© Tulu Bayar, *Immigrant Stories*, Work in Progress, Interior pages include cotton, abaca, and khadi, Citrus transfers, collages, acrylic paintings, collagraphs, found objects, jude rope, Three hole pamphlet, 5.5 " X 8 " X 1.5", 2025

February 19, 2025

Amie Potsic interviews Tulu Bayar, Turkish-born American artist and educator whose work draws from the teachings of Rumi, focusing on spiritual unity and the interconnectedness of humanity.

“I had the pleasure of leading amazing art-making workshops with recent immigrants in thanks to the support of the Puffin Foundation and Thrive International!

We explored the theme of dual identity and navigating two cultures. Participants brought in photos from their birthplaces and current lives and created stunning portrait collages. While they worked, I created citrus transfers from their collages, turning them into unique pieces of art. After the workshops, I create hand-made artist books of the material during artist residencies at Foundation House, the Vermont Studio Center, and Ucross Foundation.

This is part of a series of community workshops I am hosting and I’m beyond inspired by the dedication and detail everyone put into their projects! These pieces will be part of an exhibition and publication presented at Strata Santa Fe Gallery in Santa Fe, NM October 14 - October 31, 2025.

What I love most is that everyone in the workshops feels seen without needing to shout. Immigrant stories are American stories, and I’m so excited to keep sharing them.”

- Tulu Bayar

© Tulu Bayar, *Chimera* installation view, 2023

Tulu Bayar is a Turkish-born American artist and educator whose work draws from the teachings of Rumi, focusing on spiritual unity and the interconnectedness of humanity. As an artist and immigrant, Bayar explores the complexities of straddling two cultures, blending her experiences from both her native Turkey and the U.S. Her work examines themes of exoticism, otherness, and cultural hybridism using multidisciplinary approaches. Bayar holds a BA from the University of Ankara and an MFA from the University of Cincinnati. Her diverse work has been featured in numerous exhibitions across the U.S. and internationally, including Germany, Denmark, the UK, France, Turkey, Italy, and China. Her art is in several prominent public collections, such as Belfast Exposed Photography, the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art, and Samek Art Museum. Her work has been supported by grants from the Puffin Foundation Grant, the Mellon Confounding Problems Project Grant, and the Fulbright Scholar Grant. Bayar’s projects have garnered critical acclaim with coverage from major media outlets including NPR, Hyperallergic, WhiteHot Magazine, The Irish Times, and Art in America.

To learn more about Tulu Bayar visit, https://www.tulubayar.com/

To see Tulu Bayar’s Art History visit, https://www.amiepotsicartadvisory.com/art-history/tulubayar

Banner Image: © Tulu Bayar, Immigrant Stories, Work in Progress, Interior pages include cotton, abaca, and khadi, Citrus transfers, collages, acrylic paintings, collagraphs, found objects, jude rope, Three hole pamphlet, 5.5 " X 8 " X 1.5", 2025