“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” - Rumi

Being a lover of art and art history, I've spent my whole life navigating between different cultures, garnering clarity about the world and the human condition through the study of art and architectural history. I called Istanbul, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Ankara, London and New York home at one point or another in my life. I studied manuscript illumination in the ateliers of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, exhibited in group exhibitions in the National Library in Ankara and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul, painted just for my pleasure on the shores of the Aegean, the Mediterranean, and the Bosphorus, all the while raising my two sons. After years of rummaging through museums for more art and history, collecting stories and experiences, I decided to go back to school and dedicate my life to advancing a greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures through an in-depth exploration of their art, architecture, and interiors. What started with a philosophy from the mystic Rumi, ‘to let the beauty of what I love be what I do,' evolved into my blog Sedef’s Corner, where I shared my discoveries and experiences with the rest of the world and eventually graduate school for Architectural History. Having completed my dissertation on Orientalism and Islamic influences in Gilded Age domestic interiors, I'm embarking on a new path in which I may share my knowledge with others through research, teaching, and writing.