In a conversation with a representative of Turmush, Gulzat shared that her love for creativity began in her school years. “I was born in 1977 in the village of Korumdu, where I graduated from the Karamoldo Orozov Secondary School. My interest in handicrafts started with embroidery and drawing. After finishing school, I decided to enroll in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Drawing at the Issyk-Kul State University named after K. Tynystanov in Karakol, which I successfully graduated from in 1999. Immediately after that, I started working as a teacher at Vocational Lyceum No. 2, where I taught students for five years. Later, I got married, moved to Chon-Toguzbay, and got a job at the local school. My husband is also a teacher, and together we are raising one daughter and four sons,” she said.
Gulzat not only inspires her students by teaching them embroidery and button-making but has also mastered the soap-making process, which brings her additional income. “I have been working in the education sector for 25 years, and in Chon-Toguzbay, I teach labor and technology. In the modern world of globalization, our task is to pass on Kyrgyz national values and revive forgotten crafts. In the context of commercialization, handmade products acquire special value. I have students who show interest in handicrafts, and I teach them Kyrgyz and Chinese embroidery,” she noted.
Kasymova strives to implement new techniques and research in her teaching. “Embroidery is an art that requires patience and precision. The prices for my products range from 1,500 to 2,000 soms. I have also completed a course on soap making, and now I create soap based on medicinal herbs and skin-beneficial components such as chamomile and olive oil. Each soap is unique. Initially, I made souvenirs in the shape of flowers, adding fragrances and decorating them for holidays. Now I create soap for children in the form of fairy tale characters and animals. Currently, I sell soap for 50 soms, and the main buyers are local residents. In the future, I plan to develop this craft, continue teaching, and create new products,” she concluded.
Gallery: Gulzat Kasymova
