what I feel from the people I see in daily life. It is a great way to create a connection.

Emotion, connection, and culture are infused within my paintings. I meticulously focus on silhouettes and the changing states of the human experience. I am an observer and an archivist of modern-day culture.

The body of artworks that I am creating “up close and personal.” They are intimate moments with people around me and strangers in physical proximity. I am a witness to other people's lives.

Before moving to New Orleans, I studied at Marmara University, Faculty of Fine Arts between 2016 and 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey.

My painting was selected for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2024, at the Mall Galleries, London, UK. I am so happy that my artworks are in the permanent "How You Doin’, New Orleans?" and  "Art of the Black Experience" collections of the City of New Orleans. My work participated in "the State of the Art: Record Zine Project" at the LSU Museum of Art, Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge in 2022. My paintings were selected for the 16th and 17th Annual Louisiana Fine Arts Showcase at the President's residence at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond in 2023 and 2024. My artworks were selected for the New Orleans Art Association (NOAA) 2023 and 2024 National Show.

My Recent solo shows include “Witness” 2024, Second Story Gallery, New Orleans Healing Center and “Faces Around Us” 2023, Sullivan Gallery, New Orleans. I belongs to the artist collective, “Renegade” and “Second Story Gallery,” in New Orleans. Since l immigrated to New Orleans, I have participated in group exhibitions at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, LSU Museum of Art, New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, Southeastern Louisiana University, Gryder Gallery, LeMieux Galleries, and Gallery Huracan. In Turkey, my artworks have been selected for World Art Day with UNESCO, the Exhibition for Turkish National Anthem CKSM, Turkish Republic Day Akdeniz University, and International Women’s Day Dokumapark MSG.

Describe your art in three words.

Expressive, Vibrant, and Distinctive 

Describe yourself in one word.

Energetic

What do you love the most about creating art in your community? What particular part of your immediate environment, in your neighborhood specifically influences your work?

Emotion, connection, and culture are infused within my paintings. I meticulously focus on silhouettes and the changing states of the human experience. I am an observer and an archivist of modern-day culture.

The body of artworks that I am creating “up close and personal.” They are intimate moments with people around me and strangers in physical proximity. I am a witness to other people's lives. 

 Describe your creative process. Are there any rituals or rites of passage you exercise before you begin a new piece?

I begin my process by observing people around me. My family, friends, people that I know or I see. I walk around the streets of New Orleans with my sketchbook in hand and take in my surroundings. I aim to capture the spirit of my subjects in the lively streets, cafes, bars, and other performance areas that make up the heart of the city. Additionally, drawings from life models are a very important part of my painting. When I draw, time slows down, I focus on my subjects and portraits deeply, and I create a connection and dialog with them. 

Where do you draw inspiration?

Human bodies and faces embody many deep emotions in the routine struggle in life. As an observer, when you watch daily life, you can feel these emotions. I think the images I paint of the human body act as a bridge for me, a way to express to others what I feel from the people I see in daily life.

Who are your artistic influences or gurus?

Lucian Freud, Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Picasso, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt 

Where can we find you when you are not creating art?

Playing Sports

What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year?

Morning, Springs 

What is something people don’t know about you? A fun fact.

Red is my favorite color 

All works listed online are available to be viewed at Where y’Art Works Gallery by appointment.

Please allow 7 -14 days shipping for standard orders. All packages are shipped within the Continental United States through the USPS via Priority Mail with Tracking. For international shipping prices, rush orders or commissions, login and send me a private message through the messaging tool on my profile page.