The boundless potential of paper blooms
- Çağla was a successful florist in Istanbul before she turned to making paper flower arrangements
- It was during the pandemic that she began creating paper flowers
- She values adding minute details derived from nature and her imagination
Çağla Yılmaz began her career in horticulture in 2016 and after working in her atelier at home, she opened a shop in 2018 working as a florist. However, during the pandemic, and after moving from Istanbul to the quiet seaside town of Ayvalık, she began to make paper flowers as a shared hobby with her 83-year-old neighbour. Quite quickly, it became a real passion and Çağla realised this would be her new profession. “At the beginning, we were making simple branch flowers and leaves using construction paper, tissue paper, and cardboard, without delving into fine details. During this process, my interest in making paper flowers increased, and I began to expand and diversify my practices,” she explains. Her creations include paper flower branches, paper flower arrangements and giant paper flowers with minute details. “Besides the joy they bring me while making them, I realised I wanted to bring paper flowers to more people after witnessing how happy they made those who saw and purchased them, and I chose it as my new path,” says Çağla.
Interview
- Did you learn your craft from a master?
- Initially, I started making paper flowers as a hobby with the help of an expert, and soon I found myself unable to stop making paper flowers day and night.
- What is the best thing about working with paper to create flower designs?
- I can create imaginary flowers, plants, or even alter the colour, shape, and size of real flowers or plants just as I desire. So the best part of working with paper is that there are no limits.
- Does nature limit you when creating paper flowers?
- Nature can never be limiting in any design. I believe there is no other way than to be inspired by nature. Of course, I can imagine things beyond nature, but this can develop alongside what we see in nature.
- How do people react when they see these flowers?
- Sometimes, it can take a bit of time for people to realise that what I make by imitating real flowers is not actually real. On the other hand, I have observed that people are particularly excited about large paper flower designs in general.
Çağla Yılmaz is a rising star: she began her career in 2018
Works
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Çağla Yılmaz
