You’ll step into Esra’s cozy studio in Kadikoy, a lively Istanbul neighborhood where everyday life still feels local and unhurried. Atelier Simurg is a real working space, with brushes, paints, and ceramic pieces waiting on the tables, the kind of place where you can relax as soon as you walk in.

Esra studied Traditional Turkish Ceramic Art at the Academy of Iznik and Uludağ University and graduated in 2002. She spent years deepening her practice and research in Iznik before opening her own studio in Istanbul in 2004. She is also a single mother, and teaching is part of her daily rhythm. Esra enjoys meeting people from different cultures, and she hosts the way she teaches: calmly, with patience, and with a real love for the history carried inside Turkish motifs.

The session begins with the traditional way of transferring a design onto ceramic. Esra explains what you are doing and why it matters, then shares the background of a few specific motifs, their meanings, and the long craft tradition they come from. It feels less like memorizing facts and more like being let into the story behind the patterns.

From there, you choose how you want to create. If you feel curious, you can practice drawing the design with a brush before you paint. If you prefer the most relaxing part, you can skip straight to painting a ready ceramic piece. Esra introduces the brushes and techniques used in traditional painting, offering guidance that suits complete beginners as well as guests who already love art.

After you leave, your work is glazed and fired, then ready in at least 5 days and up to 10 days. When you hold the finished piece, it is not just a souvenir. It is something you made with your own hands, in a local studio, with a host who shared the meaning behind every line and color.