Artisans

Feriel is one of the artisans who works full-time with Østerland. She fled the civil war in Syria, first settling in eastern Turkey and later moving to Istanbul. Today, Feriel lives in the heart of the city with her husband and their two children. Her best friend, Helin, is also a full-time artisan with Østerland. The two women have been inseparable ever since they escaped from northern Syria, supporting each other throughout their journey in Turkey.

Feriel has a deep passion for handicrafts, and just as much, she values the opportunity to earn an income and provide for her family. She takes great pride in her work with Østerland and hopes it will continue to be a lifelong source of stability and fulfillment.

Helin fled to Turkey after the Syrian civil war in 2013. She first lived in eastern Turkey and later moved to Istanbul with her family and her best friend, Feriel, who also creates handicrafts for Østerland.

Speaking about her work with handicrafts and Østerland, Helin says that she loves working with her hands because it gives her great flexibility in everyday life – something that means a lot in a city like Istanbul when you’re also a mother of three.

She also says that she is very happy to be part of Østerland because it provides her with a steady income and a warm, supportive atmosphere. She feels that everyone inspires each other’s work, and she truly enjoys being part of the team.

Helin has been part of Østerland’s artisan team since 2022 and is now a valued and integral member of the group.

Fatima has been working since she was a teenager, but jewelry making has always been her true passion. That’s why she chose to study jewelry design at the renowned Ferozkoh Institute in Kabul. Today, she leads a team of eight employees while also carrying the responsibility of supporting her family.

Her story and craftsmanship are an inspiration -a testament to the strength of pursuing one’s passion despite challenges.

Mohammad Asghar Rahimi chose the path of jewelry making due to his deep passion for it. He began his journey in the craft in 1400 (2021 Gregorian calendar) at the Black Diamond company. Asghar predominantly works in a modern style and frequently utilizes silver and natural gemstones in his creations. Beyond his jewelry craft, Asghar has a keen interest in photography and often captures candid shots of the city and province. He has a strong affinity for modern jewelry designs and is highly skilled in this particular style.

Yılmaz Büyükaşık is the proud owner of an atelier that has been promoting hand-loom weaving since the early 1900s. The family learned the skills of silk and cotton weaving from the Armenians in Syria and has been producing silk and cotton since 1936 in Hatay, Turkey, right at the border to Syria. Yilmaz has participated in many exhibitions in Turkey to promote this age-old wisdom of craftsmanship. 

Mahmoud Aryan is a master artisan specialized in tailoring and sewing. He is from Aleppo, where he got married and raised four kids. In Aleppo, he worked as a tailor in an atelier for decades, working for customers in Armenia, France and Italy. In 2014, Mahmoud and his family made the decision to leave Syria for Turkey. They lived in a refugee camp for four years, before moving to Kilis in southeastern Turkey, where he now works as a tailor for a Turkish company and Østerland. Mahmoud says: “I love my work and when I create a jacket or a piece for a customer, and I see that piece on my customer, I always become so happy.”

Sadi Asfuroglu was born in the Levantine city Antakya in 1962. After finishing high school, he enrolled in the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts but chose to leave and pursue his dream of becoming a dentist. But in the early 1990s, he went back to fine arts with the encouragement of Turkey's Ministry of Culture. He felt the need to produce glass as this was also the heritage of his grandfather and his beloved city Antakya. He takes inspiration from the Roman, Byzantine and Phoenician periods. You can purchase his glass 'Daphne pendants' on our website.

Yusuf Mekikci was born in 1971 in the Turkish province of Gaziantep. He is the fourth generation to take over craft at the family business. For Yusuf, working with kutnu is not only about preserving the art of weaving, but it's also about presenting a piece of history that has been brought to Turkey from Syria in the 16th century. Yusuf says “The last decade, we have seen an increasing interest in the kutnu textile from fashion designers around the world. It makes me so proud and happy to see the kutnu textile in different styles and designs on the international market.”

Nehla was born in the Turkish mediterranean city of Antakya right at the border to Syria. She has completed primary school and speaks Turkish and Arabic. Nehla’s interest in craft started at an early age. She has been embroidering and doing crochet for the last 30 years. 

She has always taken steps to develop her craftsmanship by undertaking different courses related to her arts, she has also exhibited her work at several galleries across Turkey. Once upon a time, Nehla dreamt of having a small atelier. Today she is the happy owner of her own atelier in the dreamy Turkish bordertown Antakya, where she was born. Unfortunately her workshop got completely destroyed during the massive earthquakes that has impacted millions of lives in Turkey and Syria in 2023. 

When she paints, she often uses a distinctive shade of blue that symbolizes purity and peace. The colors and her art connect her to her ancestors and the historical cultures that have existed in Afghanistan for hundreds of years. For example, if you look back 500 years, the Islamic world was filled with artists and well-educated people.

She was married at the age of 17 to a husband who promised her that she could travel with him to the city of Herat to study. She is deeply grateful that she had the opportunity to attend university and make new friends before the Taliban came to power. Today, she works as a painter and supports herself. When she compares herself to the girls who remained in her village, she feels like the luckiest person.

Naqsha supports her family through the income she earns from her embroidery.

She has three daughters aged 6, 9, and 10, and her main priority is to make sure they have enough to eat, stay healthy, and are able to attend kindergarten and school. Because of their situation, she has to take on the role of both mother and father.

Her work provides more than just an income - it also gives her the chance to leave the house and be part of a community where she can share ideas with other women. When she is embroidering, she forgets the problems waiting at home. It gives her renewed energy -energy she brings back and shares with her children.

Rainhana was born and raised in the Herat province of Afghanistan. She studied until 8th class and was not able to continue her studies due to financial difficulties. She then enrolled in a painting class for six months and became part of our partners Wadan in Herat, where she plays an active role. She is a successful miniature painter and has exhibited her art both nationally in Afghanistan and abroad. Rainhana is dreaming of continuing her studies in the future and becoming an art teacher for younger generations in Afghanistan.

Fatema Ebrahimi graduated from the Wadan's livelihood course on embroidery in 2021. She is originally from Qazni province but was displaced to the Herat Province due to the civil war and lack of employment opportunities in Ghazni. Fatema is one of the masterminds behind our embroidered pillowcases. 

Benafsha Ahmed is an artisan from the Ghor Province in Afghanistan. She graduated from Ustad Kamal-addin Behzad Fine Arts Institute in Herat, Afghanistan. Since she was a child, Benafsha dreamt of being an artist and expressed her creativity through islamic miniature painting. She has worked in a private art gallery under the supervision of an expert artist. Benafsha is now painting our herati glassware and helping keep this precious craft alive. She says: I am happy I got the opportunity to paint blue glassware, which is being imported to Denmark. I hope people will love them. 

Arezo Esmailzada is 24 years old and graduated from the faculty of Fine Arts, department of the miniature. She has been working as an artist with our partners in Herat, Afghanistan since 2020. She is a talented artist and is familiar with painting, calligraphy, miniature art, flower making, etc. She is actively involved in many local and national exhibitions producing hundreds of handmade arts and crafts. You can purchase her miniature painted glassware on our website to support her craft.