A great ‘Art Workshop Student Exhibition’ in Girne

Students Exhibition of the Girne Municipality Painting and Ceramic Art Courses At the Girne Municipality  Art Gallery

By Heidi Trautmann….

It is said that “a tree must be bent while it is young” but that is no longer true as such. What you learn in your young days you will not forget, ok, but we elderly are still able to learn, perhaps even better because we find the time, patience and the passion to do so.

For some years now I have observed that, apart from private initiatives, also our local institutions such as universities and now municipalities offer opportunities to all age groups to study under the guidance of professional teachers.

Lately, I have been able to witness graduation ceremonies after refreshing courses for the older generation, incl. art exhibitions and now, only yesterday, I have been to the students’ exhibition of the Kyrenia Municipality courses held by the ceramic artist Bedia Kale and the painter and sculptor Şenol Özdevrim.

On display were the works by 16 students, both beginners and advanced students, mostly women, of various age groups, done in the period September 2022 to June 2023. My Congratulations to the members of the two courses, they showed enormous dedication. I had the chance to speak to Bedia Kale who said that she has enjoyed teaching in these courses – now already for four years – because she feels the preparedness of the students to learn and the joy to experiment with the different techniques that are available. Once a week they meet for two hours in the building of the old Kyrenia Municipality where all courses are taking place. For the new term, there will be a new kiln available financed by the Municipality which will give them more freedom. I also know Şenol Özdevrim very well for many years, and I can see his influence and philosophy of art in the works of his students. He also teaches various techniques.

I believe in the power of art education because it develops our human senses. The students are obliged to study things, to go close and learn new laws of life. Our strict daily life routines make us forget to stop and look around us. In art classes, we learn to slow down and interpret the things we have observed and to give them a new life with our ideas and our hands. I trust that the students will continue with their courses because we never stop learning.

There are quite a number of other courses offered by the Girne Municipality Culture and Art Centre for adults and children, please visit their website, or for detailed information and application, people can contact the Girne Municipality Public Relations Department and the Cultural Affairs Unit at 815 21 18 -147; and you can get information about the workshops via the e-mail address publiclailiskiler.girnebelediyesi@gmail.com .

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