A female ceramic master from Türkiye's central Nevşehir province, recognized as a region where traditional handicrafts in the form of ceramics and pottery are being produced, continues the legacy of her father's profession for the last 25 years by making plates, bowls and ornaments used by tile art masters.

In the workshop, established in the Avanos district of Nevşehir, famous for the handicraft profession, Tülay Akcan, 55, has worked for years to meet the raw material requirements of tile art masters in the province.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) Akcan, who started to show an interest in the production of pots and ceramics – one of the main sources of income for the people of the district, she learned more about the profession from her father.

Akcan also recalled she had started her career in a private company in 1998 and has continued to work in her workshop since 2005.

Providing information on how the activities in the workshop take place, Akcan said she and her husband are trying to keep up with the orders they receive from the tile masters from different cities but mainly from the ones around Avanos. Despite their retirement, Akcan noted they both join hands and open the shop every morning, underlining that they shape the raw clay from Kütahya province on the workbench in the workshop.

Expressing that she is happy to follow in the footsteps of her late father, who has been dealing with handicrafts in pottery workshops for years, Akcan said: "Here we produce products such as plates and bowls using the white mud. We dry, prime and bake (the products), which tradespeople buy from us. We deliver them all over Türkiye. We send (our products) to everyone engaged in this business in Avanos and broader."

Akcan noted it was not easy to reach her current point, stating that she succeeded in her work despite the job being perceived as a man's profession.

As the tourism activity in Avanos increased with the red mud pottery, the need for bringing the white clay to the region also arose, Akcan explained, adding that it makes her happy to see that the products produced in the district, which has become one of the handicraft centers in the country, reach the hands of other craftsmen and tourists who pass it around the world.

Reiterating her love for her job, she noted that she is determined to continue with work as long as she is alive, saying, "If you work, you live."

Akcan added that they also host the students of Avanos Fine Arts Vocational School in the summer, and they teach the intricacies of the profession to the young people who do internships with practical training.