We had an interview with the woodworker Enver Çoban
My name is Enver Çoban. I was born in 1961 in Şanlıurfa. I have five children. I have been working as a civil servant at Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality for 39 years. Today's youth are much luckier compared to our time. In middle school, we had handicraft classes where we worked on traditional arts and crafts. When it was time for us to take the university entrance exam, it was held in only 16 cities in Turkey. Since there was no exam center in Şanlıurfa, we went to Diyarbakır to reduce costs. However, our exam was canceled by the government. As students who had studied hard, we experienced great disappointment.
Cities like Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Diyarbakır, and Gaziantep have been important cultural centers throughout history. I have also come across many traditional handicraft works in Istanbul. Thanks to my talent in craftsmanship, I thought to myself: "If such magnificent works were created in the past despite all the difficulties, why can't we do the same?"
With this curiosity, I started learning handicrafts at the age of 15 and took up wood carving when I was 17 or 18. Over the years, I have trained hundreds of students. Our government recognized me as a state artist. Now, I am dedicated to passing this art on to future generations.
One day, a world-renowned calligraphy master visited my exhibition and said to me: "You have developed a unique style. Never take lessons from anyone else; it might ruin your style." The excitement I have felt since the beginning has never changed. Today, I enjoy working with wood carving more than ever. During the Ottoman era, various therapy methods were used, especially for patients with psychological disorders. Wood carving is not only an artistic craft but also a therapeutic activity that soothes the soul.
