Kütahya's Picasso

Considered to be one of the most down-to-earth artists in Turkey, Sıtkı Olçar prefers not to talk about who he is and how famous he is worldwide. Those who are into tiles and handicrafts can find Olçar in his hometown Kütahya.

It has never occurred to him to leave the city of his birth. “I can make my voice heard and promote my work from here,” Olçar said.

Olçar's tiles decorate many locations, including the Istanbul Stock Exchange, or IMKB, lobby with a 24-meter tile panel, and the lobbies of Koç Group's Talia Hotel and the Ece Palace Hotel in Fethiye. As a leading name in the art of tile making, Olçlar uses traditional motifs and methods, and he has been decorating numerous houses in Turkey and abroad for over 30 years.

Now he is busy designing an outdoor panel for the Hilton Hotel that will open in İznik.

His small factory, which he calls the “Ottoman Tile Factory,” has made him a world-renowned brand name. Most people, even those who work in the factory, call him “Sıtkı Usta,” or Master Sıtkı.

He has come a long way since he opened his first exhibition in 1980. “I didn't even know what a proper exhibition was at that time,” he said. Olçar’s first exhibition was abroad in Greece. “That was when my eyes opened and I understood that the world was big and I became eager to do more successful work,” he said. He then visited many museums abroad and met with many artists, designers and collectors throughout the years. Examples of his work are in private collections and museums. In his tiling, he was influenced by the traditional work of İznik and Kütahya, but he has also sought new forms. Olçar also worked hard to discover the secret of how to mix colors to produce the famous coral red, which was lost for 300 years and brought a new approach to the ceramics of Kütahya.

Other than his own place in Kütahya, his works are sold and displayed in various stores around Turkey, including one in Istanbul. The store İznik Classics in Sultanahmet has been open for nearly 10 years. It sells Olçar’s most well-known work as well as other prominent artists’ works.

He also prepares special necklaces inspired by the 13th century Seljuk tiles. “They are going to be the new fashion,” Olçar said.