Meet the Team
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Zeynep Karagoz
Contemporary Witch and Pilgrim of Life
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Carey Watters
Interdisciplinary Designer and Artist
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Basak Arpacioglu
Holistic Wellness Pioneer
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Patricia Briggs
Scholar, Historian, Artist
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Melike Katılmış
Archaeology Buff and Physiotherapist
ZeyneP Karagoz
I am a student of the cosmos; a traveler focused on learning and sharing, with a background in design, spiced with social studies and communication skills.
Guided by an extraordinary teacher in an ordinary grade school I graduated from Üsküdar American Academy for Girls and then Mimar Sinan University with a degree in architecture. In 2001 my colleague, Serdar Okumus, and I co-founded KOMA Architecture. In 2008 KOMA merged with 5 dakika and became an experience design service company. In 2014, we started making 3D printed mechanical hands for children with hand deformation who didn’t have access to prosthetics. We also volunteered in the Maker Community. In 2017, Robotel became an NGO and the Maker projects a social entrepreneurship business where we built programs around 21st century technology skills.
Today, I continue working in civic society as a part of the executive team in the Robotel Association and in the UAA Alumni Association. I share my expertise and experience in multidimensional and multidisciplinary projects as a speaker, consultant, trainer, and mentor. And in my spare time, I take pictures, write, cook, and travel widely.
I define myself as a modern witch who is curious about things and their stories, a civil society addict, and a fan of social entrepreneurship.
More about me: https://zeynox.com/ or on Instagram
Carey Watters
I am a multidisciplinary artist combining feminism, historic map-making, and religious and pagan symbolism in my work and a passionate scholar blending art and design with architecture and history.
I serve as a Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where I am also the Director of Graphic Design and the Faculty Director for Community-Based Learning. I hold a BA in Architectural History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and advanced degrees, including an MFA in Graphics (Graphic Design, Printmaking, and Book Arts). I have worked as a freelance graphic designer for prominent institutions, including the Milwaukee Art Museum and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. My academic work includes developing and facilitating a Graphic Design curriculum, a study abroad program to Italy for over 12 years, and community-based learning projects.
My passion for traveling and international residencies have significantly influenced my artistic practice, especially southern Italy, where I studied its rich history and mythology, and its architecture, design, and religious reliquaries. My art has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions across the U.S. and internationally.
I am an active participant in many workshops and exhibitions, contributing to the broader artistic community through my teaching, research, and creative explorations.
More about me : https://www.careywatters.com/ or on Instagram
Basak Arpacioglu
I am a multidisciplinary expert with a passion for holistic wellness and personal growth. My background lies in architecture, sports, and Eastern philosophies.
My journey began in sports as a professional volleyball player and Tai Chi & Qi Gong instructor. My experiences ignited an interest in the mind-body connection and the power of physical activity to enhance well-being. In 1995, I graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at ITU and embarked on a career in architecture. Meanwhile I began exploring Ancient Wisdom, Eastern philosophies, and spiritual practices with emphasis on a holistic approach to life. Inspired by experience and the teachings of renowned masters, I founded the Zendo Academy in 2013.
Zendo offers a wide range of programs, including Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, and holistic healing. I am committed to sharing knowledge and expertise through lectures and workshops on topics such as philosophy, psychology, personal development, and spirituality. I have been recognized as a leading figure in the field of holistic wellness in Türkiye.
My goal is to provide a supportive and nurturing environment where individuals can connect with their inner selves and cultivate a sense of peace and harmony.
More about Me : https://www.zendoakademi.com/hakkimizda/ or on Instagram
Patricia Briggs
I am a ceramic artist interested in the ways clay vessels have been used over time. In my artwork I intermingle ancient and modern design in order to bring history into dialogue with the present. Ancient ritual practice and sacred objects in the form of sculptures and clay vessels excite my artistic imagination.
I served as director and curator of the Weeks Gallery at SUNY-JCC from 2013-2019, and the Fine Art Galleries at UW-Parkside from 2011-2013. Before that, I taught liberal studies and art history at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, from 1999-2010. My writing on contemporary art appears in Artforum, History of Photography, Women’s Art Journal, Senses and Society, Art on Paper, and other print and online journals. In 2019, I retired from my career as an art historian, critic, and curator and began working as a ceramic artist.
Today, my expertise in history and art have brought me to Artemitos, a project focused on enlivening the power of the goddess in women’s everyday lives.
More about Me: Instagram
Melike Katılmış
Equipped with discipline and work ethics, I am a juggler of many interests with a keen focus on the myths and the history of humanity.
I grew up with four siblings in an apartment converted from an old mansion within the original Byzantine walls of Istanbul, breathing in the smell of history all through my childhood. I graduated from Istanbul University - Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in 2001. Looking for something more, I tried different schools of art, sports, and personal development during my career in Physical Therapy. My interest in mythology began in 2020 and led me to study Archeology at Mimar Sinan University in 2021.
I use any time I can spare to learn, experience, and share the science of archaeology. I recently worked and received training in one of the excavations that changed world history, the Urta Stone Hills project,. Adding the prehistoric field to my journey to study classical archaeology gave me different perspectives both socially and professionally.
My goal is to continue my studies by combining two very different disciplines, physiotherapy and archaeology.
More about Me: Instagram