Biography
Born in Kütahya in 1948, he developed a deep passion for tilemaking, perhaps due to the bounty of his birthplace. In 1973, he established his own workshop, which he named "Ottoman Tiles." He continued his work in the field of tilemaking and ceramics without compromising his art. In his tilemaking, where he applied antique patterns and forms, he focused on İznik and Kütahya examples, seeking new forms and essence. From 1980 onwards, he worked especially on İznik tiles, bringing a new dimension and dynamism to Kütahya tilemaking, which was thought to be disappearing. He aimed to discover the secret of the coral red color of İznik tiles, a secret that had remained unsolved for 300 years. He also approached Çanakkale ceramics with a new interpretation. He held numerous solo exhibitions both domestically and internationally, the first in 1980. Sıtkı Usta, who represented Turkey at the 5th Balkan Countries Handicrafts Exhibition in Volos, Greece in 1986, has works in private collections and museums. The master, who re-evaluates what belongs to the past, what history has distilled, from a completely different perspective in his own creative process, today signs his internationally acclaimed works only as "Sıtkı".
