The Memories I Have Collected The Narratives… 

​

Like every collector, I would like to share what I have collected fondly, what I have designed with them, and my memories of these objects. 

The corals and seashells I found on the beach, the ephemera turned to family heirlooms, postcards written with love and kept for years, they are all objects that give meaning to my life, touch my artistic work, have a soul, and remind me of beautiful and sometimes exciting moments I have experienced. 

You can start your collection with a single object. It can be anything you fancy, like vintage blue glass objects. I remember the museum next to a vineyard in Provence; they had all kinds of glass objects associated with wine - from giant carboys to Murano handmade goblets. This is also how my collection of scales began: a stamp first, then the old grocery store scale, the peddler’s, and the Art Nouveau kitchen scale, and so they multiplied. 

Collections depend entirely on personal desire and interest. They make an original, unique addition to the décor of your home and can be tasty topics of delicious conversations. Please don't assume I have museum class collections; mine are things that merely encompass my taste, my aesthetic values, or bear memories. 

Since 2011, I have been writing about art, travel, and other topics of interest in a "Culture and Life" magazine where my husband is the Editor-in-Chief. While working as an art director and an editor, I also enjoyed many opportunities to interview distinguished artists. In this book, I wrote about my opinions of some artists and places that impressed and influenced me during my travels. 

By integrating the memories and these notes with my accumulations, writing became a personal space where I expressed myself just like I did through designing. I became a person who touched people's lives. I loved to learn, listen, and tell stories. I casually shared the memories ingrained in me, some of the values I believed in, and the works and words of those who influenced me, 

or I found close to my soul and heart. You will find the answers to what inspired me in my narratives and work. 

When I migrated from Istanbul to New York, I could not bear to leave behind things I had collected lovingly since childhood - the legacies of lost ones and the family heirlooms. It was as if I was bringing my roots within a container full of memories. These nostalgic objects also were a source of inspiration for me. 

I also encourage you to create memories and live with the things you love. Whenever you look upon your collections, I do wish that you will proclaim to yourself, as I do myself, the following sentence: 

"What a beautiful Life!!!"