Artist Statement

DERIN ISIKMAN
Derin has created a new and unique textural approach to impressionism. She wants to bring hope, harmony, and awareness to the observer through her colorful artistic works. Being a strong believer that art can create a common ground even when there are walls and differences in our globalized world community, she draws her inspiration from the possibilities in life.

She is an international artist, whose work has been exhibited in art galleries around the world. Her "sculptural impressionism" can be found on landscape, city views, floral subjects, seascapes, and abstracts.

Artist Statement
Everyone has the need for acceptance and a sense of community and sometimes we let cultural differences put a wall up to prevent others in. If one would look around the world and travel they would see what I’ve seen, that love is love, hate is hate, hate is everywhere, love is everywhere and in everyone. Emotions cross the boundaries of cultures and emotions are at the core of art. Art can help break down the walls of our differences. This is why I’m proudly curating the "Culture Bridge Art Exhibition" in Chicago as it is sharing the art and emotions of artists from many backgrounds.
My style as an oil painter is landscape impressionism. I feel there is an energetic relation between emotions and the colors I use. I listen to my instinct and relate the colors to the experience I paint. I smell the air and picture myself there in my paintings. My goal is to draw my viewers into the paintings with me, for them to escape to another place to find peace, harmony, or majestic power. Art can help ease the stress of your normal day to day life, your work, your relationships, your fears, and troubles.
I use texture to give the paintings life when you are looking at the sunflowers in “Sunflowers on a Windy Day” you can feel the wind gently brush across your face, you can hear it whisper through the flowers as they softly sway against one another and you feel at peace. In “Point Break” I have a giant wave where you can feel the power behind Mother Nature as she crashes along the point break and you can smell the salt of the sea as it washes you away.
My responsibility as an artist is to cross cultures and bring awareness of events around the world and to help make the world a better place, to bring joy to people.
Derin Isikman Baratka

EXHIBITIONS
2017 Lincoln Square Art Show, Chicago IL OCTOBER 6, Curator
2017 Plein-Air Exhibition with Derin Baratka at the Illinois Museum ,September 16 - January 2018
2016 Lincoln Square Art Walk, Chicago IL / Curator
2016 Group Exhibition "Spring Art Show" Greenleaf Art Center,Chicago, IL
2016 Cappadocia Art Exhibition, Museum Hotel, Goreme, Cappadocia / Turkey
2016 Culture Bridge Art Exhibition, Chicago, IL / Curator
2015 Best of Art Walk, Lincoln Square Art Walk, Chicago / Curator
2015 "Solo Exhibition at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Skokie
2015 Group Exhibition at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Skokie
2015 McCormic Place,Ideal Home Show, IL Chicago
2014 Group Exhibition, Holiday Art Show, Studio Didier Nolet
2014 Group Exhibition, Open Studio on Dayton Street, Chicago Artists Month
2014 Group Exhibition Mix Media, Art Prize Grand Rapids, MI
2013 Solo Exhibition “Blue Chicago “Chicago Art and Design Center, IL
2012 Group Exhibition “Tango and Art “Chicago Art and Design Center, IL
2004 Annual Member’s Exhibition, Curitiba Art Center, Brazil
2004 Solo Exhibition “Hundred years of Love”, Curitiba Art Center, Brazil

Derin currently resides in Chicago and owns the Chicago Art and Design Center (CADC) and Derin Fine Art

CADC offers art classes for all ages including oil, acrylic, and watercolor. They also run corporate events for team building exercises, hold private parties for any occasion, and as featured on ABC 7’s Morning Show they entertain with BYOB Art class. Derin stays actively involved with CADC where she is the head instructor for all painting classes and corporate events. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and her love of art with her students. Her energy, enthusiasm, and friendliness make CADC a welcoming center for the arts.