Painting My Way Back to Myself

Artwork and story by Gamze

I am Gamze, an engineer by education who built a career in the corporate marketing world. I am from Istanbul and I have lived with my husband and our daughter in the Netherlands since 2016.

For years I juggled many balls at once: motherhood, work, eMBA study and expat life with no family support. I was a relentless perfectionist with no room for failure. Somewhere along the way, I forgot myself. I no longer asked how I felt or what I wanted.

Eventually everything snowballed. Three years ago, life asked me to slow down.

A year later, I finally dared to pick up a brush again. Suddenly, a story came to me with my daughter and the sea as the main characters. With this wave of inspiration, I jumped into the watercolor sea.

That was when my recovery began. As a child, painting was my shelter. I had simply forgotten it for fifteen years. Returning to it gave me back my energy, my self-esteem and my curiosity. Painting slowly brings back not only my memories, but also my true self.

Watercolor became more than a medium; it became a wise teacher. Water flows where it wants, a true rebel. It cannot be fully controlled, just like life itself! The more I get to know watercolor, the more it teaches me to let go and make peace with imperfection.

My biggest challenge in art is the same as in life: overworking, trying to make everything perfect. But I am learning that perfection is boring, and imperfection is beautifully interesting. With every painting, I feel I am also painting a better version of myself, one with more self-care and understanding.

Since last year I have taken painting seriously. I follow weekly courses, attend international workshops and study the masters. My dream is to become a self-taught professional artist.

Watercolor Academy offers exactly what I need: rich, structured education I can follow at my own pace. Winning full access would help me grow my skills and finally bring my daughter's story to life.

Please vote for me. Your vote supports not only a painter, but a woman rebuilding her life, one brushstroke at a time. Thank you!

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