Local man with Parkinson’s ‘carves dreams into trees’

DÜZCE

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A retired officer who suffers from Parkinson’s disease in the Black Sea province of Düzce’s Akçakoca district is spending his time making ornaments from trees despite his illness, which restricts his mobility, calling his hobby “carving dreams into trees.”

The 66-year-old Nafi Ayhan, who significantly lost his talking skills due to his illness, returned to his hometown Akçakoca 35 years after serving as a civil officer.

Bringing together various pieces of wood, Ayhan produces artistic objects with the support of his imagination.

Ayhan, who produces tables, coffee tables and chairs with boughs of figs, alder and laurel trees, says he has devoted his life to this art to alleviate his pain in grieving the death of his daughter, who he lost eight years ago in a traffic accident.

“I got this disease in 2005 and I lost my family, so I dedicated myself to this [art]. By doing these things, I forget about my disease,” he said.

“In 2012, I found two pieces of ivy tree. I started with these two trees. A cafe bought 250 of the decorations I made. So far, I have made 6,000-7,000 works. I gifted 150 of them. I sold all the others,” he noted.

Noting that he carves his “own dream into trees,” Ayhan said that he would have already been confined to bed if he hadn’t done these things.