Zeynel Abidin Öztürk, who has been working as a visual arts teacher in Bayburt, northeastern Turkey, for 14 years, transforms goose eggs into pieces of art by embroidering motifs and paintings on them.
Öztürk's talent went unnoticed during his primary school years when he started painting and carving under his father's influence, a coppersmith.
To carve various motifs on eggs, he uses dental equipment. "Egg carving is delicate. After I pierce the egg and drain the liquid, I dry it and clean it. I start the process by drawing the motifs. Since the egg has a fragile material, this process is very sensitive. It requires careful work. I am extremely meticulous while doing this." he said.
As he performs his art with great care and patience due to the small and perishable material he works on, he said that it takes four to five days to give the egg an aesthetic appearance.
Öztürk stated that he could perform two techniques, namely carving and painting, on eggs.
"I mostly use traditional motifs in carving. I usually reproduce the works of famous painters when painting. As people are used to seeing the world's most famous paintings on a flat surface, I wanted them to experience seeing it on a different surface, on an egg." he said. He offers a dynamic and dimensional overview for classical paintings on a globular surface.
He also highlights that egg carving and painting require utmost concentration.
While giving painting classes to his students, Öztürk practiced various handicraft techniques in his workshop such as wood burning and copper working.
Explaining his passion for painting, 40-year-old Öztürk spends his spare time performing his art. "Being alone with eggs and painting while working gives me great pleasure," he said.
Having spent two years on egg carving and painting, he plans to open an exhibition in the not-too-distant future.
