By Laine FullertonArt Masterclass was imagined by three friends who went from selling ready-made Turkish mosaic lamps to empowering Aussies to make their own.
Starting up in a small Circular Quay meeting room in February 2020, Art Masterclass came into existence just weeks before Australia went into lockdown. Fast-forward two years and their bustling Sydney studio is not only the social space they dreamed it would become, but they’ve also spread their offering to Melbourne and Brisbane.
So what was it about Turkish mosaic making that stuck amid a global pandemic? Art Masterclass’ workshops aren’t just about making mosaics, but immersing yourself in traditional Turkish culture. Head along and you’ll find yourself indulging in Turkish tea, nibbling on traditional biscuits and chatting with Sami, Gokhan and Asim, the spirited makers who started it all.
A kaleidoscope of colour and creativity, Art Masterclass is the perfect place for curious locals to discover the beauty of Turkish culture and share a slice of their own story, too.
The first thing we ever made…
All of us have delved into different creative hobbies over the years but most of us met the tiles and beads at an early age as they are the instruments for many types of arts and crafts. From making traditional jewellery to decorating fabric to making mosaic lamps, colourful beads and tiles are vastly used in Turkey and are a part of daily life there.
We’re on a mission to…
Use the power of arts and crafts as an alternate way to meditate and get in touch with our creative selves, as well as create a human connection with others. As William James says, “We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep” and that’s really what we feel and see in our classes.
Connecting with our fellow earthlings is a very important practice of our culture. We love getting to know people from different places, backgrounds and tastes. Seeing our students bringing their own taste, cultural aspects and creativity into our classrooms makes us incredibly happy!
When we’re working with mosaic pieces we…
Have faith that the end product will be unique and as beautiful as life itself, and with this comes a feeling of relaxation and peace. Taking it slow, going step by step and trusting your intuition is the key to this craft.
Just like life, you put the pieces together one by one, creating a larger design on your glass globe so it gives you a sense of control and grace at the same time. While we are working on the mosaic pieces we also feel liberated and relaxed because for a while we forget about the chaos and complications of life.
Teaching others has taught us…
That at our very core, we love teaching – a lot! We love sharing, explaining and helping others. All of us can agree that the best feeling is seeing a smile on a student’s face, knowing that they are having a good time, and knowing that you are a part of it.
Teaching mosaic has also taught us that there is no right or wrong in creative thinking. Everybody has their own imagination, taste and creative choices and that is the beauty of this world. Everybody represents a different colour and no matter the choice, it’s always perfect! We love seeing the creative minds of our students start working immediately when they step inside the studio, as we help them disconnect from any confusion, hesitation and self-doubt. Even those who say they don’t have a creative bone in their body always produce something unique and incredible.
We have met amazing human beings throughout the journey, listened to their stories and became friends. The joy of giving colour and light to a student’s day is just priceless for us.
The coming New Year smells like…
Waking up early to watch the sunrise, listening to the sound of your footsteps on fresh snow, having a chat with your mum with a cup of tea and foremost the smell of freshly baked, homemade cake that fills your home! New year smells like hope and sweet nostalgia for us!
This year we’re grateful for…
All of the support and love from our students in Australia – we really are becoming a big and happy family. We are really grateful that we get to teach. We are grateful for ours and our loved ones’ health. We are really grateful for the acts of kindness from people that we don’t know. We are grateful for hearing “good morning” from people we come across during our morning walk. We are grateful for each and every new day that we wake up to as each day means hope and rebirth!
