Bursa woodcarver turns his craft into international success
BURSA
A craftsman in the northwestern province of Bursa has transformed his passion for woodworking into an art form, creating intricately carved doors, tables, cabinets and coffee tables that are now attracting international customers.
Thirty-five-year-old Fahri Kaptan began his career as a carpenter at the age of 16, working as an apprentice for five years before opening his own workshop in the town of İznik.
While running his furniture business, a client once asked him to produce hand-carved pieces for stone houses, a request that sparked his curiosity and led him to learn the craft by watching online tutorials and experimenting on his own.
“I was tired of making the same models and colors of furniture,” Kaptan said. “When the idea of hand-carved designs came up, I hesitated at first. But once I started, I realized I could do it and I loved it. This is not something you learn by watching; you learn by doing.”
Over time, Kaptan’s workshop has grown into a small team of 10 people producing custom-made furniture.
Working mostly with pine, oak and walnut, the process starts by sketching a design. Carving tools are then used to bring the pattern to life before the finished piece is completed with painting and varnishing.
Kaptan’s work, shared on social media, now reaches customers across Türkiye as well as abroad.
He recently received orders from Belgium and Qatar, which he plans to ship in December.
“As more people discover our work, they recommend it to others,” Kaptan said. “We want to keep improving and create even more beautiful pieces.”
