Gökçe [Danish pronunciation: Gøkche] is a Turkish name that means “sky blue”. Blue has held spiritual significance in many cultures throughout human history. As my love and deeper journey with my art began with the color blue, it resonated a lot with me to keep it as a part of my studio name.
I was in 2nd grade when I won my first art competition for being the only kid who drew a car with perspective. Although art has always been a part of my life, the day I met my teacher who taught me Ebru (the Turkish art of marbling) my relationship with art changed completely. I found freedom in expressing myself. His innovative approaches and not being bound by the rules immediately caught my attention. As someone who is hyperactive and quirky, I fell in love with his response to my “Can I do this?” questions: “Try and see, you can do whatever your imagination allows you to”
Shortly after I started Ebru, my mom encouraged me to exhibit my work. I told her I was in doubt anyone would want to see a 15-year-old’s paintings. In response, she got all my work framed and hung it all over our home, invited all her friends, and held an exhibition in our home. Her response to my attitude was another big step further with my art. Her friends’ enthusiasm and my mom’s never-ending encouragement continue to give me a lot of motivation.
In my artworks, I am keeping a 500-year-old traditional Turkish art technique alive whilst finding new approaches and doing the undone. I focus on achieving outcomes other than the conventional. I love to create an illusion of depth and 3D motifs in my paintings. As someone who grew up in 8 countries and with international surroundings, I don’t feel tied to one particular place or culture, instead, I resonate with bits and pieces from all over the world. So in my art, I find myself connecting with my roots. I find joy in the exchange of culture and taking part in gaining recognition for an intangible cultural heritage from Turkey.
Unlike what many believe, my paintings are not created by pure coincidence. They are the outcome of over a decade of practice, experiments, trial and error, and iterations.
Water and Earth are the main elements in my art. Materials used in the making of my artwork are gathered from nature. I use the water surface as my canvas and minerals from Earth’s crust as my colors. I paint with handmade brushes out of horsehair bound to rose twigs, just the same way it was done centuries ago.
Marbling stylizes nature. We cannot see the same clouds, colors, and patterns twice in the sky. With its unpredictable nature, marbling awakens the same emotional experience as you get when you are immersed in natural scenery. Once I was introduced to this ancient technique, it quickly became a source of inspiration for me. It is vital for me to use the tools the same way my ancestors did as I find it very fascinating thinking back on the ones who put their souls into finding the right combination of raw materials and turning it into art. I often imagine the effort that went into scouting in nature and experimenting until the right combination came along. The knowledge, the creativity, the experience, and the science behind it.
Having to work one-on-one with nature, you learn to appreciate the existing. As it is in constant change you learn to live in the moment. Working with such a sensitive element as water, I had to learn to be patient in order to achieve the desired outcome. This meditative and relaxing art did not only unravel my artistic expression and imagination, but I was also able to achieve a personal development that simplified my outlook on life.