Nature’s beauty is inspiring. That much is undeniable. People of all cultures and creeds have turned to nature for inspiration as long as we’ve engaged in artistic expression – from cave paintings of Lascaux to the Impressionist movement of the 19th century. Perhaps nature holds some intrinsic power over the human psyche, or perhaps the beauty of its forms is simply unsurpassable. 

This inspiring beauty explains why nature’s influence has always permeated the style of Turkish Oya. Oya artisans have long captured the beauty of nature in all its forms, from the delicate flowers adorning the Mediterranean wilderness to the olive branches, ripe grape vines, and lemon trees that fill the farms in the Anatolian countryside.

Over time these forms adopted deeper meaning, their physical beauty coming to symbolize some of the profound truths captured by their natural counterparts.  The colorful blooms of various wildflowers that welcome the coming of spring came to represent enduring beauty and the power of renewal, with each blossom returning in open defiance of the harsh winter that seemed to try in vain to wipe them out. Olive branches, grape vines, and lemon trees came to represent nature’s bountiful, seemingly maternal love and generosity. 

Some of the meaning ascribed to certain forms is easily recognizable to members of other cultures – a rose’s exquisite curves evoking feelings of passionate love, the dazzling carnation representing the ephemeral, delicate nature of young love. Other subjects took on more esoteric symbolism, such as the Glory of the Snow flower whose blossom endured even the harsh winters of the Mediterranean mountainside.

The rich layers of meaning and complex symbolism that pervade Oya jewelry imbue each piece with a style of beauty that simultaneously transcends and complements its physical beauty. The masterful technique of Turkish Oya can capture the beauty of each subject in breathtaking detail, but the underling meaning transforms Oya jewelry from a simple accessory into a form of artistry that has earned its place in the pantheon of human artistic expression.