ebru

The Art of Balance: A Conversation with Ebru Artist Sabiha Ozgur

The Art of Balance: A Conversation with Ebru Artist Sabiha Ozgur

Ebru is a result of different factors working hand-in-hand in the perfect balance. Fluid dynamics are at work here: the water’s surface and density, and the interaction of surface, the paint, the surfactant ox gall, the quantity of gall in the paint, and the environmental temperature are all very important. It may take some time to establish the right delicate balance, but when everything is in harmony with each other, the process works smoothly. So, my masters always reminded us that we should be patient, we should do our best, but we should be mindful that it isn’t only us that is making of the art piece – there are many factors at play.

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The Story of Necmeddin's Tulip

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The Story of Necmeddin's Tulip

Ottoman master Necmeddin Okyay was known as hezarfen (he who practices a thousand arts). He was a master calligrapher, hafiz (memorized the Quran), bookbinder, Ebru artist, botanist, master archer and among other skills. In our times, it is difficult enough to master one art, imagine not only learning but mastering that many different arts.

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An Afternoon with Mohamed Zakariya: The Story of the Poem

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An Afternoon with Mohamed Zakariya: The Story of the Poem

Last fall, I had the privilege to sit with Zakariya hoca to talk about calligraphy and his experiences. But he shared with me more than just calligraphy. We talked about languages, poetry, past and current masters of this art, literature and of course calligraphy! For the next few months I will be sharing with you snippets of our conversation.

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Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976): The Man Who Knew a Thousand Arts (Part 1)

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Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976): The Man Who Knew a Thousand Arts (Part 1)

In his book, Outliers, pop psych writer Malcolm Gladwell said it takes approximately 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” to achieve mastery in any field. Now this may or may not apply to every discipline, but in my opinion extended hours of practice is certainly needed in fields like art, music and sports. So, how long would it take to master roughly 16 different skills?

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