
Chala Toprak
Sculpture
b. Istanbul, Turkey
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
Starting out as a fashion designer in her hometown of Istanbul, Chala Toprak, swapped out one metropolis for another and found a home in Brooklyn in 2019, where she first started working with clay. Toprak soon found solace at the pottery wheel and what began as a hobby quickly developed into a full-time pursuit.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“I work exclusively with the highest-quality porcelain because it allows me to experiment with the creative process and shape exquisite and fragile flowers. My pieces are a testament to the celebration of life, represented by the blooms we share with loved ones. Flowers remind us how we also can uniquely grow and blossom, just as each piece is handcrafted and glazed. Walking with my young son through Brooklyn, I find inspiration everywhere — from neighbors’ gardens to the local park — then research the shapes and petals that catch my eye. Pieces in the “Dear You” collection are meant to be used and enjoyed every day, and are purposefully beautiful to both see and touch. Like life, they are a gift, created with love and kindness from my hand to yours.”
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024, Small Favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2022, Exploring Vessels, Antler Gallery, Portland, OR
2021, 1000 Vases, Milan, Italy
In the Journal

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ARCH DIGEST | CAROLINE PINNEY | In The Press
Take a step inside the family-fueled home of Tappan artist Caroline Pinney with Architectural Digest. In a recent move to Austin’s Cherrywood neighborhood, Pinney chose a character-filled 1950s ho...
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Art 101 | Figurative Art: Origins, Evolution, and Enduring Importance
Prologue, Terry Miura, 2005 Figurative art, defined broadly as any art that represents real-world subjects, is one of the oldest and most resilient forms of artistic expression. In the context of...
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Lukas Gage | Collector Profile
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Forbes writer Natasha Gural joined Tappan founder Chelsea Nassib for the opening of our NYC pop gallery. Sharing her experience with specific works featured in the exhibit, Gural highlighted Tappan...
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Born and raised in Malaysia, the koi seen across artist AOTH's paintings were deeply influenced by her Chinese heritage. Working from her Denver studio, her process—which she calls “dream paint...
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