Ayşegül Yeşilnil
Ayşegül Yeşilnil (born 28 August 1959) is a Turkish painter and jazz singer. She is also the wife of Nezih Yeşilnil.
Biography
Ayşegül Yeşilnil was born on 28 August 1959 in Turgutlu but grew up in Izmir Karsiyaka district and completed all her education there. She graduated from Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Arts, Painting Department’s Textile Design on 1982. She was the first student in Fashion Design expertise program in Turkey’s first academic class in the area. She was "first and only university graduate fashion designer" of her time, after a one-to-one education with her teacher Ayten Sürür. Vakko hired her as fashion designer for their Istanbul factory. Yeşilnil’s creations were exhibited on international fairs when she was working in different textile exporters. She designed textile products for home and cruise decoration. Her batik work on silk and various textile types, cloth, scarf and pillow designs were exhibited on many art galleries. She prepared posters for Izmir Opera.
She had her singing education from Erdogan Okyay at Faculty of Art, Music department’s choir, then took lessons from jazz singer Nükhet Ruacan in Istanbul.
She conducted 16 personal exhibitions for the works of jazz, mythological and other paintings, from 1985 to present.
Besides painting, she started to sing jazz as an additional profession after 1987. She worked with many well-known jazz artists, Erol Pekcan, Nezih Yeşilnil, Neset Ruacan, Önder Focan, Selim Benba, Deniz Dündar, Cengiz Baysal, Izzet Hiçkalmaz, Baki Duyarlar, Yahya Dai, Tahsin Ünüvar, Nilüfer Verdi, Rene Macaroglu, Ali Perret, Askin Arsunan, Senova Ülker, Ergin Özler, Necdet Karar, Emin Aydin, Ergun Eremkar, Okan Samil, Kadri Ünalan, Cankut Özgül, Ferruh Ariç, Ilkin Deniz, Erdal Akyol, Oguz Durukan, Kamil Özler, Reha Ögünlü, Melih Güzel, Melih Çetinel, Mehmet Kismet, Oguzhan Balci, Lloyd Chisholm, and Ted Taylor.
As the only artist who both sings jazz and paints jazz, Ayşegül Yeşilnil, involved in many concerts and festivals as well as performing at jazz clubs.
Rüzgara Sarkilar Söyle (Sing Songs To Wind), all lyrics by Ayşegül Yeşilnil, was the first album released on 1995. Neset Ruacan, Bülent Ortaçgil, Nezih Yeşilnil, Önder Focan, Erkan Oğur contributed to the album.
Yeşilnil worked as art director on commercial photography with photographer Mehmet Kismet. Swedish rock band Iubar’s performance at her workshop pictured by her. Those pictures used as background for the performance Stockholm Rookie 2005 music festival.
A member of UNESCO – International Plastik Sanatlar Dernegi, she prepared a collection on the subject of jazz instruments and jazz artists lives, inspired by living in a very musical environment. Her other collections were focused on fantastic, mythological and legendary subjects. Her painting works are carried out on her workshop in Istanbul.
She was married to a jazz artist Nezih Yeşilnil.
Awards
- Izmir'i Sevenler Platformu - (IZSEV), 2004,
- Türk Basari Ödülleri Kurulu (Turkish Achievements Awards Commission), 1969-2004 / 35th Anniversary,
- Vedide Baha Pars, Basarili Kadin Önderi Onur Ödülü (Successful Women Leader Honoree Award)
Festivals and concerts
- 1990 I. International Bursa Jazz Festival (Bursa)
- 1994 IV. International Akbank Jazz Festival (Istanbul)
- 1996 II. International KKTC Magosa Festival (KKTC)
- 1997 Ayşegül & Nezih Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, Girne (KKTC)
- 1999 "Antonio Carlos Jobim" Jazz Concert, Atatürk Kültür Merkezi (Istanbul)
- 1999 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, (for AKUT) Babylon (Istanbul)
- 2000 10th International Akbank Caz Festivali, (Istanbul)
- 2001 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, Babylon (Istanbul)
- 2001 I. Afyonkarahisar Caz Festival, (Afyonkarahisar)
- 2001 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, Girne (KKTC)
- 2001 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, Is-Sanat (Istanbul)
- 2001 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Programs, Shaft Blues & Jazz Club (Istanbul)
- 2003 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, 10.International Istanbul Jazz Festival, Nardis(Istanbul)
- 2004 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quartet Jazz Concert, Izmir Sanat (Izmir)
- 2004 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quintet Jazz Concert, Bodrum Caz Günleri (Bodrum)
- 2005 Ayşegül Yeşilnil Quartet Jazz Concert, Izmir Sanat (Izmir)
Personal exhibitions
- 1985 Painting and Batik Sergisi - Bodrum Underwater Archeology Museum - Bodrum
- 1987 Is-Sanat Art Gallery - Ankara
- 1988 Capello Art Gallery - Istanbul
- 1988 Hobi Art Gallery -Istanbul
- 1996 3rd Europe Jazz Days /Jazz paintings exhibition/Sabanci Kültür Sarayi/Izmir
- 1996 Gramofon Jazz Club/Jazz paintings exhibition/ Istanbul
- 1996 Rotary Art Gallery - Izmir
- 1997 Cen Ajans - Istanbul
- 1998 Istanblues Jazz Club/Jazz paintings exhibition - Istanbul
- 1999 IMKB Art Gallery - Istanbul
- 2003 Galeri Iki Maymun – Istanbul
- 2003 Koleksiyon-Istanbul
- 2004 Pera Art Gallery Istanbul
- 2004 Izmir Sanat - Izmir
- 2004 Bodrum Jazz Days/Jazz paintings exhibition – Bodrum
- 2006 Adnan Franko Art Gallery/“Sacred Animals of 1001 Nights” - Izmir
Exhibitions contributed
- 1985 Bodrum Culture and Art Festival
- 1985 Bodrum Underwater Archeology Museum 'Turgut Reis' Special - Bodrum
- 1987 Galeri BM / Young Artists Painting and Pattern Exhibition - Istanbul
- 1988 Kadiköy Art Gallery / Combined Painting Exhibition - Istanbul
- 1995 Sea Museum/ Combined Painting Exhibition - Istanbul
- 2003 Proje 4L Modern Art Museum/ AD Magazine “Tasarim Tilsimdir” (Design is Magic) Exhibition - Istanbul
- 2004 Pera Art Gallery / Women’s Day Exhibition – Istanbul
- 2005 Pera Art Gallery / Women’s Day Exhibition – Istanbul
- 2006 Pera Art Gallery / Women’s Day Exhibition – Istanbul
- 2006 Atölye 83 / Musician Photos - Istanbul