Şahide Yazıcıoğlu

Woodcarver

©Mesude Bulbu

©Sezen Enderoglu

Carving elegance

Şahide makes traditional Turkish tableware objects in a refined and artistic way
She opened her own workshop after training with a master for five years
She turned to craftsmanship as a career after working as a journalist for over 20 years

Şahide Yazıcıoğlu worked as a journalist and editor at various Turkish newspapers for more than 20 years before deciding to focus on her passion for wood. Having grown up in a wooden house, Şahide’s fascination for the smell, colour and texture of wood have accompanied her throughout her life. In 2009, she enrolled in a woodcarving course and learned the craft from master Ayhan Tomak for about five years. Şahide opened her own workshop in 2015. “I love being able to produce new designs, carving pieces of wood in the way I envision, making a usable form, and carving rough forms to give them a more elegant appearance,” she says. Her works are completely hand carved wooden product, made from the fusion of traditional carving methods such as surface carving, shape carving and cut carving.

Where

Interview

©Mesude Bulbu

How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: In all the pieces I produce, I want to show that wooden products traditionally used in Türkiye can also be elegant, and as such I think that my works are not only functional. My only tool is the chisel, which is eminently traditional.
What is your advice for those interested in pursuing your craft?: First of all, it is key to know wood well, because it is primarily the type of wood you choose that will determine the result. Secondly, to choose the right tools and use them correctly. After that, it is down to each person's creativity.
Has there been a memorable moment in your professional life?: Once, I set out to design a spoon, but the wood I was working on broke. The piece I had left I turned into a beautiful knife. This is how one of my most popular products came to be.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: When carving is considered in the traditional sense, yes, it is somewhat endangered. It is a laborious craft, and results cannot be achieved in a short time. Since things like sandpaper and shellac are made by hand, it is also costly. However, lately, woodcarving with chisels has become popular again in the form of decorative objects, such as sculptures.

Şahide Yazıcıoğlu is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2015