Gizem Vural

Gizem Vural shares how her move from Istanbul to New York sparked an artistic transformation, revealing the intimate connection between her abstract drawings and the subtle landscapes of Roosevelt Island. With pencils as her primary tool and inspiration drawn from daily walks and art history, Gizem explores the delicate interplay of color, line, and personal space. Learn more about her practice below.

Where are you from and where do you reside?

I am from Istanbul, Turkey, and in 2012 I moved to New York to pursue becoming an illustrator. Since 2022 I have mainly been focusing on abstract drawings.

What necessities do you require when making your art (coffee, podcasts, specific pencils, etc.)?

I always create some playlists to help me focus and work - they can be game soundtracks, movie soundtracks, electronic music, or classical. What I want to listen to changes with my mood - and of course I need my cup of coffee.

Where do you find your day-to-day inspiration?

On my walks around Roosevelt Island, I take pictures of every detail that I find interesting. I also look a lot at nature books, and the Art Deco movement. I sometimes look at Kandinsky or Miro’s work -  their use of lines move me so much. Reading about my favorite artists and their way of thinking inspires me a lot too.

Have you always worked with pencils? Why do you choose to work with them?

I like being in control of every stroke I make in my work. I feel that I have more precision with a pencil versus a brush. I also don’t think I am good with brushes. I never enjoyed working with them. The marks the brushes leave behind, or when I can’t make a perfect line get me really upset. Also, interruptions between mixing every new color disrupts my concentration. I find that the simplicity of holding a pencil is more satisfying to me. I can go and go and go with drawing. Everything is ready. I also enjoy the texture pencil leaves on paper or wood. Mixing colors is fun with a blender pencil. With a large-scale drawing, I can go slow, and it is so meditative to me.

I like being in control of every stroke I make in my work. I feel that I have more precision with a pencil versus a brush.

Gizem Vural

Are you formally trained? Did you have a mentor?

I studied graphic design when I was in Istanbul, but I didn’t have a mentor - I wish I had. I had to navigate and figure out everything on my own. I left the university after I decided to focus on illustration, and then I moved to New York to pursue that. I realized I only had interest in fast-paced editorial illustrations, so I started working with publishers for a while. My work got really abstract at some point and it kinda led me to focus only on abstract art. Then I found myself enjoying drawing.

What is the most difficult part of the artistic process for you?

Creating the same atmosphere and compositional feel on a bigger scale after I am satisfied with my initial sketch on a smaller paper. I sometimes have to make changes and additions if I don’t like it on a bigger surface. After the first draft drawing is done, everything gets easier and more fun to work on.

Describe a typical day in the studio for you.

After having my first cup of coffee and a breakfast toast, I walk my dog and then I come back to my studio around 10am. I check emails first, and then decide what to work on that day. If I have something I’m already working on then I’ll continue with that. If not, I scribble some sketches, or look through my old ideas, books on nature, or my photographs that I take on my walks around Roosevelt Island for reference. After that, I decide on a color palette, pick my pencils, and start working on the piece.

How do your surroundings direct your approach to your work?

I feel like I decorate my studio and wear clothes exactly the way I use colors in my work. They definitely interact with each other all the time. It is funny that when I find out ‘oh that’s why I was attracted to that color…’. The color in my surroundings affects my work a lot. After moving to Roosevelt Island, I realized that I am more drawn to green and nature and the little details of plants because of the environment I am in. Before that, I was drawing buildings, architecture, and people.

The color in my surroundings affects my work a lot. After moving to Roosevelt Island, I realized that I am more drawn to green and nature and the little details of plants because of the environment I am in.

Gizem Vural

Are there any aspects of your process that are left to chance?

No, I always like to be ready with my ideas so then I can focus fully on the work, and I know where to take it from the beginning. I enjoy myself more when I work this way - I know some people like to be freer and go wherever their imagination takes them, but I do that with my sketches and the initial planning of the drawing.

Do you remember the first work of art that captured your attention?

Julie Mehretu’s Empirical Construction, Istanbul painting. I remember seeing it in MoMA and it took my breath away. I remember standing in front of it for a while. Everything moves within the artwork and gives me so much emotion. It is hard to explain, but as long as it makes me feel lots of things, I love it. It is exciting.

Is there something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I am an introvert and even though I like parties I find them so overwhelming and I can be quiet or unapproachable, so I always wait for others to talk to me first. Then I can open up. Many people think I am very social once we start talking even though I struggle a lot. : )

Published March 27, 2025.