blue beauty

Another humble beauty is the previously blogged about Rüstem Paşa Mosque, a favourite of mine. The patterns and colours of the Iznik tiles which cover the walls of this little mosque are beyond exquisite, and the quiet space offers breathing room in this hectic city of nearly 20 million.

sketches, at last

Well my friends, here you go— sketches! I've been slowly sketching away from time to time, though not as often as I used to. Life has gotten in the way, as it can. I still have quite a few sketches from the Trabzon trip to share, and those will be coming soon, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy these spreads.

One: the flight attendant with the very tight trousers, on the way to Antakya.
Two: some lovely finds in the Hatay Archaeological Museum.
Three: a woman in the butcher shop in Antakya, baklava in Istanbul.
Four: tile pattern in Rüstem Paşa Camii, and some Turkish coffee in Eminönü.
Five: man cleaning the floors of the Yeni Camii courtyard, glass of çay.
Six: lovers in the park in Sultanahmet, sheep and mosque in Karaağaç köy.

I suspect things won't calm down until I am on that flight to Kathmandu, which is coming up in a blink of an eye. In the shadow of the Stupa, I feel like I'll be able to breathe again.

in prayer

sketching eminönü

I met Spanish sketcher Javier de Blas in Eminönü for a chat, a coffee and a lot of sketching. There is nothing more fun than sketching with other sketchers. Most of the time I draw alone, or try to scrawl one out as fast as I can when I'm with non-sketchers. It's so nice to just be able to draw at my own pace, not having to rush somewhere or feel like I am neglecting someone, just draw, sketch, paint— and seeing the different techniques and styles of other artists is an invaluable experience.






As a lover of ink, I seldom paint on-site, but decided to give it a try when Javier got out his compact watercolour palette. Eminönü at sunset was just too tonal and colourful for a pen— and I must say I'm pretty pleased with the results. While warming up in a café, we decided to sketch each other.


Please click on the images to see them larger.

metro and mosque

saturday sublime

Life sometimes unfolds in a marvellous and quiet way.

the blues

Yesterday I met up with jewellery designer extraordinaire Shamila Jiwa to wander around Eminönü and visit the humble yet stunning Rüstem Paşa Camii. Rüstem Paşa is a hidden gem; a little mosque just to the left of the Spice Bazaar, if you are facing the Golden Horn. Known for its exquisite examples of İznik tiles, this quiet oasis was built from 1561 to 1563. I am mad for all things İznik— decorative ceramics popular in the 16th century, that were originally inspired by Chinese porcelain, which was lusted after by Ottoman sultans. In the chaos of Eminönü, this beautiful mosque is a wonderful escape. Be sure to take off your shoes upon entering, and ladies, out of respect, please cover your head and any tiny clothing with a scarf. You can pick up a lovely multicoloured 5 lira one at the Spice Bazaar before visiting.

The floral and geometric designs are typical of Islamic art and architecture— unlike many forms of Christianity, it is forbidden to depict the image of Allah, The Prophet and people. Because of this, the art of calligraphy was perfected— and let me tell you, the geometric patterns will just blow you away. Rüstem Paşa is full of light, blues and serenity— truly a place worth visiting.