Mehmet Dizen, who ran a store for baby clothes and belongings in Aydın’s Incirliova district for years, closed his store and turned to his childhood hobby of wood carving.
Dizen, 43, who improved himself and mastered his profession despite not receiving any training, said: “I currently earn my income entirely from manual labour.”
Married and a father of 4 children, he has run a store for baby clothes and belongings for years. With the coronavirus epidemic and the increasing prevalence of online shopping, things did not go as he wanted in retail.
So Dizen turned to carving, which he had been doing as a hobby since the age of 10, and opened a business.
Dizen, who wanted to receive training in carving but could not find a master, improved himself over time through trial and error and became a master. Dizen started to earn a living by selling his carving works.
He said: “My father was a lumberman. He would take the tree in its raw form and make it suitable for the construction industry. I also worked with him for 15 years. I got to know and love trees thanks to my father.
“I have been carving wood pieces and trying to make shapes as a hobby since my childhood. Of course, when things did not go as I wanted in the retail business I had been doing for 12 years, I completely turned to my hobby, engraving.
“However, I saw that carving has become one of the professions that is about to be forgotten. Because I wanted to get training, but I couldn’t find a master in my close circle. Thereupon, I improved myself in carving by trial and error method and became a master Currently, I earn our income entirely from manual labor.”
Explaining that his interest in charcoal makes it easier for him to carve, Dizen said, “Dealing with wood is a joy, a pleasure and requires patience. Any tree can be carved, but I especially prefer linden, pine and similar soft trees.
“Working on hard-structured trees is a little more difficult and requires more strength and time. I can carve anything I see. I also work according to special orders. There are works I made in 10 days, 20 days and 30 days. Since it is completely handmade, carving takes time.”