Are you an etcher or screen printer looking for a place to work? Are you interested in learning the art of printmaking, printing your own design on a T-shirt (or bag), or just want to get your hands dirty? Well, you’re in luck. I recently discovered Studio Caddebostan, a printmaking studio that is both a community resource and a meeting place for creative people from all over Istanbul. Offering one-on-one instruction, group workshops, and open studio time, it is a unique treasure in this city. The light and airy studio is located on the Asian side a few moments walk from Bağdat Caddesi, where public transportation, cafes, and shops abound. Classes are offered in English and Turkish and cater to all ages, groups, and proficiency levels, making it a diverse and inclusive space to create.
This unique creative space is run by Ahunur Ozkarahan. She has a long resume as a printmaker and digital technologies instructor/artist. While looking for a space to work and interact with other artists in Istanbul, she was disappointed to find a lack of options. Working print studios that are open to artists are surprisingly few and far between. Though universities often have these spaces, they are less and less common these days and are generally open only to students and faculty. As any printmaker knows, it is no small feat to get yourself a printing press and enough space to work. In her search for resources, one prominent print instructor here in Istanbul even told her, “Printmaking is dead.” Utterly undeterred, she set out to create the space she craved. Working under the umbrella of CreARTiveIstanbul, Studio Caddebostan was born.
New workshops are added often and Ms. Ozkarahan is happy to accommodate requests for instruction in specific techniques. Her studio boasts a large working area, an etching press, all the supplies needed for screen printing on both paper and fabric, and a digital workstation with the complete Adobe suite. A new friend and fellow art lover, my chance encounter with her has given me a new space to work and create, as well as the opportunity to share it with you. Stop by or contact her for a lesson or workshop! Maybe I’ll see you there.
Long live printmaking — now go get your hands dirty!
Websites:
studiocaddebostan.tumblr.com
www.creartiveistanbul.com
Email:
info@creartiveistanbul.com
ahunur.ozkarahan@creartiveistanbul.com
Featured Image Source: Studio Caddebostan
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Thank you for the article Missy Weimer 🙂 The ones interested in printmaking, you may reach the studio through this e-mail address: ahunur.ozkarahan@creartiveistanbul.com
This studio is a GEM in a city of treasures!! Printmakers UNITE 🙂