AIYNA
Growing up in Turkey, Aiyna spent a lot of time with her grandparents. Her grandmother was very creative and they spent many afternoons into the...Growing up in Turkey, Aiyna spent a lot of time with her grandparents. Her grandmother was very creative and they spent many afternoons into the evening singing, drawing, sewing, and doing crafty projects together. Aiyna remembers her “Nene” (Turkish word for grandmother) humming a little tune everywhere she went. She was a joyful spirit and a positive influence in Aiyna’s life growing up. Aiyna was an only child, and therefore felt like she was spoiled by her grandparents. They were affluent and treated Aiyna to unique experiences as often as they could. One of Aiyna’s favorite adolescent memories was going for hot air balloon rides every year. While they did a few during sunset, Aiyna’s personal favorites were the sunrise rides. She remembers seeing the faint mountains in the background with all of the beautiful colors of the hundreds of balloons illuminating the sky against the muted horizon. To this day, Aiyna strives to honor her family in meaningful ways. Painting is one of the outlets in which she expresses these memories – utilizing pops of color against subtle palettes of blues and grays ever reminding her of those serene mornings getting lost in what seemed like a fairytale on earth. This is where her ‘Utopia’ collection was born – a place in which everything is perfect.
