Art in the City of New Orleans

I found this local artist in the French Market. I was walking around on my free day when I came upon his art and it caught my eye. I was mesmerized by the detail that he has put into his 3D pictures. The artwork is all made from either wood, which was hollow and dry or nut shells that a squirrel or other animal had broken open that he has found while hiking around the world. He used dried leaves that were unique in shape and took them home to preserve them in a way where they wouldn't fall apart. Not one of the pieces that he has used has been altered in any way, he collects all of the pieces that he can and if it doesn't fit for the piece that he is making he waits until he finds a piece that fits. He will use a wood stain to color some pieces if he needs to but he tries not to use anything that is not natural.

Mr. Ozyenginer is originally from Turkey and moved to New Orleans about 15 years ago with his wife and they love it here. He told me that he travels quite often which is how he finds all of the materials to  make his art. I asked him if he has a gallery and his response was "he loves the open air of the market, and wouldn't like to be stuck in a gallery". This man is so talented and to me when walking through all of the art studios I kept going back to his work and I couldn't stop thinking about how much I loved his art.

I like this artist so much because I can picture this gentleman hiking with his wife, because both of them are retired. This is a man who has found something to do outside while getting exercise and travel at the same time. He brings home unique items from the earth that he doesn't have to spend money on and creates something so unique from it. There are so many retired men and women who sit around and don't get exercise and this man is getting exercise and making art that brings life to others at the same time. I believe that his work tells a very unique story. Depending on what piece you choose the story that it tells is that he has put in travel, time, and the love of the art to make a piece that is special to him. When you look at each one of his pieces you can tell that he has put in a great deal of time and love into his work. When you look at an artists work you want to know that they have put time and love into their work. You want to know that they love what they do and that there is a story behind why they do what they do. I couldn't stop telling him how much I loved his work and how talented he was and for the most part there is a part of me that wishes I had a small amount of talent that would be able to think of something like that where someone loved the work that I did.