In the 82nd episode of the “Sanatın Evrim’i” (Evolution of Art) program, illustrator and artist Betül Sinanoğlu is the guest of Günsu Saraçoğlu. Centering on art’s connection with nature, childhood, and imagination, this episode invites the viewer not only into an artistic practice but also into a life story.
Born in Gölcük in 1971, Betül Sinanoğlu spent her childhood in İzmir Uzunada due to her father being a soldier. The artist, who grew up amidst the sea, forest, wild animals, and boundless nature, states that the foundation for the rich palette and simple narrative language frequently seen in her work today was laid in these years. Fields covered with tulips, German daisies, horses running to the sea, and sea creatures visible through the clear water are not just memories in Sinanoğlu’s mind but powerful visual sources that nourish her art.
In the program, the artist’s early connection with drawing is discussed in detail. The scribbles made on the balcony with her sisters during her childhood years in Beylerbeyi, and the creative process that began with carbon paper and pencils, gradually transformed into an indispensable part of her life. As Sinanoğlu puts it, the phrase “I always had a sketchbook in my hand” summarizes her continuous relationship with art.
Her educational journey is also one of the important topics of this episode. The training she received in the women’s industrial paint and decoration department at Maçka Industrial Vocational High School forms the basis of the artist’s relationship with colors and surfaces. Sinanoğlu, who then graduated from Marmara University’s Painting Department and completed her master’s degree at ITU’s Visual and Environmental Arts program, emphasizes that the perspective gained from different disciplines enriched her art. The combination of traditional art education and an interdisciplinary approach creates a distinct balance in her artistic language.
Having worked in the field of graphic design for many years, the artist has focused primarily on children’s book illustrations for the last six years. The program shares in detail the turning point that led her to children’s books and how this process developed. It is evident that her literature teachers, art-sensitive educators, and early cultural contacts played a decisive role in this journey. This adventure, which began with illustrating a book of poems, gradually extended to many books in the field of children’s literature.
In the episode, the role of illustration in children’s books is addressed as a special topic. Sinanoğlu emphasizes that it is not possible to illustrate a text literally; what is truly important is capturing the emotion of the text. The collective process carried out with the editor, author, and designer is explained in detail, from sketches to page layouts, from character creation to color selection. The artist’s “less is more” approach reveals itself both in her lines and in her use of color.
Also a mother, Betül Sinanoğlu sincerely shares how her creative process intertwines with daily life. She expresses that her son’s behaviors, reactions, and way of perceiving the world inspire her; that creation continues not only at the desk but also in the mind and within the flow of life. She highlights the importance of the natural observation that comes with living with children while producing work for them.
The overarching theme of the program is that art is not just a means of expression; it is a structure that encompasses, nourishes, and transforms every aspect of life. The connection between cinema, music, nature, literature, and the art of painting is conveyed through powerful examples from Sinanoğlu’s personal experiences. The sentence “the moment I realized that every tree, every flower, every bird is different from one another” defines the spirit of the episode as a key expression summarizing the artist’s worldview and creative motivation.
The 82nd episode of “Sanatın Evrim’i” presents an inspiring interview that brings art together with children’s imagination and introduces the audience to a simple yet profound creative philosophy nourished by nature.
