In Gaziantep, south-central Türkiye, 64-year-old Suzan Doğan Yılmaz, who lost her home, workplace and employees in the Feb. 6 earthquakes, is overcoming the difficult period by painting.
Yılmaz, who attends a painting course at the Özgecan Women's Culture and Sports Center affiliated with Şahinbey Municipality, tries to alleviate the fear and trauma caused by the earthquake through the art of painting.
During her time in the course, Yılmaz has created various works, finding an opportunity to express herself and ease her pain. This support provided by Şahinbey Municipality has been a great source of morale for Yılmaz and other earthquake victims.
Recently, Yılmaz started to sell her paintings. This has not only created a new source of income for her but has also allowed her art to reach a wider audience.
Saying that she was psychologically very worn out after the earthquake and that she overcame the traumatic period by painting, Yılmaz said: "We were running a restaurant in İslahiye with my son and husband. Our house and workplace were destroyed in the earthquake. The house started collapsing while we were inside. We barely got out of the house that night. Some of our employees who were with us died in the earthquake."
"The streets were terrifying that night. After the earthquake, I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere. I was in a void. I was going to see a psychologist to regain my health. Then I discovered this course. When I first came here, I didn't know anything."
"Later, with the teachings of our instructor, I started painting. My paintings are in demand. I have orders, and I'm working on them. Painting helps me a lot. I forget everything while painting, Being able to create something makes me happy," she said.
Expressing that she painted her feelings on the night of the earthquake, Yılmaz said: "My first painting depicts my feelings on the night of the earthquake. The difficulties we experienced that night. A woman who wants to convey her emotions to the sea. I was afraid of losing my children that night."
She continued: "I knelt down and prayed to God. I was more afraid of something happening to my children than dying myself; the earthquake shook me deeply. But painting has opened a brand new chapter in my life; I recommend that everyone attend courses like this."