Gizem Aytaç, a 35-year-old computer engineer living in eastern Türkiye, has found an unusual canvas for her art: carpets.
Aytaç paints portraits of historical figures, female sultans and well-known personalities, as well as animals and landscapes, directly onto carpet surfaces that are later displayed as wall hangings in homes.
Her interest in art began in childhood. She said her father was a talented artist and that she was inspired by his drawings. She would often sketch her own pictures of girls in her notebooks. Over the years, she developed her passion for painting and eventually moved beyond paper and canvas to carpets.
Computer engineer and artist Gizem Aytaç poses with her artworks, Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, Aug. 27, 2026. (AA Photo)
Aytaç works as an engineer at an institution in Elazığ and continues painting in the evenings and on weekends. She also occasionally works from her aunt's home in Kayseri.
