CV

Born in Istanbul, graduated from The American Academy for Girls, Üsküdar in 1962. Due to the appointment of her father, lived in Paris between the years, 1962 and 1964. In Paris, she graduated from the Remington School of Secretariat and l'Alliançe Française to learn the French language. Returning to Ankara in 1963, she started to work and later married a diplomat, Necati Utkan in 1966. She has two sons.

Due to diplomatic life, she lived in Paris, Brussels, Aleppo, Doha, Baghdad, Tokyo and Rome. During home country stays, she worked for the banking sector.
She was always interested in arts and the art world, and did her own work in different fields, such as oil painting, water colours, soft pastel, ink and charcoal/pencil drawing. Studied in 1984-1986, at the Ecole du Louvre, Cours de Peinture pour Adultes, Paris. Studied ceramics for one year at the atelier of Handan Börütecene in 1985, in Paris. Attended Orhan Çetinkaya atelier in 1990 and 1991 in Ankara. Studied Nihonga (Japanese painting) with Shoko Ohta in Tokyo from 1991 to 1996, when her husband was appointed as ambassador. Studied "sumie" (ink painting) during the first year of her lessons with Ohta. Continued Nihonga with Japanese painting media upon return to Ankara and afterwards. In 2010, joined the western painting group of the Turkish Japanese Women's Friendship and Culture Association, under the teachings of Zeynep Türkmen, a member of Women Painters of Ankara. At present, she uses oil painting to reflect Japanese thought and painting techniques. Became a member of SAKÜDER, Cultural Association of the Community of Art and Artists in December 2016. Participated as one of twelve ambassadors' wives' memories' book entitled "Listen to Us Too" (ALFA Printers) published in June 2016.