The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1546512
VUE: e word ENFUI means "run away" in French, but for you it represents something much deeper. How has that idea evolved since you started the studio? Arpacilar: For me, ENFUI is about running away from my past self and everything that came with that version of me. It represents leaving behind certain events, feelings, fears, and ways of thinking and giving myself a fresh start. It became bigger than just a name. ENFUI represents becoming a new person with a new mind, a new identity, and a different outlook on what my life can become. VUE: Your work feels deeply personal, but also very expressive and visually bold. What emotions, experiences, or ideas tend to find their way into your paintings? Arpacilar: When I paint, I usually start with a general idea or feeling, but everything aer that happens very freely. I don't really have a specific method or a step-by-step process that I follow. I use whatever feels right to me in that exact moment. e colors, lines, characters, layers, and different materials all come from what I'm feeling while I'm working. A painting might change completely over time because I change while I'm creating it, and I think that is what makes each piece personal to me. VUE: Do you typically begin a piece with a clear vision, or does the painting reveal itself to you as you work? Walk us through what your creative process looks like. Arpacilar: Most of the time, the painting reveals itself to me at the end. I'll put a blank canvas in front of me, turn on music, and just let my mind go wherever it wants to go. I don't overthink what the next move has to be. I paint until I physically need to stop, whether that's because a layer has to dry or I need some time to look at the piece differently. en I come back and keep building layer aer layer until it finally feels complete. VUE: You grew up in New Jersey and are now based in Miami. How have those two very different environments influenced your perspective and your work? Arpacilar: Growing up in New Jersey gave me one perspective, but moving to Miami opened up a completely different side of my creativity. Miami is so colorful, vibrant, and full of character that it made me feel more comfortable experimenting with colors and being less restricted with my work. Being here has allowed me to paint more freely and bring more energy into my pieces. I think the contrast between where I grew up and where I am now has helped shape the way my work continues to evolve.