Reflections on My Omaha Magazine Feature

Getting featured in Omaha Magazine was one of those moments that made me stop for a second and really take it in. The article, “Joe Diril, aka Turk: The Omaha Muralist Leaving His Mark Across America,” captured my story in a way that felt honest. It showed not just the work, but the path that led here.

Reading it brought back a lot. From growing up in Ankara to moving to the U.S., to all the different lives I’ve lived before this one. Dance, modeling, photography, film. Every version of me somehow led to painting walls on a massive scale and finding purpose through that process.

Gratitude and Grit

The article mentioned how physical mural work can be. The gear, the heights, the heat, the surfaces that fight you the whole way. Those things are part of the story too. The Austin mural, where I had to rappel down the side of a building because a lift couldn’t reach, was a perfect example. It wasn’t ideal, but it reminded me that when I’m all in, I find a way.

Embracing Change

Before murals, I ran a wedding and video business. It paid well, but it didn’t light me up. When the pandemic hit, I sold my gear, bought a van, and thought I’d travel for a while. That pause changed everything. It forced me to look at what I actually wanted to do. Out of that stillness came murals, and with them, a new sense of direction.

Color, Scale, and Connection

As I said in the article, the only real consistency in my work is color. But it’s not just about color. It’s about how a wall interacts with its environment, how a city or neighborhood becomes part of the piece. I care about the way a mural makes people stop, even for a second. That’s what makes it worth doing.

Purpose Over Recognition

One line from the article that stuck with me was this:

“Even if I’m never acknowledged as an artist, I’m okay with that. I’m not chasing fame or fortune. As long as I’m doing what excites me, that speaks louder than my name ever could.”

That still rings true. I don’t create for validation. I create because the act of doing it makes life feel right.

Staying Grounded in Omaha

No matter how many walls I paint across the country, Omaha is home. My studio in Benson is where I regroup, reset, and dream up what’s next. It’s where ideas turn into plans, and plans turn into paint. There’s something about working where you grew up that keeps everything real.

Looking Ahead

The article mentioned that I’m focusing on larger projects, but fewer of them. That’s intentional. I want to go deeper into the storytelling side of the work. I’ve also been exploring sculpture and welding to bring some of my visual ideas into three-dimensional form. It’s about expanding my creative language, not just repeating what I’ve already done.

Thank You

To everyone who’s trusted me with a wall or a vision, thank you. Every mural is a collaboration between the art, the space, and the people around it. When someone drives by, slows down, and then loops back for another look, that means everything.

Being featured in Omaha Magazine isn’t a finish line. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come, and how much more there still is to explore.

The work continues. The story keeps unfolding.

Joe “Turk” Diril

Turk Made It