Conversations with Albina Ayhan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Albina Ayhan.

Hi Albina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The passion for drawing started in early childhood, particularly through painting family portraits. Seeing this commitment, my parents enrolled me in art school. Although we focused more on human anatomy than portraits, it gave me a solid foundation in art history, color theory, and various mediums like watercolor and oil. After graduating, I wanted to explore a related field, which led me to study image and style design. I spent eight successful years in the beauty industry as a hairstylist and makeup artist, where my background in portraiture actually helped me master shapes and colors. However, my deep-rooted desire to paint never faded. Ultimately, I decided to take a leap of faith, leave the beauty industry, and commit to being a full-time artist. It’s allowed me to break free from academic constraints and fully explore my own artistic voice.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes, as I mentioned earlier, this path was far from straightforward. Since financial stability is always a question in creative professions, upon graduating from university, I chose a more stable yet still creative career. Today, I don’t regret this experience at all; working with so many different people allowed me to study facial features, hair, and expressions in practice. After all, the emotional component is just as important as the anatomical one. Perhaps it is exactly this that captures the genuine individuality we perceive.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I portray people through the lens of my own perception. I like working with ink, immediately transferring what I see onto paper and selecting colors that reflect the essence of the person. When looking at a photo, I don’t try to capture an exact likeness right away; first, it’s crucial for me to feel what color represents that individual. I ask myself what kind of character and mood I see, so that I can convey it expressively. From there, I add lines, strokes, and details—leveraging the ink’s inherent freedom to create a unique pattern for each piece. Ultimately, I believe my portraits go beyond mere likeness. Instead of overloading them with layers, I strive to harmoniously include the specific features and nuances that, in my view, capture the true essence.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
For me, the journey has been slow but steady—about following my own path and trusting the process. I try to incorporate past experiences into the present, constantly searching, experimenting, and falling in love with the work itself. It was only when I truly fell in love with my creative process, wanting to repeat it over and over, that I began to appreciate my own results. That was also when I noticed that people started to connect with my art and genuinely like what I do.

Pricing:

• Custom portrait (commission) 12 X 16″ – €350
• “Bob Dylan” original artwork – €409
• “Smelling the night herbs” original artwork – €450
• “Untitled” original oil painting – €1947.95
• “Vintage Barbie Collection” series of original artwork – €489.95

Contact Info:

• Website: https://albinaayhan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/albinaayhan?stkn=OHBqbzY4dXg5eQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@albinaayhan?si=iNVVLFiAQpS-HCEg
• Other: e-mail: albinaayhan@gmail.com

Image Credits
Ph @zamechatelnaya_sasha