Nur Cirakoglu

(Cirakoglu is pronounced "Cheer-a-ko-loo")

"I have a painting and sculpting background with BA and MA degrees in Visual Arts.

Prior to making jewelry I lived as a painter and also a Visual Arts teacher in Art schools for about 12 years. I have always loved creating jewelry for myself using recycled materials, white clay, papier-mâché, tin, etc.. During those years of teaching art I also pursued learning the basic techniques for making jewelry using precious metals, and so I took several one-on-one courses from different master metal-craftsmen.

After immigrating to Canada I found myself making jewelry since I have always loved creating something using my hands. That is the uppermost joy of expression. I completed Metal and Arts certificate courses at Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) in Calgary, Alberta.

I draw inspiration from a wide range of sources including nature itself, textile, kinetic sculptures, architectural forms, and even some dreams.

One line of my jewelry which consists of only the metal itself (that does not include a gemstone, a raw specimen or a crystal on it), usually features sculptural, modern, three dimensional forms sometimes with a contrast of an organic element (either hand-woven mesh, reticulated, fused, hammered textures or etched textures).

I also developed my very own method in making unique 3D spirals from metal sheet that gives a playful depth to the jewelry. When I started living in Calgary I saw that these spirals perfectly overlap with Alberta's stone, the ammonite. The third dimension makes jewelry a small size wearable sculpture and I love that playful, experimental side of jewelry making.

Gathering all these inspirations and years of experience, I create my jewelry using classical materials such as sterling silver and fine silver as the main metal, occasionally gold, copper, bronze, and sometimes incorporated with gemstones, good quality rough crystals, alongside a few minerals/specimen. You might rarely see some antique coins, antique spindle whorls, old trade beads and ancient glass used in my jewelry.

I think jewelry has more power of expression than we'd usually imagine, you can communicate with the viewer and the wearer on many different levels (thoughts, reminiscences, emotions... )

I hope that my pieces make you feel joyful, unique and confident whenever you put them on."

NOTE: The pieces you see on this page and in our online store by this artist may not be available. Also, we may have more pieces in our gallery that don't show up online. Please contact us or come visit the gallery to see works by this artist that are currently available.