Petu Art Studio is the first and only tufting space in Ankara, Turkey. Founded by a sculptor with a passion for bringing people together through art, the studio has become a hub for creativity, healing, and personal expression. With tufting as its medium, Petu invites people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the tactile world of handmade textile art. Whether for fun, therapy, or serious artistic development, the studio empowers individuals to tell their stories through yarn and fabric—reviving Turkey’s rich textile heritage through a fresh and inclusive lens.
1- Tufting Ankara, as the first and only tufting studio in the city, has introduced a unique art form to the region. What inspired you to start this creative journey, and how has the local community responded so far?
The birth of Petu Art Studio (Tufting Ankara) began with my desire to come together with people who wanted to create art in Ankara after graduating from the Sculpture Department of Gazi University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. While exploring different ways to offer them unique creative experiences, I discovered tufting. Its tactile quality, expressive potential, and limitless design possibilities deeply moved me. The fact that this technique was almost entirely unknown in Turkey—especially in Ankara—was not just a gap to me, but a transformative opportunity.
From the very beginning, my goal wasn’t just to introduce a new technique, but to create a space where people could express themselves freely and enjoy the process of making. I soon realized that tufting is not only visually striking but also calming and therapeutic. Our participants quickly felt the same. What started as curiosity grew into enthusiasm as they discovered how accessible, fun, and liberating tufting could be.
Today, people from all walks of life and all age groups come to our studio. I also receive invitations from other cities, where I travel with my frames, machines, and yarns to bring the tufting experience to new communities. In each session, I witness people telling their own stories through color and texture, which reminds me why I started this journey in the first place.
As a woman entrepreneur, building this creative space and community has been incredibly fulfilling. Supporting and inspiring other women and creative entrepreneurs by sharing my experiences is one of the most meaningful parts of what I do.
2. Your studio welcomes everyone from beginners to professionals. Can you tell us more about the learning experience you offer, and how you help participants turn their ideas into tangible tufted art?
Our studio is open to everyone who wants to explore tufting, whether they’re looking to pursue it professionally or simply enjoy a creative experience. We understand that everyone approaches art differently. For some, it’s a career step, while for others, it’s an opportunity to step out of their daily routine, try something new, and unwind.
Most of our participants experience tufting for the first time with us. Even someone with no technical background can create their own design and turn it into a tangible product in just a few hours.
What’s truly rewarding is that this process isn’t only creative, but also relaxing and confidence-boosting for our participants Sometimes we work with individuals who want to immerse themselves in color and texture for just one day, while others are looking to develop their own artistic practice. What matters to us is that every participant moves at their own pace and enjoys the process in their own way.
At Petu art studio (Tufting Ankara), we make art accessible, enjoyable, and personal.
3. Many of your creations reflect bold colors, personal stories, and modern design. Where do you and your students draw inspiration from, and how do you encourage originality in their work?
Handmade rugs and textile art are gaining increasing attention, not only as decorative objects but also as powerful means of personal expression. In Turkey, rug-making has deep historical roots. Even the world’s oldest known carpet, the Pazyryk carpet, features Turkish motifs.
Turkish rugs are not only aesthetically significant, but they also carry social, cultural, and even spiritual messages—demonstrating the artistic depth and importance of this tradition. The global recognition of traditional Turkish rugs is a testament to the richness and influence of Turkish textile heritage.
Today, however, rug and textile art are being reshaped through contemporary art movements. In the modern art context, there is a growing emphasis on the reinterpretation of traditional techniques and the prioritization of personal expression. This is exactly where tufting comes in.
While it shares certain similarities with traditional rug-making, tufting is a faster, more
innovative, and modern technique. It has become a part of this artistic transformation, allowing for greater creative freedom and experimentation.
At Petu Art Studio (Tufting Ankara), tufting has become a personal artistic practice—a space where designers, artists, and beginners can explore color, texture, and pattern while expressing their emotions. Our aim is to play an active role in the development and promotion of tufting in Turkey. We offer participants a creative experience that challenges the boundaries of contemporary art. Each person who joins us finds a space to express their unique creativity, and the process often results in bold, playful, and unconventional designs.
In this way, rug-making evolves beyond a decorative function, becoming a meaningful artistic language where personal stories, emotions, and contemporary artistic trends converge.
4. At Petu Art Studio, each piece created is more than just a decorative object—it’s a personal narrative that bridges the past and the present. Where do your participants draw inspiration from, and how do you foster originality in their process?
Our sources of inspiration are layered and diverse: from traditional motifs to contemporary graphic design, from the shapes of nature to the abstract emotions we encounter in everyday life. Sometimes, what inspires our participants is the texture of an old rug, a modern illustration, or simply an inner impulse waiting to be expressed.
We believe that originality in art is closely tied to the courage to move beyond imitation.
Everyone may start with references, but the true artistry lies in personalizing them and making them your own. That’s why we embrace an approach that blends the old with the new. We encourage our participants to draw from Turkey’s rich carpet heritage while also pushing the boundaries of contemporary visual expression.
Tufting is a powerful medium in this sense. It honors the tactile depth of traditional weaving techniques while offering the freedom to experiment with modern aesthetics. This balance gives our artists and participants a unique space to explore and create. When we guide them, we don’t teach how to copy—we teach how to transform. This approach results in works that are deeply personal, innovative, and timeless.
For us, art is a journey of identity-building. At Petu Art Studio, we don’t just teach technique—we help individuals discover and express their own visual voice.
5. Looking ahead, do you have plans to expand your workshops, collaborate with other designers, or participate in local/international exhibitions to share your vision more widely?
At Petu Art Studio, one of our main goals is to position tufting as an active technique within the contemporary art scene — presenting it not only as a decorative craft but also as a conceptual form of expression. We plan to participate in local and international biennials, design fairs, and art festivals. In addition, by developing collaborative projects with creative professionals from various artistic backgrounds, we aim to broaden the potential of tufting and reach a wider audience.
Throughout this journey, our motivation is not only to produce art but also to build an inspiring community, support women’s entrepreneurship, and create more opportunities for creative expression. Our doors are always open to those who want to share, expand, and transform art together with us.
