FATMA ÖZÇAY

The youngest member of the Özçay family, she was born in 1970 in the town of Gerede, Bolu province. In 1986, she moved to İstanbul together with her family. In 1987, she was encouraged by her brothers to enroll in illumination classes at the Kubbealtı Culture and Art Foundation, where she became the student of Prof. Fatma Çiçek Derman. She advanced rapidly thanks to her native abilities as well as her brother Mehmed Özçay’s close attention and dedicated support. Her firm and precise control of the brush, as well as delicate and meticulous workmanship, brought her into prominence.

Fatma Özçay bases her work on classical styles of illumination practiced in the sixteenth century, reinterpreting them in a contemporary setting. Most of her work consists of the illumination of her brothers’ calligraphic panels. In addition to private shows together with her brothers Mehmed and Osman Özçay, she has participated in many exhibitions both within and outside of Turkey. Since 2008 she has been teaching at the Foundation for Turkish Classical Arts, working to share with her students the benefits of her own experience. Her works are in many private and public collections around the world.