Actually, my carving story has begun with our wedding invitation cards. My husband and I wanted to make our cards ourselves. So we got the first materials. I made some researches on the internet about "how to carve, rubber blocks, inks, paper and carving tools" and then I started to make some tries. The results were so fascinating! Our wedding cards are liked by many people. So I decided to move on.

So I've founded "Paprika Paper Goods" because I was full of new ideas and inspirations. First of all, I wanted to create my own recipe cards. Then the other postcards, handprints and home décor ideas came.

Since I was a little child, I love to draw people and animals and things from nature, to play with dough, to cut papers and glue them and to color every piece of paper at home. I had always notebooks, lots of stationeries, coloring books and colorful pencils. I didn’t like only one side, one way, one color, one job, one thing in my life. I would like to be a garden with such beautiful and hundred different kinds of flowers in it. Or a soup with different vegetables and herbs cooked in harmony. I believe in diversity. It makes this world a better place.

Now things aren’t so much changed: I’m carving something new every day. This is such a beautiful and exciting job for me now. I'm learning still with every stamp. I’m always open to learn something new. I make every piece of art by hand with a huge passion. Working with my hands makes me incredibly creative, sensitive, free and happy. It’s like, when I’m cooking or baking or writing. My hands are my treasure.

As I described my works, when I opened my online shop, I found my motto: “nature and culinary inspired” hand carvings and handprints. And also Istanbul's and Turkish art culture are the secret signs of where I came from. I like sea, seagulls, Turkish cuisine, simit and çay (tea), tile patterns very much. Traveling is also very inspired for me. It helps to change my point of view. Sunshine is always a big source of inspiration.

My creative process begins when I suddenly find a very basic but impressive idea. I write it immediately down because I can easily forget, then the other supportive ideas flow free in my mind. I imagine all together and also all alone, finally the result shows slowly itself.

Referring to this, printing process is a long long way. It begins with the first step, which is deciding what to draw, then the second comes: drawing, which you should always think the negative-positive sides of your print, and now the third one, you give surely enough time for that: carving, fourth is the test phase, which you have to repeat again and again, correct your carving in tiny details, and finally you get the result at fifth or tenth or twentieth step, as a big award.

Being an entrepreneur and having a small business are sometimes -or mostly- tough ways to see your future in this aggressive and harsh capitalist world, to find your way in this competitive society. Yes, it's really hard to survive, but if you believe in yourself and your works and don't lose your point of view and of course work enough, success will come to you as the greatest gift, as an honor to your creativity. We all need endless patient, sustainability, love and good luck. And we should welcome our chance of course. That's all.

Last October Instagram has featured my giraffe photo and last month Instagram Germany made an interview with me. 16th June 2017 there will be my first personal handprint exhibition in Vienna. Then 17th June comes a carving workshop. Thank you so much for your interest and support. Stay tuned!

More info: Etsy | Facebook | Instagram