By Heidi Trautmann

Dancing under the moonlight is the title of one of Gülseven’s paintings about dance, dance in general, showing the Whirling Dervishes in various movements, or in any other national style, African, Asian, Indian or…. ballet and rock and roll. I asked Gülseven what made her choose such a subject and she said: “I love dancing myself and for me it is very interesting to watch people dancing and to study their movements in photos and films.”

It was on the evening of November 12 that I went to attend the opening of her exhibition at the Eaved House in Nicosia. There was a big crowd waiting for the ribbon to be cut. The words of welcome and introduction were spoken by well known artist Emel Samioğlu who was Gülseven’s teacher once.  Here is a short introduction to her curriculum vitae:

Gülseven Coles lives in Lapta and works and teaches at her Zen Studio and Gallery. It is her fourth solo and latest exhibition including works in oils, pastel and watercolour featuring Cyprus landscapes, seascapes and studies in movement.

Born in Paphos in 1950 her talent for painting was encouraged at the Kurtulus Lycee by Ali Atakan. However at Hacettepe University she studied English Language and Literature before moving to England and a career in business for 26 years. During this period she found time to develop her passion for art.

In 1994 she returned to Cyprus and started painting again. She took courses in France and England in water colour and pastel techniques and studied oil and acrylic painting here with Güner Pir, Feridun Işıman and Emel Samioğlu and at GAU. In recent years she has had several successful solo and many joint exhibitions.

I know Gülseven for many years and I consider her as a very romantic sensitive artist and as she says of herself: “ Art is my world. It is never too late to realize your dreams. Initially I considered myself a lyrical spiritual and romantic landscape artist. Latterly my horizon has broadened and I have been exploring movement in dance and developing my landscape and abstract work.”.

I especially like her landscapes where she includes the music of the landscape, the movement of wind in the grass, the many shades of green in summer with a touch of gold here and there.

Her seascape paintings found a lot of praise among the viewers and I imagine that she has spent so many a romantic hour at the seaside to watch the moon travel. My friend who had come with me said: I would love to have it, it would bring my stormy mind to rest and my heart to become peaceful.

Gülseven Coles studies nature in all its flows and movements, catches a moment and brings it on canvas, caught by the batting of an eyelid.

There is a permanent exhibition of her work at her Zen Gallery and studio at 90 Şht. Celal Hasan Cad. in Lapta. At the same time she will also have two works at Ankara Gazi University Painting and Sculpture Museum in an exhibition to raise funds for Helping Patients with Cancer in Cyprus.