Can Göknil: Turkey Illustrator

I've always wanted each picture to add a new dimension to the page or to the book itself. Acquainting children with art and literature at an early age enables them to build up their capacity for multiple interpretations, so that they can see things in more ways than one. Pictures in a book can have a lifelong influence on a child.

Can Göknil

Born in Ankara, Turkey in 1945, Can Göknil grew up in Ankara during a time when there were virtually no books for children published. She was entertained by her Anatolian nanny, who told folk tales, riddles, and rhymes, and introduced Göknil to the myths of her culture. Göknil draws inspiration from these ancient tales in both her writing and art.

After graduating from the Fine Arts Department of Knox College (Illinois, USA) in 1968, she received her Master of Arts degree in 1969 from The City College of the City University of New York, School of Fine Arts. She stayed in New York and began work as a commercial artist. She spent her lunch hours in bookstores. One day, she came across Leo Leonni's Frederick and recognized the power of art and text, particularly when directed at young children.

Göknil's first published children's book, Kirpi Masali (The Porcupine's Story) was also Turkey's first picture storybook, followed by many first readers. A pioneer in creating children's picture books for preschoolers in her native Turkey, Göknil has also been published in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and the U.S.A. Her books have appeared in Turkish, English, German, French, Dutch, Surinam, and Arabic. Her art works are also in many important collections such as Chihiro Museum in Tokyo and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Can Göknil primarily uses watercolors in her illustrations for children's books because of "the purity and spontaneity of the technique." However, she is also a gifted artist in the use of ink drawing, ceramics, printmaking, and woodworking. For her, mythology is one of the richest and most universal of sources for an artist. Her work has won numerous awards including the Jenny Smelik Kiggenprijs, the Preschool Literature Award of Children's Foundation of Istanbul, and the Jury's Award for Illustration, Master Cup International Cartoon & Illustration Biennial, in Beijing, China, among others.

Can Göknil works and lives in Istanbul with her husband and son and still makes school visits to share her work with young children.