Gina's Artist Statement for "Little by slow (or yavaş yavaş)"

Little by slow (or yavaş yavaş) has deep meaning for me, as it reflects my recovery journey. I am in recovery from an eating disorder, and I take things one day at a time, little by slow, yavaş yavaş. Yavaş yavaş is one of my favorite Turkish phrases—it means gradually, bit by bit, gentle (as in flowing water).

I lived in Turkey for a season in my twenties, and one of the things that has always impacted me about Turkish culture is the beautiful interdependence and care for fellow humans. There is a saying in Turkey, bir fincan acı kahvenin kırk yıl hatırı vardır, which literally translates ‘a cup of bitter coffee has a memory of forty years.’ You can share a simple cup of coffee with a stranger and make a lifelong friend.