1. First tell us about yourself in 5 sentences. And how did you choose your
path?

I am a painter living and working in New Mexico, constantly drawn to places of magic.
These places teach me how to listen, and from there I paint. I find inspiration in
remote desert landscapes with nothing between self and sky, at the edge of the sea,
and in cities whose pulse is attuned to wonder and the surreal. I chose to paint
because it invites me to seek the extraordinary within the ordinary and make work
that merges the two. For me, painting has become the most natural and rewarding
way to live.

2. If you could describe Istanbul in three words, what would they be?

Mystical. Layered. Eternal.

3. What surprised you most about Istanbul?

How history is woven into daily life. I felt deep time in the rhythm of the markets, the
architecture, the water, and the rituals of hospitality. I was struck by how the city’s
many layers of civilization continue to shape the present, balancing between East
and West, ancient and contemporary, material and spiritual.

4. Which traditional craft/craftspeople inspires you the most, and why?

I fell in love with Turkish textiles, their vibrant colors, patterns, and weaving traditions
that date back thousands of years. In response, I purchased a length of Turkish silk
at the bazaar so that I could create a painting on it that also echoed stories from the
past.

5. What’s your favorite element of the hamam’s architecture or
atmosphere?

In the cistern, I was mesmerized by the etched water lines on the stone walls, holding
the memory of water in that sacred space. Above the cistern, I was drawn to the
dome-shaped ceilings, characteristic of Ottoman

6. In a hamam, there’s a moment when steam and silence take over—what’s
the perfect soundtrack for that experience?

Just that and nothing more. It's within steam and silence that release and rebirth occur.

7. A hamam experience is all about slowing down. In a world that moves so
fast, where do you find stillness?

I seek vast landscapes and remote places. In the quiet, solitary work of painting, I
find a stillness where space and time fade away. I am fulfilled by meditative acts.
Walking in nature, one step at a time. Creating a work, one brushstroke at a time.

8. If you could invite any artist or designer —living or dead—to the hamam
for a conversation, who would it be?

I’d like to gather in the hamam with other artists who have been and will be
participants in this program, sharing together the unique and transformative
experience of an extraordinary place.

9. ⁠What’s one object you always carry with you that feels like a small
ritual in itself?

When I travel away from home, I carry a tiny shrine in a metal box with me that I open
and lay out on a surface in my space. I also often choose a pendant or a ring to wear
continually until I change and they change. I keep talismans in many corners of my
life, as protection and a reminder of my center.

10. Your work often features recurring forms such as spirals, vortices, and
flows. What do these motifs represent within your practice?

They reflect the point from which creation begins—sparks of energy radiating hope,
continuity, and respect for the universal order with all its beauty and intelligence.

11. How did the materials you sourced in Istanbul influence your production
process?

Water from the Bosphorus and spices from the bazaar helped me deepen my
connections with Istanbul. There is a feeling of the eternal, the immortal in the natural
materials I use in my paintings.

12. Scent is an important part of this exhibition. How did you select the
notes, and what do they mean within the exhibition?

When beginning many of my paintings, I first touch them with a small bit of temple oil
on the back of the canvas or the stretcher bars. The scent is strong at first, then
disappears over the course of making the work. It signifies the beginning and has
become a ritual tied to memory that is very special to me. Similarly, the scent in the
cistern was a strong presence at the start of the exhibit and now has become a sweet
memory preserved in the exhibit’s candles and incense.